Best New Tracks Of The Week: March 27th, 2022
Another week that absolutely filled up the stat sheet with lots of new releases from notable names. While there wasn't a grand, highly anticipated comeback or massive pop collaboration to steal the spotlight there was something new this week for just about anybody and the best of the bunch are here.
5. If We Get Caught - Bloc Party
After their last few singles I had been begging Bloc Party to dig their heels in and drop something that really rips, but it turns out the secret to making their best single of this era so far was to lean into their sentimentality. There's something very sweet and innocent about the fear of getting caught and the expression of love as if it's the very last thing you'll ever get to say to someone. The song is sweet and infinitely endearing.
4. Lost - Zola Jesus
Even though you can never be sure what to expect from Zola Jesus, you can always expect it to be good and this certainly is. The chambered mix of the song with her echoing vocals and the tribal drums is an instantly infectious combo that carries throughout the entire song. Even though it'll likely be even easier to appreciate this track within the context of a greater album I still love it as a single.
3. Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone) - Kurt Vile
In the way that so many great Kurt Vile songs do, Way Gone meanders lazily and psychedelically through a soft and dreamy procession. The mix of slurred guitars and spacey keys is a wonderful bassline for Kurt to work within his element as a songwriter and despite how laid back the whole thing is it really does have me on the edge of my seat throughout.
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2. Totally Fine - PUP
While I may not have been head over heels for their last single, PUP is back to absolutely ripping with this one. It's a funny, anthemic punk rager with great percussion throughout and that charmingly nihilistic attitude that comes off as purely irresistible. It moves quickly through it's refrains from great chant along hook to a memorable bridge that really drives home the songs snarky take down of either being "at your worst" or "totally fine" with no in-between.
1. Cobra Wages Shuffle / Off! Schable w gure! - Matmos
Yep, you're still not going to mistake a Matmos song for anything else. Their ability to turn decidedly synthetic sounds into living breathing compositions is still amazing and it's once again on display here with a song whose squelching, rumbling samples have a definite squishiness, for lack of a better word. From what sounds like sour horns in the first half to the vocal samples backing rattling drum patterns in the second half this song is an adventure from start to finish and I wouldn't really expect anything else from Matmos at this point.
