I know you were busy going to bed on time this Halloweekend, meaning you probably didn’t have time to listen to every track and album drop in October. Don’t worry, I stayed up all night. Here’s the good stuff you missed and the bad stuff that was worth missing.
Pop
Tame Impala, “Deadbeat” — album — 4/10
Did you know Tame Impala is just one guy? Well, it really showed here. Tame Impala’s strength has always been the sounds he gets out of instruments, from crunchy bass on “Let it Happen” to the bright synths on “Borderline.” The emphasis of unique sound was dropped on this album for what was supposed to be a more danceable track list, but it just didn’t work. Tame’s dance beats felt rigid, and their accompanying melodies were boring and sparse.
I also felt the vocal mixing and lyricism were lacking. “Loser” was the album’s best song. Fans might defend it, but casual listeners can skip.
Jean Dawson, “White Lighter” — single — 8/10
Dawson’s latest track sounds like if The 1975 had better hooks. Tune into the shimmery piano solos and groovy synth basses that he cooked up. E drum kit rolls and a brief guitar solo tie this track together nicely. Dawson got some great sounds out of the synths, so listen to the first ten seconds, you won’t regret it.
Kim Petras, “I Like Ur Look” — single — 7/10
Retro synth and auto tune ride the upbeat to create a danceable pop tune. Think if 100 Gecs was a little less unhinged. It sounds a little like a video game soundtrack, but if it’s a jam — it’s a jam.
PinkPantheress, “Fancy Some More?” — album — 6.5/10
For someone who has claimed to prefer short songs, PinkPantheress dropping an album that’s almost 90 minutes long is nuts.
The “Brat” influence is real, but unlike the “Brat” release of a remix album at a later date, PinkPantheress interwove the remixes into the base album. Now, some of them slap, with the first six tracks being a dance rush of serotonin. After that, it gets dicey before coming back for a resurgence in the last six songs, which are PinkPantheress’ mixes.
I feel like her songwriting is better than her mega-hits, and I enjoy the recycling of good lyrics — work smarter not harder — on top of collaborations with other artists. Listen to the remixes until you get bored, then skip to her songs at the end if nothing else.
Rap and RnB
Joji, “Pixelated Kisses” — single — 7/10
The ex-Youtuber turned tear-jerker Joji dropped a blaring, but short synth track. The vocals combined with the wall of noise was a cool switch up, but I felt the track was too short to accomplish anything crazy, coming in at just under two minutes.
redveil, “mini me” — single — 9/10
Packed with good vibes and grandeur, this saxophone encased anthemic track is reminiscent of some of Tyler, The Creator’s larger, grandiose tracks, exploring redveil’s identity in relation to his “mini me.” If you want to feel like you’re on top of a mountain, you don’t have to drive up Pike’s Peak. Give this single a listen.
Gorillaz, “The Manifesto” — single — 6.5/10
This one had to grow on me. This is a three-parter with two bridges and a couple features from Trueno and Proof. It’s got Asian, garage and Latin-American influences. The beat switches up three times, leaving me think it might have been better as different songs, but the bridges are good. It’s experimental, it’s fun and it’s Gorillaz.
Daniel Caesar, “Son of Spergy” — album — 7/10
Caesar’s fourth studio album is a slow burner but does not disappoint in the way of vibes. Flowing over guitar and lullaby melodies, Ceasar swells hearts with gospel melodies over dreamy guitar riffs and delicately layered drums and synth.
With strong features from Bon Iver, it’s like Tyler, The Creator’s Flower Boy went to church and mellowed out. Give “Baby Blue” and “Who Knows” a listen for some cliff notes.
Rock
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, “Glory” — album preview — 6/10
We only have a four-song preview from this upcoming album, but they are four grunge-injected jams that’ll leave you excited for the Nov. 7 release. This all-girl Aussie band is spitting out some great hooks and fun lyrics.
It’s a little cookie cutter for my taste, both in production and in songwriting, but if you’re looking for a more raw version of The Beaches on the come up, look no further than Teen Jesus and the jean teasers.
Geese, “Getting Killed” — album — 7.5/10
It’s like if Thom Yorke annexed the Strokes. This New York rock band is my most unsure ranking. I can’t tell if I dig Geese or if I need to bury them.
I love their sound on this project; bluesy, groovy and fresh, I just get caught up on the vocals. Some might find them whiney; others might find a breath of fresh air with the amount of over correcting done in mixing. Geese’s musicianship is high, as usual, and if you want something new in the rock scene, start here. Specifically with the track “100 Horses.”
Cusp, “What I Want Doesn’t Want Me Back” — album — 7/10
It’s like if Boy Genius went electric. Attractive hooks and simple, but effective songwriting pave the way for Cusp’s first album.
The intimate lyrics reminisces on that one song from the movie “Juno,” and the rifts remind of early Marcy Playground albums that I found to be straight ear candy. This album doesn’t shatter the earth, but it’s a great listen for rockers wanting a softer sound.
Other
Eliza Mclamb, “Good Story” — album — folk/rock — 6.5/10
Mclamb unlocked some great songwriting on this album in “Like the Boys” and “California.” Some tracks reminded me of Phoebe Bridgers, packing emotional and fresh lyrics with some nice string passages.
Overall, some tracks fell a little flat. I felt like “Mausoleum” had a mediocre chorus. Bedroom folk enthusiasts will at least appreciate the layers on some of these tracks, but I thought that when the lyrics suffered, entire songs went downhill.
Magdalena Bay, “Unoriginal/Black-Eyed Susan Climb” and “Human Happens/Paint Me A Picture” — singles — alt/pop — 9/10
It’s new and retro all at the same time. Magdalena Bay hit something of a home run in October. They put out two sets of two songs, all offering something new.
Mixing the vocals as an instrument, they sit next to tight drums and grand basslines, setting the scene for an ethereal, bubbly and shifting sound bed. They’re all over the place, changing the sonic landscape at will, while having each passage click together perfectly, like on “Paint Me A Picture,” whose haunting synth verse changes to a bright chorus that explores the monotony of digital life. If you do nothing else, listen to “Black-Eyed Susan Climb” for the outro.
PinkPantheress’ “Fancy Some More?” album cover. Picture from Hypebeast.