Best New Songs Of The Week: August 28th, 2022
After the first time this year that there were so many good songs I had to include an honorable mention, we've got the second week in a row of less than stellar results. So be it, there are a lot of good albums coming out recently and going forward to fill in the gaps.
5. One Twenty Two - Botch
Remember Botch? Probably not as it's been like 20 years since the heavy metal band last released any new material. This new song won't necessarily explain the absence or push their sound forward into anywhere crazy or unpredictable it is raw as fuck and the repetition helps sell the catchy refrain it's built around. In a year where Gospel came out of nowhere to become a new critical darling, it isn't that farfetched to imagine a similar fate for Botch.
4. All You Do - Magdalena Bay
When B-Sides make the singles list you know it's been a slow week but that's just how the cards fell this week. This track which wasn't good enough to land on their somewhat overrated album from last year definitely would have fit in with the rich glittering atmosphere and gentle but catchy refrains worked in throughout.
3. Memory - Whitney
After Whitney sort of whiffed on their lead single, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed the second release from their new album. This settles somewhere in the middle with a lot of their old sound still intact, or at least a lot more than any of the other songs. I still like it for the same reasons that anyone likes a solid Whitney song.
2. Phantom - Rina Sawayama
While neither of her emotional ballads have been quite as good as the bangers as far as singles go, this is a very mature and carefully crafted pop song that manages to deliver dramatic moments both sonically and thematically. It's a vibrant expression of acceptance of both self and others that won me over very quickly even if it isn't as instantaneous as some of her best songs.
1. Been To The Mountain - Margo Price
It feels like I've been telling people to listen to Margo Price for quite a while now but she continues to back up my big talk. This new song is a journey that FULLY lives up to the promises that come with that label. Margo is also at a point in her career where she can reflect on the twists and turns she's taken to get here and seeing her do that as someone who's been a fan for years is an incredibly gratifying experience.
