Let’s Catch Up! Every Song I Liked That Came Out Last Week
While I was gone last week, a lot of new music came out. While I couldn’t write about them, I still took the time to try to listen to them all. Here are my recommendations!
What’s up; it’s been a minute! A whole week has gone by, I saw some cool buildings, and I took a well-needed break from my computer. However, that doesn’t mean I stopped paying attention to the new music that artists I like kept releasing. So, I’d like to share some of my thoughts and recommendations to keep your July playlists fresh and fun!
The songs mentioned are all from artists I’ve been following for a good amount of time, so I am still on the active pursuit of new artists to follow. If you have any recommendations for other artists that came out with new music this past week, let me know and I can review!
The links to each song will be provided below.
TC Superstar, “Some Nights” and “Forever”: Ok, disclaimer: the first single came out in May, but I didn’t get around to it until late June. These two singles were on repeat this past week, both for their danceability and fun, Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories-esque sound. For a band where I only really like one album and one another song (shoutout to R & D and “Toyota Corolla”), these two singles show a lot of promise for whatever the new album will sound like! In other words, it’s not boring to me. If you’re looking for an upbeat, clean, modern, disco/electronica sound, look no further! These two singles are super fun and super catchy, and they’re great songs to define your summer experience.
Declan McKenna, “Sympathy”: Yes, this was going to make it on my suggestions list regardless of however good or bad the song might have been. Luckily, Declan McKenna nailed it with this one. Out of the prog rock, David Bowie/Elton John groove he fell into with Zeroes, Declan McKenna actually chilled out on this track, adopting a brighter, easier tune with happier and simpler lyrics. You can definitely feel a Beatles/George Harrison influence in the track, so if you like whatever the hell was going in “Yellow Submarine,” you might like this track as well. It’s a short song, but it’s extremely catchy and perfect for the summer…I could not stop singing “Sympathy won’t you come around!” all week.
The Japanese House, “Sunshine Baby” and “Hard to Breathe”: I already wrote my review of In the End, It Always Does, which came out June 30; if you didn’t read that, you’re a fake fan. Anyway, these two ended up being my favorite on the album, and the ones I kept going back to all week. They’re so beautiful to listen to, and they quickly became essential tracks for my summer playlist! Though they’re both kind of downers, their upbeat and relaxed sounds make up for the heavy lyrics, giving you the sensation of hanging outside on a warm, sunny day.
Angelo De Augustine, “Blood Red Thorn” and “Memory Palace”: On June 30, Angelo De Augustine (known for Tomb and Beginner’s Mind) released a new album, and I haven’t fully recovered yet. Though I really enjoy this certain kind of indie folk music (think Fleet Foxes and Sufjan Stevens) in the fall or spring, Angelo De Augustine is the perfect artist for indie folk in the summer. His breathy, airy voice alongside some of the most beautiful and peaceful guitar creates a perfect summer sound. Though I’d recommend the whole album, I really gravitated toward these two tracks. If you want relaxation and calm for July, give “Blood Red Thorn” and “Memory Palace” a try!
Slaughter Beach, Dog, “Float Away”: Slaughter Beach, Dog is also another beloved artist of mine, so when I saw that the new single “Float Away” dropped TODAY, I had to drop everything and listen. From the slide guitar to the swingy beat, to the easy and lighthearted lyrics, this song also works incredibly well for the summer! It feels a little dad rock, but sometimes that’s exactly what people need on a summer evening in July of all months. If any month is dad rock coded, it’s the one that contained Independence Day, a day where the only thing you’re supposed to do is barbecue anything and wear cargo shorts. Also, listen to Slaughter Beach, Dog in general.
BONUS SONGS: These are songs that came out a long-ish time ago but still made their way into my constant repeat cycle the past week.
Father John Misty, “Real Love Baby”: Again, I recently wrote about FJM, so if you didn’t read that, you’re still a fake fan! Anyway, this song is a perfect summer tune, and it got the highest honor possible (my dad who exclusively listens to 80s hard rock said, “I like this!” in passing).
Pulp, “Disco 2000”: Shoutout to Britpop and songs that make me want to dance like an insane person…an excellent summer tune I can’t get out of my head.
Billie Eilish, “Billie Bossa Nova”: This is a spoiler for a near-future article, so I won’t dump all my thoughts. I will say that she really nailed this song.
Grimes, “World Princess part II”: I was in Grimes’ homeland of Montreal for a week. Of course I was going to have a world princess moment.
Header image belongs to the author. Château Frontenac slay.