With the election looming in our sights this week, it’s safe to say that Americans from sea to shining sea are suffering from serious election fatigue. Apropos then, that many choices in new music chose to look towards a peaceful stance this week, rather than a noisy ra-ra boost. Niall Horan wasted no time in adapting a Tiesto remix to his hit This Town, Big Sean shows he’s no slouch on Bounce Back, The Roots and Nate Ruess collaborated for a warmed up version of My Shot from Hamilton, while Metallica appears to be the only band with any energy left at this point, with a call to arms on Atlas, Rise!
Nothing like a stressful week for an excuse to get lost in music; head over to Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist for your fix. 56 songs not enough? Check out Busted Wallet’s New Music Friday All Stars, it’ll give you a run down on the last six months in new music.
9. Unraveling by Salt Cathedral, Matisyahu
It’s a most simpatico union, the EDM ready pop vocals of Salt Cathedral and the uncanny dancehall crasher Matisyahu, for a song that will chill you out and throw in a zap of energy too. Many have made note of Matisyahu’s part in the collaboration, as it marks his first ever with a woman, which he had avoided before based on his strict Hassidic beliefs. It’s as if he took out a page of his own lyrics: “It’s up and down again/Patterns burning in my life/Freedom comes in the unknown.”
8. Dust My Shoulders Off by Jane Zhang, Timbaland
Curiousity will have most people’s first take of Dust My Shoulders Off including an utterance of “Who is Jane Zhang?” Well, in addition to be a protege of Timbaland’s, she shot to fame in 2005 in her native China but placing 3rd place in a music competition, and has been rocking the Mandopop world ever since. Here she gives us the perfect unassuming, low-key take on scrubbing off a bad day. The track, unsurprisingly, sounds best in the shower and/or in connection with getting ready for a night out.
7. Highway Vagabond by Miranda Lambert
By no stretch of the imagination with a track titled ‘Highway Vagabond’ Miranda Lambert sings on one of the most beloved themes in country music: leaving it all behind and headin’ for the highway. Much has changed in Miranda’s high profile personal life since her last album, Platinum in 2014; we imagine will hear a heartfelt track or two on The Weight of These Wings (out November 18th). For now we’ll relish in the vagabond freedom she sings about, with an emphasis on ‘If we ain’t broke down we ain’t doin’ something right.’
6. Unfamiliar by Common, PJ
There’s no better time than reaching the high peaks of success than to continue on sharing your narrative, as we find Common, not too far out from his 2015 Oscar winning opus Glory with John Legend. Unfamiliar finds its home on the album Black America Again, whose title track Common shares with Stevie Wonder. On Unfamiliar he takes UN’Common’-ness and wanders down a meandering trail trying to understand it. Beautifully woven into the tale is the softly soulful voice of Paris Jones. A track of which you’ll want to make yourself very familiar.
5. Good Side In by The Japanese House
A peaceful zen-ed feeling intends to wash over you when listening to The Japanese House latest, or at least activate that good side of you, because, well, have we mentioned things are crazy out there? Here Amber Bain gives us *almost* Spanish guitars mixed in with a few zany sounds, including one that is a dead ringer for a camera’s shutter flashes. A good track to listen to before braving the great outside world.
4. Give by You Me At Six
Sometimes you need to dial it back a bit and take a chill break, even if you are a pop punk powerhouse like You Me At Six. And as the main single off of the album of the same name Night People rocked heavy, Give allows room for reflection and internal conflicting longings. It plays out like an early 2000 alterna-ballad, updated in all the right ways, but doesn’t skimp on the power wails.
3. Where Do We Begin Now by Alicia Keys
When HERE finally arrived ‘here’ most were already familiar with a chunk of the tracks on the varied and emotional album. But as it is often the case with Alicia Keys, the few understated tracks stand out a big way when it comes to pairing her voice with a few keys on the piano. Where Do We Begin Now is a prime example, giving us a boom-boom-clap beat for her to bohemian rhapsodize all over. It perfectly placed piece on an album that is not to be missed.
2. Faith by Stevie Wonder, Ariana Grande
If your initial take of the movie Sing is that it’s just a bunch of cute animated animals singing pop songs…well there’s a big kernel of truth to that, but there are also BIG original songs in store as well. Faith is classic Stevie, where you’ll be snapping and grooving before the first chorus is over, and like legends are wont to do, he draws a phenomenal performance out of Ms. Grande. Perfect for a quick mid-afternoon pickup.
1.Peace Trail by Neil Young
From the man who has given us thoughtful rock n’ roll classics like Old Man and Rockin’ In The Free World, it’s fitting the week before a high pressure election Neil drops a thick with meaning Peace Trail. As he sings ‘if I have to believe in someone I have to believe in myself’ it’s as if he’s become the wise old man he sang of when he was just 24 and so much more. The track fuses his classic sound with a truly peaceful melody, coupled with lyrics speak to what’s going on in the world at this very moment. Your go-to pre and post election song.
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