Each week, I go through Genius’ album lists and listen to anything I find interesting. Then, at least twice a month, I’ll go through their singles list, updated daily, and make a playlist of a bunch of new releases. I also find music through Spotify, on Twitter and on music blogs
June was a month of big returns. Ed Sheeran resurfaced with, of all things, an EDM/dance track, Doja Cat finally put “Say So” behind her and an alternative queen set the tone her upcoming album. Also, on brand with Pride month, Lady Gaga released the 10th anniversary edition of “Born This Way” featuring some….questionable reimagined versions of some of the albums most iconic songs. The Jonas Brothers, LANY, Bulow and beabadoobee, among others, released kick ass songs as well. You can check out my top ten picks of the month below, and the full list of all of my favorites in the Spotify playlist included at the bottom of this post.
Oh, and “In The Heights” is incredible. Go see it.
10. “Drugs n Hella Melodies” – Don Toliver and Kali Uchis
A solid back and forth between Toliver and Uchis, one that is giving off serious Big Sean/Jhene Aiko Twenty88 vibes. The natural sexual chemistry of the latter isn’t there yet with these two, but there is definitely something to go off of. Toliver, who is super consistent, is slowly rising up the ranks of R&B crooners while Uchis has been doing it for what feels like ever, paving the way for the likes of Jessie Reyez and others. Uchis references her p****, but keeps it somewhat wholesome; “I just wanna see you through the good and bad. Take you as you are and never give you back.” Toliver doesn’t; “I just want your body like I never had. Take you out the house and never bring you back.”
9. “Welcome To The Internet” – Bo Burnham
When I tell you that the only comedy albums I’ve ever enjoyed are those by John Mulaney and Daniel Tosh, primarily because I find them attractive, I am not kidding. However, Bo Burnham’s latest special, “Inside,” was getting too big for me to ignore (Yes, of course I find him attractive too). The world was not ready for the bomb he had unleashed on us and it is, truly, one of those projects that slows time down for just a little bit while you allow yourself to be sucked into the vacuum.
“Welcome To The Internet,” while not nearly as much of an acid trip as “All Eyes On Me,” is one of the most chill-inducing moments of the special. Burnham runs through a myriad of things you can find on the internet and it is…..a journey. He flips between the good and the bad so often that almost every phrase is designed to make you uncomfortable. From “Welcome to the internet, put your fears aside. Here’s a tip for straining pasta, here’s a nine-year-old who died,” to “Which Power Ranger are you? Take this quirky quiz. Obama sent the immigrants to vaccinate your kids,” and everything before and after, it is a reminder of just how much of a hellhole the internet has become. Especially during COVID/election times. His maniacal laugh near the end of the track followed by the repetition of, “Could I interest you in everything all of the time?” should stop you in your tracks, wondering how the hell we let this monster hold so much power over us.
8. “Distorted Light Beam” – Bastille
Anyone who manifested a Bastille song in the style of Imagine Dragons for whatever reason got their wish with this one. It’s a bit updated to fit their own sound, of course, but the idea is there. I for one have been really, really rooting for them ever since I heard “Grip,” their collaboration with Seeb (“I Took A Pill In Ibiza”) at the gym in early 2019. It was at that I realized the level of magic they are capable of creating.
The instrumentation and lyrical content hint at something much bigger in the works, though I’m not sure that the vocal performance matches the ambitiousness of it overall. The whole idea of being anyone or anything you want in your dreams or from the confines of a social media presence is really interesting and I’d love to see them dive deeper into this conceptually.
7. “Something To Say” – Michaela Jae
The musical theatre star, known for her portrayal of Angel in the 2011 revival of Jonathan Larson’s “Rent”, steps out with an infectious Prince/Nile Rodgers-inspired original track. Her vocal chops and enhanced diction are evident in this funky anthem about speaking your mind freely; “We all got something to say. Speak up, stand out, wake up, get down. Everybody in the world, I know you feel me.”
What a good number of tracks from H.E.R.’s record, Back of My Mind, lacks is the sheer musicality that made her a star in the first place. The album is laden with standard yet forgettable R&B tracks about a crumbling relationship that sees H.E.R. underperforming in every aspect. “Don’t” is one of the bright spots of the record where the pining, emotive vocal matches up with her instrumental chops. The monstrous guitar solo near the end of the track is a much-needed jolt that had me yelling, “FINALLY!!”. I’ll take more of that, please.
5. “SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE” – Tyler, The Creator ft. Brent Faiyaz and Fana Hues
With CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, Tyler, The Creator once again certifies himself as one of the industries great album artists. With Flower Boy and, of course, IGOR, before it, Tyler certainly doesn’t make it easy for himself, but he, once again, managers to deliver in a big way with this record.
I’m a sucker for extended songs like this, which is great, because he does one every album. “SWEET…” details his infatuation with some corny pickup lines; “God gotta know He might have peaked when He made you. The cosmos only mistake is what they named you,” while “….WANTED TO DANCE” starts with the girl, Fana Hues in this case, sweet-talking Tyler; “Him and I got some things that we’re tryin but my energy belongs to you.” Later in the track, Tyler reveals that she chose the other guy; “I wish that we never met, I wish that we ain’t connect.”
4. “How Dare You Want More” – Bleachers
I think working with Bruce Springsteen on “Chinatown” really lit a flame under Jack Antonoff, because Bleachers has never sounded more like the Jersey icon than they do on this new track from their upcoming record, Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night. “How Dare You….”, seemingly about, at least at surface level, Antonoff being chastised by his mother for not appreciating everything he has, is the musical equivalent of going 0-60. Once the gang vocals start on the bridge as they vow to change, it is pure exuberance; “Hey, lonely wants to stay forever. But tonight, we’re gonna do a little better.”
Griff is easily one of the most promising voices in pop music right now, and she has an endorsement from Taylor Swift to prove it. This track, the standout cut from her One Foot In Front Of The Other EP, is about finding comfort and safety in unexpected places and people; “It makes me feel safe in the head and I swear that’s rare these days. And I will keep runnin right back, runnin right back, runnin right back to you.” Expertly crafted production with appropriate movement and flavor, rich, detailed songwriting similar to that of the aforementioned Swift (who may or may not have gotten a shout out with the “We don’t really do much these days. Stare at the ceiling finding shapes in a blank space.”, line) and adlibs that start off as understated but grow in size and shape as the song progresses, Griff delivered a monster of a track.
2. “Nothing Else Matters” – Miley Cyrus ft. WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith
Miley Cyrus’ exploration into rock music has, once again, allowed her to be the musical chameleon she has been her entire career. From bubblegum pop to trap-leaning to country to alternative and now to rock, Cyrus has shape-shifted more than any of her contemporaries. Though she had already won over the adult contemporary rock crowd with her Chris Cornell tribute, her most recent record, Plastic Hearts, topped the rock charts, signifying her legitimacy in the genre. Her covers have always been stellar (see her do Paul Simon’s “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” on SNL 40…..like, jeez) and this is no exception. Accompanied by the likes of Elton John and Metallica’s own Robert Trujillo, Cyrus beasts through the iconic Black Album track. Her vocal range post-surgery is smokier and darker than it once was, but the effects are nothing short of miraculous on a performance like this. She sounds mature and ethereal on the low end then almost claws at your back on the high end, wailing effortlessly with grit and power.
Four years after the release of the critically acclaimed, Melodrama, the Aussie queen has finally returned. The world was anxiously waiting to see what the vibe would be from Lorde in 2021 and it’s safe to say that no one could have predicted what she ultimately gave us. Melodrama is dark and brooding, full of frantic stop-and-go energy and young adult fears and irrationalities laden throughout, with a few exceptions, of course. “Solar Power”, from the first note, is a clear shift that’ll have every singer-songwriter inspired by her mystique scratching their head. To start, both her vocal delivery and the instrumentation, provided mostly by Bleachers front man Jack Antonoff, are slightly muted, but the optimism and the lightness of it is palpable. She cancels all her plans during the cold of winter, but in summertime? She’s all in; “Can I kick it? Yeah, I can.” And totally in the moment; “I throw my cellular device in the water. Can you reach me? No, you can’t.”
She’s got a new man with a camera at the ready and her friends all around her on the beach, but she’s waiting for all of us to join her, as stated from my favorite line of the track; “It’s a new state of mind. Are you comin my baby?”
With COVID slowly but surely beginning to recede, the song is, essentially, giving us permission to come out of our holes. To be free again after a year and a half of darkness, both literal and metaphorical. The slow build symbolizes our hesitancy, but the latter half is the release; “Blink three times if you feel it kickin in, that solar power.” Choir vocals, a horn solo and Lorde herself sounding absolutely enthralled with life, shouting a kid-like, euphoric, “GO!” near the end of the track make it an absolutely thrilling listen. It may not have charted the way it should have, but “Solar Power” is a gift. This mess may not be completely behind us, but it’s summer. We need to go back to living again.
You can stream all of the above tracks now, wherever you stream music, and check out my full June playlist, linked below.
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