New Track Jukebox – 11/1/21
A jukebox themed weekly recap of notable new releases
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CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: John Peterson, Will Kirkpatrick, Angelika Gamwell, and Miles Maesaka
Add to Queue:
I gotta go I gotta go I gotta go. – John Peterson
Synths swarm around your head but slowly release as the full band comes in. Led by Tom Morris’ bittersweet vocal delivery, “Backyard” combines atmospheric production with beautiful songwriting. – John Peterson
In this split album from Bad History Month and Nyxy Nyx, both groups deliver equally engaging halves. Bad History Month’s “Bad Blood” shines through, however, with a growling bass voice echoing the melody of a single acoustic guitar.
Sci-Fi Godfather brings a modern spin to retro grooves, psychedelicizing (that’s a word now) a disco beat. A little rough around the edges, the energy of “Batshit Crazy” is undeniable and encourages listeners to see what the rest of the album has in store. – John Peterson
Sam Evian exquisitely blends psychedelic production with strong grooves and beautiful orchestration. The bass thumps steadily throughout the track along with a softly strummed acoustic guitar. Luckily there’s just enough room in the mix for a soulful and soaring saxophone. – John Peterson
Gritty synths weave their way into this alt-rock , even managing to inject their sound into the guitars and drums. Lead singers Molly and Ryan Guldemond blend into each other in a similar manner, mixing bombastic energy with quirky art-pop styling to deliver a genuinely entertaining single. – John Peterson
The last single is here from Snail Mail’s album Valentine, and we can now see where she’s going with this new record. The production is crisp and is overall poppy with dark dissonate undertones in the chord choices. It strolls along but still is danceable. The new direction she is taking her music is great. – Will Kirkpatrick
22° Halo is back with a new album, Garden Bed, which extends the band’s gentle slow-core catalogue. If you haven’t heard of this Philly band yet, go immerse yourself in their whispered vocals, chucking guitars, and peaceful atmosphere. – John Peterson
The rapper’s debut mixtape is finally on streaming services and is back better than ever with hard hitting psychedelic tracks like “Peso,” “Purple Swag,” and “Wassup.” It was good to revisit this classic project and the early 2010’s druggy, southern-influenced sound that it bolsters. I will never get tired of Rocky bragging about his extravagant fashion, taste in women, and life style that he lives. – Miles Maesaka
Up for Debate:
This track has a lot of personality to it, with a distinct hyperpop sound in the instrumental. While catchy, the repetition of “I’ve been living on an island” can lose its quirkiness and the short run time of “Charmander” prevents Aminé from rapping in a way that’s fully satisfying. It’s definitely fun, but I can’t help to feel a little let down. – Angelika Gamwell
Moonchild knows how to create a dream-filled jazz atmosphere. Impeccable production and strong grooves propel their songs forward as being near-impossible to not enjoy. But they rarely go the extra mile, and “Too Good” is no exception, boring audiences with its predictability. – John Peterson
Get off the Aux:
No one asked for this. Seriously. Not a soul wanted Katy Perry to cover this song. I just don’t have a single positive comment for this song. – John Peterson
“Cleo” is a song that tries to paint a picture of decadent movie star glamour, but ends up feeling a bit boring. Shygirl puts slow classical-style strings on a runway-club beat, which is…kind of a weird decision. It’s just an “eh” track that I won’t listen to again. – Angelika Gamwell
Disjointed. No, not like the show, I love the show. The opening track off Ed Sheeran’s latest album, =, can only be described as disjointed. The driving eighth note pattern—fronted by a ridiculous snare that completely washes out the mix—is devoid of feeling, momentously leading nowhere. The dramatic breakdown section arrives abruptly and clunkily ceases the imagined momentum of the track. “Tides” sounds assembled, with piece by piece being put into the wrong place. – John Peterson
