Boygenius: “Not Strong Enough”
The song illustrates how their varied strengths complement each other’s: Bridgers troubling gender, Baker intimating that the possibility of a car crash is always around the corner, Dacus shepherding them to some temporary resolution, all of them believing the Cure is better than the disease. Their varied reactions to the Santa Monica West Coaster in the video reinforce all this.
KCee: “Ojapiano”
The ojà is an Igbo wood flute, the piano is as in Ama-. So many potential fusion genres are on the table: may Korapiano, Rumbapiano, and Mbaqanga piano all top regional charts in the next six months.
Big Freedia: “Central City Freestyle”
She’s a star now, so here’s a star’s song: a noisy, aggressive beat, over which Big Freedia’s presence matters more than any particular lyric, not that it isn’t nice when her biggities go at the speed of a power twerk.
Kelsea Ballerini: “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” (live at the CMT Awards)
Ballerini is such a loyal soldier for Nashville that when she promises a friend hypothetical assistance in a “Goodbye, Earl” situation, it seems she’s doing it out of obligation to the Opry. Now, appearing on a country awards show with drag queens? That takes more guts than offing an ex.
Mellow & Sleazy, Tman Xpress, Blacko SA, DJ Njabsta: “Vin Diesel”
Make the log-drum pattern a little more complex than the plain old donk, add someone singing sweetly something that clearly isn’t “Vin Diesel” but sounds like it, and the result is 0 fast, 0 furious, all pacifier.
Joakim Rainer Trio: “Transcending Cycle” (live)
Pro-shot video (with overlaps and all) that shows the reigning Norwegian Young Jazz Musicians of the Year’s raison d’etre perhaps beter than their debut album does. The composition is interesting, pianist Rainer has a variety of percussive tricks, like when he hammers a note with decreasing force like a lazy woodpecker, and the rhythm section holds things up nicely when it’s time to get improvisatory.
Alex Vaughn: “So Be It”
A highlight reel for scouts as well as a pretty good song, Vaughn demonstrates a broad vocal range and mastery of a variety of rhythmic patterns, and Rodney Jerkins and Xeryus let her adjust her bed of backing vocals to her preferred Sleep Number. Also: a roller coaster so mild that even Lucy Dacus would think Vaughn was overreacting to it.
Lady Amar, JL SA, Cici, Murumba Pitch: “Hamba Juba”
Lady Amar and JL SA are the producers, mostly working straight house, though the Donk does make a guest appearance. Cici and Murumba do a good old-fashioned female/male it’s over/no it ain’t duet. Botswana’s president has danced to it.
Paris Hilton & Kim Petras: “Stars Are Blind (Paris’ Version)”
Yes, the song’s a classic and maybe even sweet now; no, I don’t know how that happened. Petras achieves a level of vapidity the original could only dream of, yet as with the best Petras, the vapidity feels earned. Meanwhile Hilton, a stronger vocalist now than she was in 2006, supplies the, uh, emotional weight, singing with the knowledge of what a privilege her career has been. Hot, though not as hot as a wealth tax would be.
Lewis Capaldi: “How I’m Feeling Now”
A song about being trapped in one’s own fjucking head, but written with clarity and performed with an extroversion that’s lacking in the indie records much cooler than his about this subject. May he sneak one of these on to every album, and may he be well.