Now that we live in what can only be described as a post-LEMONADE world, it’s hard not to feel a little left out as a Spotify subscriber, with Beyonce’s latest mind-blowing album not yet available on the streaming service. Add the vacancy of Drake’s Views From The 6 and nothing but hurt feelings will ensue. Well fear not Spotifiers, as this week proved to contain winsome and surprising releases with Spotify friendly tracks as well. In the meantime B.O.B. keeps it completely chill on Roll Up, and Meghan Trainor gets ready for Mother’s Day a week early with Mom.
Over fifty songs will do their best to soothe you on the Beyonce and Drake situation; head over to New Music Friday for the latest and greatest. There’s always New Music Friday All-Stars to keep you caught up on new music from months past, check it all out here.
10. Casual Party by Band of Horses
Band of Horses’s first release from their forthcoming album, Why Are You OK, feels like a day at the beach, despite its album accusatory title. We’ve come to know the band’s most popular tracks to be a little, well, dour – No One’s Gonna Love You and The Funeral come to mind – the conversations at said party might be limited, but the sun appears to be out. Legendary producer Rick Rubin contacted the band after hearing a song on the radio, and has a hand in many of the songs on the album, said to be out in June.
9. Fireproof by Coleman Hell
“It sounds impossible until it’s actually done” could best describe Coleman Hell’s sound, which is a frenetic mash up of light EDM and heavy country bluegrass. On Fireproof he mixes in inspiration lines like ‘must be fireproof with all the hell we’ve been through’ with suped up beats that could have you swinging on the dance floor, if someone could come up with a square dance fast enough to keep up with the song’s beats. Best for use on hot summer nights under a sky full of stars.
8. Buried In Detroit (Lucas Lowë remix) by Mike Posner, Big Sean
For fans of Mike Posner’s 2015 release The Truth, to hear the Buried In Detroit remix is be presented with an almost unrecognizable makeover. The original being a morose yet triumphant classic, though not exactly something you can throw on a jukebox and get people moving. But with the help of relatively unknown Lucas Lowë and especially known in Detroit Big Sean the song has enough energy to make any Detroit native proud when they hear it publicly.
7. Baby, Baby by Amy Grant, Tori Kelly
There’s no doubt a feeling of surprise, complete with a double take, to see Amy Grant’s Baby Baby grace New Music Friday this week. We can attest that this is no delayed April’s Fools, as the nineties soft rock/pop diva teamed up with Tori Kelly to revamp the 1991 classic. Tori was not yet a baby, baby herself with the song was released, but the updated version breathes a new life into the classic; a little heavier on the bass, and the two voices blend together in perfect harmony. Fit for the next time you’d like to be set adrift on memory bliss.
6. Black Honey by Thrice
No fan is ever big on the word ‘hiatus’ but that’s just where Thrice has been since 2011’s Major/Minor. And while we’ve missed the post-hardcore band, it does feel there’s been an appropriate resurgence, that the time off did the band well, and their sound off of the first two singles speak for it. Black Honey is a stinger, with front man Dustin Kensrue declaring ‘I do what I want, I do what I please.’ This time they got it right.
5. Nobody Speak by DJ Shadow, Run The Jewels
When you have one of hip hop’s hottest act on board a track most definitely needs its own ‘drop the mic’ moment, and on Nobody Speak it’s pretty simple-“Hey you wanna hear a good joke? Nobody speak, nobody gets choked.” Roger that boss. DJ Shadow said of the collaboration to radio.com “occasionally I make a beat that demands a specific vocal treatment and attitude..I wasn’t go to settle for anyone other than Run The Jewels.” Practical demands make for phenomenal collaborations.
4. Something To Believe In by Young The Giant
There’s no more aptly named title than their latest single when it comes to the anticipation of Young The Giant’s next album, Home Of The Strange. Something to Believe In hits on several counts of playability; urge to play it repeatedly, poetic and thoughtful lyrics, oh and super irresistible to singalong to. As the lyrics state, do not underestimate these songbirds with a brand new track.
3. This Is What You Came For by Calvin Harris, Rihanna
The internet was a buzz this week with the news that Taylor Swift’s beau (the internet’s words, not mine) and Rihanna FINALLY teamed again, since their monster smash and all around party anthem We Found Love, already five years old now. And while TIWYCF’s tempo is not as intense as We Found Love’s, the sound feels updated to 2016 fresh and you MUST brace your ears for heavy play on radio and everywhere else this summer.
2. Bored To Death by Blink 182
When it comes to releases we didn’t expect this past week, Blink 182 comes in solidly in second place, but with total aplomb and honorable mentions. The band, who announced last year that they were all but finished, at the time leaving its core group of fans feeling disheartened and completely bummed. With the release of Bored To Death we’re transported back to the band’s classic sound, here mimicking the vibe off of Stay Together For The Kids, which could be the band’s unofficial theme this go around. Check back in with the band on July 1st when the new album, California, is released.
1. True Colors by Zedd, Kesha
Many fans have been concerned with Kesha’s legal battle against Sony and Dr. Luke that the singer’s career was in jeopardy, and that it would be along time before we heard from her again. Fortunately Kesha has an army of artists and industry hitmakers backing her up, like German born producer/DJ Zedd. True Colors is a fiery grown n’ bold anthem, inspiring chills with lines like “I’ve escaped my captors, and I have no masters,” that are as honest and forthright as songwriting gets.
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