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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So Beyonce and Jay-Z dropped an album Saturday afternoon, in what has to be one of the most sudden, unexpected, and unimpressive surprise drops since the fad began. Everything Is Love is Tidal-exclusive (update: not anymore), but 'Apeshit' is not. Finding Beyonce and Jay-Z flaunting their excessive wealth through barren structures of lavishness, including the Louvre, 'Apeshit' also finds the two-piece tandem trying their handle at formulaic Trap, with Quavo providing ad-libs because otherwise, considering the similarities, legions would accuse The Carters of biting Migos' style. Which they do. Like most cookie-cutter Trap that's in abundance now-a-days, 'Apeshit' doesn't work. Instead of playing up their artistic abilities, especially Beyonce's given Lemonade, each artist raps their way through countless cliches, with Bey even dropping a Lambo line within 15 seconds. It's just always a shame to see talented artists resort to cheap tricks and tactics, especially given the aforementioned Lemonade and even Jay-Z's successful 4:44 last year. It's clear 'Apeshit' is tour-ready, given that's precisely what's discussed during the hook. And while artist's are allowed to relinquish strain and have fun, it doesn't have to receive high praise.
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Through decades-long trails and tribulations, J. Spaceman's music has remained true and vital. There are few bands willing to take the risks Spiritualized has endured through their three decades, namely the transformative elegance of kitschy to cool. While the two singles to And Nothing Hurt, 'A Perfect Miracle' and 'I'm Your Man,' predictably don't exhibit a radical evolution since 2012's Sweet Heart Sweet Light, that puritanical display of ornate gaudiness shines during a generation attempting to shun it. Each song finds Spaceman presenting his chivalrous values, deepening his love and satisfaction over a soulmate as the tension builds. 'A Perfect Miracle' eases listeners in, even if it's not great single fodder given the lack of piqued interest. 'I'm Your Man,' with its 50's influenced Pop Rock standards, steals the spotlight by conveying, audibly, that love he continually professes. Despite all this classic Rock conservatism, and Spaceman's age, he still manages to transmit genuine emotional generosity. Still buying in after all these years.
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My experience with Pram is about as mysterious and elusive as the band intends. The free-ranging Dream Pop / Neo-Psychedelia outfit hasn't released a record in 11 years, only to announce Across The Meridian not with a bang, but a charming, trombone-led instrumental interlude. Yup, that's Pram alright. Chamberlain's of the quirky and undefined, their deceptive discography has bred comparisons to Stereolab and Broadcast, the latter of which has some intersecting members. With 'Shimmer And Disappear' it's purposely difficult to gauge direction or intention, as the trivial diddy trots carelessly around a flowery garden, heedless of whether someone's watching or not. It's an adorable blast, especially the simple, Disney-like trombone medley marking the chorus. The kooky, sci-fi repartee also lends thematic weight to the golden age of film, outer space monster flicks included. Truly, I find a great deal of enjoyment out of 'Shimmer And Disappear.' That being said, the halfhearted response to their return is understandable given its unassumingness.
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This is likely the first time I've ever said this in regards to a Gorillaz track; in one ear, out the other. In some small, unacknowledged sense, that's how I've felt about The Now Now's four singles overall. Whereas many criticized Humanz for being too explosive, too opulent, by all accounts Dmaon Albarn eschewed such concerns and went to the opposite end of the spectrum. 'Fire Flies' is boring. Plain and simple. Since their inception, the Gorillaz have been defined by their liveliness, something Albarn was capable of by using a slew of producers, background vocalists, and creative, all-consuming instrumentation. Thus far, The Now Now's shown us approximately one, narrowed down style; mid-tempo Synth Funk. On 'Fire Flies,' Albarn even sounds bored by the sounds around him. While the track does employ a drowsy attitude, which doesn't necessarily constitute a failure in art, the lack of energy doesn't match preconceived notions of the Gorillaz. Anticipation has reached a new low because, despite its plethora of problems, there was one thing you couldn't accuse Humanz of being; mundane.
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Out of the thousands of genres in existence, there's only two I outright avoid; Country and Screamo. Two asterisks are it's merely modern Country and wholly Screamo, because even the latter creeps into my catalogue from time to time as seen with Deafheaven. The preeminent Blackgaze group compresses the weight of darkness with the resonance of light, finding a happy medium that unfolds over lengthy epics. 'Canary Yellow,' the second single to Ordinary Corrupt Human Love following 'Honeycomb,' is yet another example of this. Both tracks clock in over eleven minutes, but rather than drown listeners out with endlessly agitating Drone, 'Canary Yellow' careens across movements that showcase Deafheaven's variety. Yes, the Screamo portion comprises the bulk of the center, acting as a Post-Rock-esque rallying cry not unlike Godspeed You! Black Emperor's more violent cuts. However, the ancillary segments compliment said piece well, especially the final minute where comprehensible voices are actually heard. The refrain is a surprising departure, but one that also showcases Deafheaven's potential for poetic lines.
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It's seeming more and more likely that Chromatics' long-awaited Dear Tommy is, in fact, coming out this year. Six years following Kill For Love, with numerous delays in the rear-view mirror, and the Chromatics have begun to pour out material carefully curated in the shadows. Multiple singles, including 'Looking For Love' and the multi-layered 'Black Paint,' a Camera EP, and two Ambient LP's from Johnny Jewel himself seem to indicate rebirth. 'Blue Girl' carries on that momentum, even if the patented Synthpop is something we've heard countless times before. The moody, Neon-Noir pulsation is Chromatics' bread and butter, as is Ruth Radelet's astral vocals caught up in the dismay of melancholia. That caused 'Blue Girl' to be two things at once; entirely effective, and dishearteningly redundant. They're falling into the trap of reflecting Chromatics' sound, mimicking it like an uncreative band would do, instead of pushing it forward. That being said, while 'Blue Girl' struggles to maintain an identity of its own - something 'Black Paint' did not suffer from - it's pleasantries make for agreeable second hand listening.
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