October 8, 2022

This Month On Shuffle: September 2022

Featuring songs by The 1975, David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, Koe Wetzel, Tyler Childers, Sam Smith & Kim Petras, and Zach Bryan

I’m In Love With You by The 1975

The 1975 has frequently failed me these past two album cycles. They’re capable of making some of the best pop music of the modern era, but way too often they fall into this pretentious hole of self-important wank that thinks it’s deeper than it actually is. I was ready to go through the same frustrations all over again with this new album in October, especially after the lead single “Part Of The Band” had the most embarrassing lyrics I’ve heard this year. But maybe this year is different. Since then, every single leading up to Being Funny In A Foreign Language has been a knockout, and “I’m In Love With You” is right up there with “The Sound” and “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” as a genuine pop CLASSIC. I adore this song! It’s got their trademark shimmering guitar flash against a sea of sax and sparkling synths set to an infectiously lovestruck melody. Matty Healy’s distinct British voice sells the pure rush of infatuation and makes a declaration like “I’m in love with you” feel like the most incredible feeling in the world. This song is so full of life and joy at every angle. From its bright pink sounds to its enthusiastic performance from everyone in the band. It almost singlehandedly gives me faith that this album is gonna be their best since 2016. Don’t break my heart again, Healy.

New Gold by Gorillaz ft. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown

Gorillaz let me down significantly less often, so I’m always excited to hear whatever new world they suck us into next. I really liked their lead single and title track “Cracker Island”, but “New Gold” hooked me in an INSTANT as a late summer/early fall anthem. Working with Tame Impala was a brilliant choice, and I’m shocked it hasn’t happened sooner! They both flesh out this wonderful atmosphere that feels as rich as it does desolate. Like a constant walk down a sea of neverending gold that still feels just a little bit empty. The dejected vocals from Kevin Parker and 2-D sound GREAT together! Bootie Brown is probably my least favorite part of the song, but I still really like his contributions as the trademark rapper in all of Gorillaz’s weird little experiments. The final leg of the song where the production all colesses together against Parker and 2-D’s vocal overlap is just musical ear candy. 

Where It Ends by Bailey Zimmerman

Okay, NOW I’m on board with Bailey Zimmerman. I think what I love most about “Where It Ends” is how it’s as cathartic as it is relentlessly catchy. The melody on the hook and how his lyrics fit into the meter are brilliant! His guttural howl fits the fed-up anger of the song perfectly, but the way the banjo and guitars drift across the mix give off this foreboding tension in the instrumentation makes the blowup in the chorus especially satisfying. Plus, unlike “Fall In Love”, this resentment doesn’t feel toxic or unearned. I fully believe Bailey was on the receiving end of a barrage of lies and bullshit, and this is when the moment the line was crossed. He has so many great little moments like this vibrato when he yells, “no moOoOoOoOore” and that full-on screech in the background near the end of the song, (“SECOND CHAAAAANCE”). It hits and it hits HARD. I’ve been coming back to it all month. He found a winner with this one, and with that EP finally coming out, I’m excited to be fully on-board with his rapidly growing career.

I’m Good (Blue) by David Guetta & Bebe Rexha 

I feel like I should be more angry about this song and its success. In some senses, I am. But it mostly just depresses me. It’s the song that disillusioned me of this trend of interpolating recognizable songs from the 90s and 2000s and making a new song out of them. It worked for “First Class”, “Betty (Get Money)” and “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” because the obvious sample wasn’t the only draw. They all had unique aspects and appeals that kept the sample as a novelty. “I’m Good (Blue)” is the worst-case scenario. An empty, soulless, radio-bait pop song with an inoffensive concept, inoffensive lyrics, inoffensive singer, and essentially nothing to actually grab anyone with aside from an unmistakable melody that people will hear and think, “Oh, I remember this song! That’s so silly!”. It’s the most obvious product made by executives to bait TikTokers into making a song go viral by doing as little as possible and it worked. Flo Rida tried harder than this.

There’d Better Be A Mirrorball by Arctic Monkeys

You ever hear a new lead single that you like so much it made you question why you hated the act’s previous album in the first place? I’m not sure if Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino deserves a second chance or not, but at the very least I can say Arctic Monkeys definitely improved on the lounge jazz sound they started with on that album. The production itself is GORGEOUS, with a sweeping intro and those pounding staccatos leading into the vocals. Drifting around the song as Alex Turner muses about a relationship about to fade away, pleading for one last romantic night so they can go out in the delicate flash of the mirrorball. It’s sultry and romantic, but most of all it just sounds GREAT!!! Arctic Monkeys have really deviated from the sound they became famous for, but I also feel like their identity is still just as strong as the smoked-out, bad decision-making romantic fools with an enticing aesthetic. It makes me hopeful this new album can build upon what Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino started and live out that album’s vision to its fullest.

Frankenstein by Rina Sawayama

Sometimes a song starts and you can tell immediately that it’s going to be a personal favorite. For “Frankenstein”, it was the sharp screams and chugging bass that kicked off the song that build to Rina’s fearful vocals. It feels like a constant chase down a dark hall, and you can’t see what’s behind you, but you know it’s going to hurt you. Especially evident in the chaos of the chorus, where the drums REALLY step up and that chugging bass heightens the tension as you feel Rina’s desperation seep into your blood. Rina is more open than ever about her struggling mental health, and “Frankenstein” is the scariest manifestation of that downward spiral. In an album that owes all of its flowers to Lady Gaga, this is the closest it gets to manifesting the monstrous weirdness of Gaga’s best work. Vulnerable, frightening, thrilling. Perfect for the upcoming Halloween season.

Any Day Now by Zac Brown Band ft. Ingrid Andress

“Any Day Now” was a highlight of 2021, and a finalist for my favorite songs of that year. Unfortunately, it barely missed the cutoff. Maybe it’ll get lucky this year though, as Zac Brown Band released a deluxe edition of The Comeback that features remixes of some of the songs, including this one featuring Ingrid Andress. The original song is already fantastic, detailing a breakup where after countless excuses, Zac’s partner decides she’s had enough and the day she finally leaves him arrives. It’s a heartbreaking realization that he’s been given so many chances and has squandered each and every one of them. Now it’s too late, and she’s not coming back. Ingrid Andress doesn’t add much more context lyrics-wise, but she makes up for it for a fantastic performance and the way she and Zac’s vocals entwine on the bridge and final chorus. It’s the kind of back-and-forth that I loved on “exile”, and they both sound great together!

Sunshine by Steve Lacy ft. Fousheé

Some songs quietly sneak up on me as the year passes by. They stay in my rotation long enough for me to enjoy their presence and realize I like them so much more than I initially think I do. Hence is the case with “Sunshine”, a song that’s been in my rotation since July and has stuck with me as a soundtrack to my late summer/early fall. The brisk, laid-back guitar melodies against the strumming bass and subtle percussion, Fousheé’s gorgeous voice spreading across the track, the way Steve Lacy sings, “Sayin’ ‘my ex’ like my name ain’t STEEEVE!”, it’s all so perfectly constructed to make a sunny vibe that has stuck with me since first listen. It’s pretty sour in its subject matter, but the carefree vibe of the song makes me feel like both parties are less angry and more reconsidering as the light sparks up again. It all builds into a gorgeous outro complete with a blazing guitar solo that always makes me smile. Perfect vibes.

Baby I’m Yours by Breakbot ft. Infane

I’ve been working on a comic about a roller rink romance all month, so I made a fun little playlist of songs that make me think about roller skating. This song in particular I’d like to think is my theme song for this comic. A bright, colorful, groovy song with all the 70s cheese you can ask for and a plea for romance that feels like the start of a brand-new adventure. It astounds me that a song that so perfectly captures the spirit of the 70s came out in 2010 of all years. This could fit right in alongside “Stayin’ Alive” and “Dancing Queen” as an all-time GREAT in disco history. And I truly believe this is one of the best pop songs I’ve ever heard. The intro building up to the chorus is so good it became a viral meme on Vine back in the day, but the song itself deserves kudos for being unbelievably catchy and fun! 

Dragon Slayer by Ninja Sex Party

I’m pretty back and forth on Ninja Sex Party as a whole, and I think it has to do with whether or not I’m feeling the production of the song I hear. Danny’s humor is always going to be silly and juvenile, which isn’t for everyone and even I find it falls flat sometimes. Every now and then though, there’s a song that’s as ridiculous as I expect it to be, but the sound and scale of the song go above and beyond to make an otherwise ridiculous song pretty awesome in the end! “Dragon Slayer” is one of Ninja Sex Party’s earliest viral songs, but a recent rework album touched up the production and vocals with Danny’s newer backing band, TWRP, and I fully believe this is the song it was always meant to be. This RULES. Danny’s penchant for 80s pop has always made even Ninja Sex Party’s dumbest songs at least entertaining, but it really shines through with the melodies and instrumentation being polished to its brightest and most colorful. It doesn’t feel as homemade and Youtuber cheap as its initial version. And even in Danny’s fruitless attempts to win over a girl through blatant lying, there’s something to the passion and promise of this song that makes you kind of want to believe him. As the absurdities of the song are materializing in front of your very eyes. Shout out to SmashToons for animating the music video by the way. It’s outstanding!

Creeps by Koe Wetzel

This has been an insane year for indie country. Zach Bryan, Megan Morone, and now Koe Wetzel getting major mainstream breakthroughs? I knew this was bound to happen, as Koe is another artist building up a massive fanbase well beyond the Nashville scene, though his music is as rock-oriented as it is country-oriented. First thing I thought of when I first heard “Creeps” is that it kind of sounded like a cut from Weezer. But like, in a good way! There’s a singalong bitterness to the chorus that really draws me to it, especially as Koe bites back at an ex who took advantage of him and treated him like shit. It’s almost like a drunken ramble against someone who wronged you (as most Koe songs are), complete with a rock and roll swagger and Texas hick crassness that makes this a compellingly toxic song. My favorite part of the song is just the part where he fumbles in the word “bitch” before starting the second chorus. It’s satisfying in a weirdly toxic way.

Reverse Cowgirl by Jon Pardi

Seeing this song title on the tracklist for Jon Pardi’s new album made me realize how sexless a lot of Nashville tends to be, even though a lot of them make references to “making love”. Guess when their idea of sex is so tame compared to other sex jams I hear, it just goes in one ear and out the other. So the implication that Jon Pardi even knows a second sex position other than missionary is wild. Even more wild is the fact that the song presents itself so seriously. It’s a sad cowboy ballad about his girl leaving him wishing she would come back and make things work. “Put that thing in reverse, cowgirl”. Basically a hornier version of Kacey Musgraves’ “Space Cowboy”. And yet, look into the lyrics and it’s full of innuendos! “Hate that we’re in this position”, “If you back it up babe, we can make things work”, “You’ll be seeing me from a different point of view”, and my personal favorite, “I know it’s hard to do this face to face”. It’s hard to tell whether you’re supposed to genuinely buy into the sadness of the song or laugh along to these absurd sex jokes, but I kind of like that it’s so obscure about it! It’s like you and Pardi’s own little in-joke!

Million Dollar Baby by Ava Max

My feelings on Ava Max are a lot like those Tower of Doom-type rides at amusement parks. At first, I start thinking despite her hacky instincts, she’s a genuinely good pop star with a lot of potential, and then all those hacky instincts come to the forefront, and my opinion of her plummets like a rock. Which is why it’s weird to me that now that she’s essentially back to being a D-lister, I think that ride that represents my opinion of her is once again rising to the top. “Million Dollar Baby” is everything I hate about Ava Max. Blatantly obvious sample/interpolation that it coasts on because the label paid a lot for the rights, vague empowerment lyrics that are meant to be more specific but keep it broad for radio appeal, and a chorus that’s ultimately soulless and could be done by anyone. But like… it’s really GOOD at all those things! I genuinely like the way the production takes LeAnne Rimes’ “Can’t Fight The Moonlight”’s lovestruck energy and twists it into a self-love anthem that genuinely feels empowering and passionate! Ava Max is an anonymous singer, but she gives her all into her performance which sells me on the scale of her melodrama! And that hook is just too infectious alongside the electropop production for my cynicism to ruin it. A genuine triumph!

Munch (Feelin’ U) by Ice Spice

Ice Spice is the latest in a series of rappers who make men on Twitter nervous over women in hip-hop having talent. This song in particular went viral and has been building in popularity ever since, and I think it’s really impressive! This is sort of a tough beat to rap over. The trap skitters are really fast but the bass melody is much slower, so staying on beat is a mostly fruitless task. What’s impressive is how Ice Spice has a wicked-fast flow, but a controlled one. She knows when to stop and let the last word hang, but she snaps into the next bar without hesitation. It’s not a new concept she’s rapping about. She’s hot and she has guys at the foot of her heel, but she’s openly disposing of these guys as soon as she’s done with them. “Munch”, she calls them, which is apparently New York slang for guys who will eat a girl’s pussy at the drop of a hat. There’s something so scathing about the way she says it though. Like she knows you’re not gonna confront her on it because you’re so enamored with her you’d willingly accept being treated as a disposable sex toy. That’s probably why Ice Spice is stirring so much shit within a lot of insecure men online. Because she’s probably right. I find that inspiring!

Angel Band by Tyler Childers

It’s interesting to see how in a year where indie/non-Nashville country is blowing up to insane proportions, Tyler Childers hasn’t really hit that mainstream stride I expected him to hit with this next album. Not that he needs to, of course, and it seems like “All Your’n” and “Feathered Indians” are doing that for him anyway. But when the lead-off single to his new album turned out to be two of three versions of one song, with heavy religious themes and no allegiance to any one belief, I got the feeling Tyler is just gonna make whatever he wants. I fully encourage this though, as “Angel Band” hit me as an instant favorite right away. An explosive chorus of “hallelujahs” and cherishing the “jubilee” of finding the promised land and ascending into heaven. The verses have the twang of his country roots, but the song still has a lot of gospel elements that allow Childers to cheer his lungs out, all against the echo of his guitar and the hints of organ that are more pronounced in the “Hallelujah” version. Personally, I prefer the “Jubilee” version, mainly for that final chorus where the horns come in and ascend the song to incredible heights, but both versions are gorgeous renditions of the song. Though the Joyful Noise version of the song is… interesting. Something I’d need more characters to really explore. Makes me curious to find out what the hell this new album is about, at least!

Tennessee Orange by Megan Moroney

On the subject of indie/non-Nashville country having a banner year, Megan Moroney has been on my radar for a few months now. She had this beautifully written single that went viral on TikTok called “Hair Salon” which really impressed me, but now she’s making huge waves with her newest song, “Tennessee Orange”. I’m not sure if I like it as much as “Hair Salon”, but it’s still a fantastic song that makes me really optimistic about the growing TikTok generation of country artists! It’s interesting that I haven’t seen that many songs about falling in love with someone from another state in country music. For as much as Nashville loves to milk Southern nostalgia out of its listeners, it’s refreshing to hear a song so specifically about two people who grew up differently, maybe could have been rivals in another life, but learning to love and appreciate someone and their traditions as you fall further in love with them. Framing it as a phone call between Megan and her mother is especially brilliant, as you don’t know how the mother will react to her Georgia-grown child falling for a Tennessee boy and rooting for his team in addition to her hometown heroes. But through the genuine love and passion Megan puts into her performance, in addition to the GORGEOUS fiddle and guitar arrangements in the production, you feel yourself falling in love right alongside her. That specificity is the secret sauce as to why this song stands out above so many other hometown songs. It tells a story anyone can relate to, even if it’s still ultimately about two very specific people.

 Bite Back by Algiers ft. billy woods & Backwash

I was absolutely FLOORED when I found out that not only were Algiers coming back but with a billy woods and Backxwash feature on their lead single! What an inspired group of artists to pair together! I couldn’t wait to hear what kind of inferno-singed banger we’d get out of it! In a weird way though, I was pleasantly surprised that we didn’t get that. Instead of a wildfire, “Bite Back” is a slow burn. It starts slow and quiet, with sparks of horns and waning guitar strums accenting the shuffling synths that open up the song. billy woods’ chilling verse builds on the tension as more and more instruments build towards Franklin James Fisher delivering a surprise rap verse. It makes a moment to really kick in, but once that rap verse starts and builds to a chorus releasing Franklin’s trademark howls, you start to REALLY feel the danger of this song. It’s all about relying on the systems that are built to betray, and how sometimes the only way to survive is to bite back against the hands that feed you. No matter the good intentions, when you see them about to strike or lead you down a terrible path, have the strength to fight back. I really liked this song on first listen, but the more I listen to it and let this song’s atmosphere sink with me, the more engaged I get with billy and Backxwash’s guest verses and the way Franklin’s singing builds and builds into a hysteric yell. I got the wildfire I wanted, it just needed time to spread into a bigger flame than I could imagine.

Selfish by PnB Rock

This one hurts. It will never not hurt when an artist gets killed because of gun violence. PnB Rock was not an artist I went to bat for, but that shouldn’t matter. I shouldn’t have to write about artists this young in the past tense. In tribute, I can at the very least look back at his music and acknowledge he was ahead of the game in many areas. It shocked me to go back to “Selfish” and realize how timeless it was. This could have easily been released this year and I wouldn’t tell the difference. His sing-songy voice over the lush production and scuffling trap skitter was a sound I wish I appreciated at the time. I was probably put off by the concept of wanting to keep someone to yourself and admitting your own selfishness at the time, but now I recognize it as a genuinely romantic song that loves in its own way. Taking the steps to advance this relationship and take it to the next level while still being as honest as he could be. Something about the way he sings this hook especially gets me now. It’s blissful. The bridge especially where he lets his voice soar into his upper register cements this as an outstanding song that deserved its flowers at the time. I just wish I could learn to recognize this without having to lose the artist who made it. Rest in peace.

Unholy by Sam Smith ft. Kim Petras

There are a lot of things you could have told me about this year that I wouldn’t believe a year ago, but I think the success of “Unholy” is the one that leaves me fully and utterly flabbergasted. Sam Smith working with Kim Petras is one thing. Sam Smith making a strip club song about a married man having sex with prostitutes is one thing. But the fact that THIS is what it sounds like and it’s on track to be the biggest hit of fall 2022… what the actual fuck?! I think the worst part about it is that I can see a version of this song that works. I’m not against Sam Smith ditching their adult contemporary love ballads in favor of something depraved and slutty. If anything, I encourage it! I could do without Kim Petras, but Dr. Luke isn’t anywhere near this one, so I’m less inclined to be cynical about it! Unfortunately, the song is kind of a catastrophe. The use of a clanking SOPHIE-like beat over this bizarre chorus arrangement and Indian instruments makes a song trying to revel in the darkness of it all, and instead coming off as unsettling in the least sexy way possible. Sam Smith, God bless their soul, can’t pull off that strip club charisma to sell the deviancy of this story, to the point where Kim Petras’ verse fares a lot better. But even her verse is sloppy in a really immature, borderline childish way. I wish I could like this more, but honestly, this shit just full-on sucks. Not looking forward to the inevitable transphobic discourse this spawns.

Burn, Burn, Burn by Zach Bryan

It astounds me how fast Zach Bryan’s turnaround with new material can be. You’d think we’ve reached the point where he delivers 5/10 demos circling the same concepts over and over, and yet, every new song feels so fresh. “Burn, Burn, Burn” in particular feels like a culmination of Zach Bryan’s entire year. Breaking out and becoming a star, embarking on his first (possibly only) tour, and learning to live with this new normal he’d been avoiding up until now. Zach’s words over a simple guitar and steel wail reminisce on his introversion and how difficult the crowds can be for him. He’s not really a man who wants fame, he’s someone who prefers to keep to himself and live the joy of life his own way. He wants to make his little songs, love his partners, and rely on the friends he can count on one hand. It’d be easy for this to come off as selfish or preachy, but Zach’s honest delivery keeps him on the ground and the song is otherwise very optimistic and kind. The verses end with the lyric, “I’m a simple man, I don’t need much. Just my simple songs and some human touch./I’m tired now, so I’m bringing my ass home”. A very simple human need to rest and find comfort in the things that make you happy. And the chorus ends the song asking the listener to let him wander, wherever he may go. A flaring yell on the second refrain. And a soft burnout to end it off. A beautiful moment. One that resonated with me instantly. Yet another reason why Zach Bryan is the king of 2022.