Lav's Music Corner

Some HIGH profile new singles dropped this week, see how they shake out against some underground favorites.  5.  Afterlife  - Sharon Van Etten I'll be the first to admit I was skeptical from the moment this song kicked off with its anthemic drum beat and even after I heard the fluttering keys backing Sharon's chorus. While you would think inherently that the grandeur would rob her music of the power it has in its intimacy, she seems to have taken a queue from some of her singer-songwriter contemporaries who impressively expanded their sonic range. This track isn't perfect, but her writing and energy shines through.  Listen 4.  Noid  - Tyler, The Creator Tyler's newest single has justifiably been met with quite a bit of acclaim for both its sound palette and compositional dynamism. Even if some of the altered vocals and MANY of the song's lyrics leave quite a bit to be desired, there's still plenty here to grab onto as potential green flags for Tyler's new al

Better late than never. Enjoy <3 5.  Never Gonna Change  - Sharon Van Etten If you know Sharon Van Etten then you can probably predict what this song is going to sound like going into it, even if the fusion of Weyes Blood style chamber with a dash of classic heartland still manages to be compelling. It probably also won't surprise fans that despite it being a deep cut that missed the official tracklist of Sharon's album earlier this year, it's still great and should be headed directly into the ears of indie folk fans.  Listen 4.  The Loneliest Time  - Carly Rae Jepsen (Feat. Rufus Wainwright) The singles from Carly's new album have been pretty all over the place in terms of style but very consistent in terms of quality. This sort of disco ballad which yes, randomly features Rufus Wainwright actually turns out great. The song has the emotional poise to justify playing it a little slow but Carly refuses to make something you can't dance to, with wonderful results. 

This week on "Upsetting Indie Fans" I'm taking on a gauntlet of artists who I either sort of like, or have never really understood in the first place yet they continue to receive massive amounts of critical acclaim. I'm giving them another spin to see if I figure it out all of a sudden.  We've Been Going About This All Wrong  - Sharon Van Etten Unlike the theme of these reviews so ineloquently states I actually like Sharon Van Etten and I've been known to dish out some praise to her music in the past, not to mention she puts on an excellent live show. While I wasn't crazy about the previous two singles she released I was more than willing to give this entirely new batch of songs a shot, because her music often has the poise and subtlety to grow on me over time. The record leans into that patience throughout with almost all of these songs starting out both very slow and very sparse. If you stick with them a lot of these songs develop into very compelling hi

The single is the absolute heartbeat of popular music. Nothing racks up streams, builds up hype and generates social media buzz like a lead single, music video or elaborate promotional campaign. While the medium isn't exclusive to the mainstream and bands all the way down to the local level can issue singles in the streaming era, this is the list most affected by general consensus and commercial success. Based on the quality of these songs, the level of execution in their visuals and promotion, and the appeal and reception within their target fanbase this is a ranking of the top 100 singles released in 2021.  Enjoy <3 100. Bloody Future  - Kilo Kish Last Time On The List: 2019 Bite Me With nostalgia being as potent a force as ever in music this year Kilo Kish kicks our list off with a multi-decade encompassing R&B banger. Her voice continues to be an infectious accompaniment to a bouncy hook and her impeccable attitude goes a long way to help sell the track.  99. Peaches  -