Best New Songs Of The Week: March 6th, 2022
With the elation of last nights UNC basketball win over Duke in their own stadium during Coach K's last ever regular season game I am feeling excited and generous. To that end I still don't see this release week as being one of the better ones of the year so far and more debate than I'd like to admit came purely in trying to find tracks that I was even comfortable enough putting on the list. Enjoy <3
5. Matilda - PUP
If you're impressed by PUP's consistently ability to blend the raw sound of punk with the genuine emotional expression of emo then this song will be right up your alley. It doesn't have the most impressive or memorable riffs and refrains but the real highlights is how swiftly and effectively it bounces between emotional tones throughout.
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4. Angelica - Wet Leg
On the back of an impressive run of post-punky singles from one of the most acclaimed young bands out there, they stripped it back to basics for this track fusing a slinky pop sense of songwriting with just enough of their typically edge to make it work. The song is a hazy but swaying little indie rock jam with catchy refrain and an impressive wall of guitars.
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3. Baby - Charli XCX
This song grabs your attention right away with visions of Toxic but never quite lives up to that level of pop infestation. The instrumental is a swarm of 80's basslines with a 2000's pop hook and some chilly synth lines placed over top of it all. While I wouldn't call one of the best examples of songwriting we've ever heard from Charli she certainly delivers the charismatic performance you'd expect.
2. Hi-De-Ho - Jack White (Feat. Q-Tip)
This one has the potential to age very poorly but right now I'm just so surprised this fusion of sounds was able to be pulled off with such unique results that I'm almost in awe. Jack White combines his blistering rock aura with a verse from A Tribe Called Quest's own Q-Tip and even a pretty familiar hip hop sample and the results are really really weird. Generally I find the song pretty interesting and while I could see that becoming more gawk than praise once the record actually comes out, for now I'm giving Jack's weirdness the benefit of the doubt and I'm impressed he managed this.
1. Head High - Joey Bada$$
While a lot of fans liked to complain about the reserved and conscious nature of Joey's best tunes, it feels so great to have him return to the style after all this time. This track features a reserved beat, straightforward hook and a pair of wonderful verses where Joey explains his past relationships with artists who have passed away and promises to keep looking forward with his head held high. It's my favorite song he's released in a long time.
