It’s your old neighborhood curmudgeon back for another New Music Friday roundup!
I’ve been doing a Twitch stream at twitch.tv/duckthepianowire on Fridays (usually at noon PT / 3pm ET, or thereabouts). I use my expertise as an opinionated 40-year-old dude to listen to the new music and give my unfiltered thoughts. This strange undertaking is called New Music Friday.
I bestow one of four possible verdicts on each new song after one listen: SKIP!!, Add to Playlist, Play the Whole Album, BUY THE VINYL!! SKIP!! is the worst designation and BUY THE VINYL!! is the absolute best.
Here are the highlights from the July 9, 2021 New Music Friday stream:
And here is a recap of the songs covered.
Song 1: “Motley Crew” by Post Malone
Final thoughts: Pretty catchy, but I think he’s misusing the word “myriad.” Add to playlist
Song 2: “dumb dumb” by mazie
Final thoughts: Catchy, cynical bubblegum pop in a Lily Allen vein. Add to playlist
Song 3: “Are You With That?” by Vince Staples
Final thoughts: I’m innately resistant to modern sing-rapping, but this kid’s got a great voice and great pen. The beat’s NOICE too. Play the whole album
Song 4: “Romeo” by Jungle ft. Bas
Final thoughts: The throwback flavor of this just hits the spot for me. Clever rhymes over a funky, soulful sample? I love it. BUY THE VINYL!!
Song 5: “Zero Trucks” by Alana Springsteen
Final thoughts: Slick, but silly — and soulless. It’s like a cluelessly straight-faced redux of the Memphis Kansas Breeze songs on Comedy Bang Bang. SKIP!!
Song 6: “God Granted Me a Certain Number of Ideas And… I’m All Out” by Rainbow Room
Final thoughts: A charming song about writer’s block that sounds like the singer is making it up as he goes along. Maybe he did. Play the whole album
Follow the New Music Friday livestream at twitch.tv/duckthepianowire to find out when you can join in!
Justin Remer makes movies, directs music videos, and plays in the bands Duck the Piano Wire and Elastic No-No Band when he is not writing movie reviews. His folk-rock documentary MAKING LOVERS & DOLLARS is currently streaming on Amazon.