Best New Tracks Of The Week: 1/15/22
For the first time in 2023 and covering the first two weeks of the year, let's recap the best tracks of the week.
5. Sideways Skull - The Hold Steady
Part of me is a little bit scared of dishing out praise to yet another witty, reference-heavy bar-rock anthem from The Hold Steady since they've been doing this for a LONG time now, but sometimes they just do it well. Aside from the messy guitar lick that sticks around for almost the entire song, this is another Craig Finn lyrical expose that will require some googling for even the music nerds. Once the keys rush in on the equally wordy hook it strikes a level of catchy that the band is capable of when at or around their peak.
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4. Flowers - Miley Cyrus
Color me surprised. One of the early treats of 2023 from Miley Cyrus who I'm not normally the biggest fan of musically. While this disco-flavored self-empowerment anthem could be argued as Jessie Ware-lite, it's still a style that's new for Miley and one she suits well. While her retro rock stylings were hit and miss with me, I could see myself getting behind a glitzy revival from one of pops sonic chameleons like Miley.
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3. We Shine At Night - Parannoul
When you first hear the raw crashing drums on this song they may sound a little jarring, until you remember just how familiar they are. With a lead single that felt a bit like a detour from Parannoul's expected sound, the Korean noise project is back with a 6-minute rager that soars just as high as their past epics. From the piercing synth that peaks the mix to the percussion which finds new ways to crash in with a distorted haze every single time it re-introduces itself, this already feels like the sound that Parannoul assembled on To See The Next Part Of The Dream but taken to an even more sentimental conclusion.
2. Oceans Niagara - M83
It's hard to imagine many records that I could be more excited for this year than new material from M83. This new single returns to some of the more anthemic formlessness that was so unique to their 2011 masterpiece Hurry Up, We're Dreaming with synths turned up so loud I don't miss the structure of their previous studio album Junk one bit. What it may lack in instantly memorable refrains it more than makes up in style where the band once again glitters a neon skyline with cascading nocturnal instrumentation that lights up anywhere you play it.
1. Maybae Baeby - Xiu Xiu
Speaking of albums I'm extremely excited about, Xiu Xiu is coming through with a new project and this lead single is the horrifying carrot on a stick I needed to remember just how uncompromising of a band they are. Fair warning, this song is not for the faint of heart. If anything the crushing walls of distortion serving as RELIEF from the scariest moments rather than the scary part themselves should tell you everything you need to know. This is a whirlwind of metallic dissonance and haunting spoken word that I find totally irresistible.
