Welcome to yet another Loosies Of The Week, a wrap-up of this weeks singles, throwaways, leaks, and any other loose tracks I find. A wide range of genres this week, with a well-rounded level of quality. There's sure to be something you enjoy.
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After a tenuous stay outside of critical consciousness, Young Fathers have finally announced Cocoa Sugar, set for release in March. The previously released Gospel-Noise stunner 'Lord' will appear. The genre-bending 'Only God Knows' will not, unfortunately, slated strictly in the confines of the Trainspotting 2 soundtrack. Along with the announcement we've received 'In My View,' another impressive effort from the three-piece outfit whose yet to make a bad song. While not as daunting as 'Lord,' or as groovy as 'Only God Knows,' 'In My View' showcases the gripping Young Fathers style with ease. Guided by a supreme sense of Lo-Fi Pop, mixed with heartfelt Alternative R&B and sly Abstract Hip-Hop, there really is nothing these guys aren't capable of. Even their music videos have become necessary viewing of liberating, abstract art. While their lyrics are opaque and purely conceptual, the power behind the jungle drums and filtered background vocals really amplify the emotional resonance 'In My View' carries. It also harbors a mix of Tape One/Two-era Young Fathers with their new, baffling array of influences. No complaints once again.
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I was hoping upon the announcement of their next LP, Preoccupations would change their name once again, making a third self-titled album in the process. But alas, the name stays and New Material will soon be upon us. If 'Espionage' is anything to go by, not much has changed. As was expected, the group continues to stray further into art world territory, elaborating upon the Synth Punk that lingered in the corners of Preoccupations. On 'Espionage,' the group does their best to intermingle their gritty, Post-Punk origins with this newfound sheen, generally succeeding despite lacking in the originality department. While the production is sound, inviting the wartime cinematography of the Viet Cong days with a frantic pace that treats the rhythmic patterns of war as dance, the vocals of Matthew Flegel, paired with the cheesy chanting vocals behind it, somewhat diminish the song's impact. 'Espionage' feels lost in a void of not knowing which direction to take, despite all the singular pieces (apart from the background singing) feeling professionally done.
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Like many musicians in our current age, Kevin Barnes saw the ongoing issues of societal fracturing as a call to action through the music he creates. It largely forms the backbone of what will soon be of Montreal's 15th(!) studio LP; White Is Relic / Irrealis Mood. With the album, and more particularly the fact that each track is actually two-in-one, Barnes has decided to confront the cultural splitting of beliefs bluntly. He, like most in the Indiesphere lately, has also decided to tackle these issues through Alternative Dance. 'Paranoiac Intervals / Body Dysmorphia' is just that, seven minutes of progressive Electropop. Synths split and dart like lightning fracturing in the sky, as a robotic drum kit marches onwards with no interference to slow or stall. It's catchy and confrontational, if Barnes' hook "you should be fucking with no one else" is any indication. After 'Paranoiac Intervals,' the track ceaselessly transforms into the largely instrumental 'Body Dysmorphia,' a Neo-Psychedelia wasteland that features a plethora of instrumentation layered atop one another, causing no other reaction than a trance-like state. I'll temper expectations for White Is Relic / Irrealis Mood, but after the lead single, promise is higher than any of Montreal record in recent memory.
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While unsure as to what prompted Scary Hours, a two-track single released without promotion by Drake, it's clear by the language that pressing issues are on his mind. Also, while not a surprise, both 'God's Plan' and 'Diplomatic Immunity' are entirely about me, me, me. At this stage in his career, Drake has amassed such overt attention that reciting daily life struggles, or relational quandaries, or cultural concepts, is nearly out of the question. He's basically at Kanye West's level without the artistic unpredictability to match. That's evident on both singles, as they each redundantly fill Drake's two halves; atmospherically emotive and watered down aggression. Produced by an ensemble of Drake-style curators (40, Yung Exclusive, Cardo, and Boi-1da), 'God's Plan' will surely hit the radios running. The production is crisp and rides Trap's current trends flawlessly, while Drake's flow rides the beat just the same. Plus, it has an effortless hook to boot.
'Diplomatic Immunity' takes a more lyrical approach, which, in turn, showcases Drake's inherent flaws. There are numerous "like" rhymes (I counted 14) that range from unimpressive to corny. Example A of the laziness: "Promise shit is gettin' outta line like when you make a stencil, or gettin' outta line like when you break a pencil." For comparison, Kendrick Lamar relied on a "like" rhyme a grand total of four times during the entirety of To Pimp A Butterfly, which was 78 minutes to 'Diplomatic Immunity's' four. That's inexcusable, and clear evidence of Drake's lackadaisical approach to rapping. It's also why his hook-less affairs (like 'Diplomatic Immunity') will cease to be enticing, as his true talents lie in crafting catchy choruses over identifiable production that rides a wave. That being said, both tracks, especially 'God's Plan,' are better than much of what Drake has released dating back to Views.
'Diplomatic Immunity' takes a more lyrical approach, which, in turn, showcases Drake's inherent flaws. There are numerous "like" rhymes (I counted 14) that range from unimpressive to corny. Example A of the laziness: "Promise shit is gettin' outta line like when you make a stencil, or gettin' outta line like when you break a pencil." For comparison, Kendrick Lamar relied on a "like" rhyme a grand total of four times during the entirety of To Pimp A Butterfly, which was 78 minutes to 'Diplomatic Immunity's' four. That's inexcusable, and clear evidence of Drake's lackadaisical approach to rapping. It's also why his hook-less affairs (like 'Diplomatic Immunity') will cease to be enticing, as his true talents lie in crafting catchy choruses over identifiable production that rides a wave. That being said, both tracks, especially 'God's Plan,' are better than much of what Drake has released dating back to Views.
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Two years back I went through the entirety of the Parliafunkadelicment catalogue. It was an exhausting plane to traverse, with 17 albums to sparse through. The range of quality impressive, as the riveting Maggot Brain still sits in my top 100 of all-time, duds like Gloryhallastoopid and Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic writhing on the all-time bottom. For better or worse, 'I'm Gon Make U Sick O' Me' was the exact expectation I had for a new George Clinton track in 2018. The P-Funk is off the charts, entirely devoid of any modern day influence or trend, not only based on the music but Scarface, who's featured here, as well. In that regard, I adore the groove island Clinton shipwrecked himself on. However, 'I'm Gon Make U Sick' struggles to actually be good. The farty bass, backing female vocals, silly content, all so excessive that it feels like swallowing a spoonful of sugar. For a one-off listen, the lead single to Medicaid Fraud Dog is hilariously tongue-in-cheek. However, virtually right from the get-go, it's clear Clinton's medication-obsessed riffling will struggle to remain memorable past that. That being said, it's not the worst thing in Clinton's catalogue. He's been repugnant without adding comedy, something 'I'm Gon Make U Sick' has in spades.
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Few things in art irritate me more than musicians shoehorning trendy, but utterly serious topics into works that aren't deserving of their time. That's exactly what Justin Timberlake did with the music video of 'Supplies,' one that begins with a baseline comment on mass consumption of the world's woes. From there, it dissolves into pandemonium revolving around the concepts of anarchy, dispersion of wealth and class, and the illuminati. 'Supplies' itself? It's about achieving sexual relations with a girl. Talk about an improper grasp at relevancy. Believe it or not, musically speaking, 'Supplies' is even more offensive. At times, with every nauseating "brrr" ad-lib and every ear-wrenching rendition of "supplie-ie-iessss," Man Of The Woods' second single becomes borderline unlistenable. Not to mention the crude Trap sewn in the underbelly by The Neptunes (Pharrell's capable of much better) acting as a desperate plea for radio play from a Pop singer nearing his 40's.
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