Fresh New Music – Week of May 10th

Musical treats this week are coming at you from stars of yesteryear, including Third Eye Blind (!) and Robbie Williams. Other honorable mentions include Jedi Mind Trick’s new one, as well as more from Snoop Dogg and Nate Ruess.

It will take you three hours and 38 minutes to get through all of Spotify’s new music playlist; get started on the full list OR just hit up the best of below.

10. Stronger by Kiesza from the Finding Neverland Soundtrack

In anticipation of the feature film Finding Neverland’s release on May 22, Kiesza, a Canadian turned Brooklynite, has been chosen to sing the movie’s theme. Speaking in super-er-latives, it’s the perfect song for the closing credits or to sum up a summer blockbuster. Stronger, Bigger, Taller, Higher, you’ll feel the force with you after one listen of this fortifying anthem.

9. Will You Dance? by the bird and the bee

This one is sunlit and pretty, the closest musical equivalent to twirling around in a spring meadow on a sunny day. The bird and the bee’s quirkiness is present here, but just a touch enough, not obnoxiously so. And should you not care to dance? Well that’s ok too, the melody of the song just rolls, no pushiness here at all.

8. Too Original by Major Lazer with Elliphant, Jovi Rockwell

One of the busiest collaborators in the game, Too Original is the latest coming from the ML camp, before the next album is released on June 1st, pulling in Elephant and Jovi Rockwell for back up. It is sure to send a jolt through your system, with that recognizable Major Lazer sound that sometimes is hard to keep up with. It’s a sound that may alienate some, but for fans of Major Lazer is exactly what you’ve come to crave. No need to feel bad about it, you’re just too original ‘fi dem pawdie.’

7. World Championship Finale 1 by The Barden Bellas

Spoiler Alert Warning: If you’re a die hard Pitch Perfect fan, a listen might jeopardize your ‘freshness’ going into the movie. But you won’t regret it. A seriously good a cappella mash up of pro female anthems, with a two for one bonus that includes a (better) rendition of the movie’s answer to ‘Cup Song;’ Flashlight (Jessie J sings the official version on the soundtrack). Good thing you don’t have to wait too long until the movie comes out, it hits theaters tomorrow May 15th.

6. Eventually by Tame Impala

The fourth single from their not-yet-released-but-already-well-received album Currents, Tame Impala takes a break the easygoing nature of ‘Let It Happen’ and asserting ‘I’m a man’liness, by moving in a decidedly more ‘song about grown up stuff’ direction. While the song subject weighs heavy “Cause it feels like murder/to put your heart through this” their stylistically “light” sound makes the burden not so intense. A great song to zone out to.

5. The Shade by Metric

From the first squeaks of ‘The Shade’ hearing the sweetness of Emily Haine’s voice again is more like a cloud parting to reveal the sunshine then ‘the shade,’ as it seems longer than three years since The Metric’s last release. Fans may be able to get an early taste of other singles from the album, as the band plans to tour all summer to promote its upcoming release.

4. Good Morning Mr. Wolf by Patrick Watson

While creating a beautiful but eery sound accompanied by pianos and ukuleles, Patrick Watson manages to construct an empty space around the music, as if it’s being transported from a far off galaxy. Blame it on lovestruck and musically inclined droids; the album’s name is Love Songs for Robots after all. The song builds and carries, with Patrick’s soft yet rousing voice leading the way. Good Morning Mr. Wolf echoes the album’s entire sound, which can be both soft and piercing at the same time. Its depth and beauty must be experienced in full.

3. Come Back to Me by Urban Cone

Because no week is complete without an uplifting little ditty to get you to the weekend, Come Back to Me is included to help get you skipping down the sidewalks. It’s further proof that when two Swedish popsters team up together they can knock it out of the park. Although the lyrics could be interpreted as melancholy behind a cynical set of eyes, the spirit of the song will have you maintaining nothing but hope.

2. Million by Tink

Any self respecting Millennial will recognize the opening of Million by Tink as Aaliyah’s One in a Million in the background. Fortunately Tink preserves the song’s originality as if she’s a museum curator, and because her perfectly R&B smooth voice is on the same level as Aaliayh’s, she blends every component of the song well. There’s something about the song that makes you want it more with each listen. Already a pro at creating several mix tapes that caught Timbaland’s attention enough to sign her, the 20 year old Chicagoan will soon debut her first studio album Think Tink later in the year.

1. Everyday by A$AP Rocky, Rod Stewart, Mark Ronson, Miguel

A well thought out collaboration taken to the level, Everyday covers four very important bases: it squeezes the soul out of Rod Stewart’s 1972 dark ‘In A Broken Dream,’ taps into Ronson’s talent, it’s shellacked solid with Miguel’s syrupy sweetness, and finished with dope rhymes from A$AP to call it good. The delivery hits in all the right places, never being overly emotional or triumphant, just awakening to the mood ‘i’ll be fine’ of everyday existence. Perfect for watching the sunset after a long long long day at work.