It’d probably be more sensible trying to appeal to fans of a particular genre with these weekly playlists, but I tend to make them a bit all over the place. This week there’s some weirdo pop and rap to start off, and we’re ending on some heavy melancholy. It’s not the most logical; Lankum and 100 gecs probably don’t belong on the same playlist as each other. But it reflects my actual taste and how easy it is to access all sorts of music nowadays. Honestly, I think it’s weird how people can still just be into one particular genre of music.
There’s no album of the week this time as I haven’t got beyond a couple of listens on the ones I had in mind. Yves Tumor has been getting a lot of hype but hasn’t really won me over yet. And Black Honey’s latest album feels extremely one trick. But we’ve still got half an hour of the best new releases. So read the reviews on some of this week’s picks below and listen along via the playlist.
Available
Tunes of the week
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – Run The Jewels
Scaring the Hoes is a collaboration between two of the biggest names in experimental hip-hop. Top marks for the blaxploitation-style album cover, with JPEGMAFIA as a gun-toting preacher, and Danny Brown as a double denim-clad (and double gun-toting) cowboy.
It feels like a natural combo as Brown is kind of like a human embodiment of JPEG’s production style; frenetic, original, bizarre, and borderline annoying. The album title reflects that this isn’t the kind of club-orientated hip-hop that’ll get girls up on the dance-floor.
It’s full of wrestling references, flits about wildly, and there’s not a chorus in sight. The album just came out this weekend so I haven’t given it enough time for a full review yet, but this works well as a quick introduction. Named after another rap duo, Run The Jewels crams more ideas into a minute than you’d get across many full albums. There’s JPEG’s signature sample which wrestling fans may recognise, wild trumpets, some classic hip-hop break beats and a kind of novelty Halloween theme turned banger.
If you like this then give the full album a try, but be warned this is weirdly one of the most accessible tunes on it.
brownbear – Let Your Guard Down
brownbear are an Ayrshire band, fronted by songwriter Matt Hickman. They’ve just released their second album, Demons, which is full of catchy indie pop singalongs and seems destined to bring them to a bigger audience. They’re a bit like a less twee Belle and Sebastian. They have the same pop sensibilities as their fellow Scots, injected with some more classic soul influences.
The whole album is well worth a listen (check it out via the Spotify link below), but I’ve chosen Let Your Guard Down as a taster. It’s one of the most stripped back songs on the album. Mostly just an acoustic strum for company, but elevated by some carefully deployed backing vocals and a gentle drum beat. Lyrically, it’s quite sombre as he sings about covering up your problems with an artificial smile, while putting up walls to avoid getting hurt further. But, like a lot of the album, it’s underpinned by hopefulness as he acts as an understanding shoulder to cry on.
There’s a hint of Mumford & Sons to this, but without the Tory farmer vibe.
Lankum – Newcastle
Dubliner’s Lankum have been raking in the critical acclaim following the release of their new album, False Lankum. So they really don’t need any hype from me, and I haven’t actually gotten round to the album yet, but this single really is excellent.
This is proper traditional folk music, it feels like it could have been made hundreds of years ago, yet doesn’t sound dated. The lyrics give a tale of defiance in the face of forbidden same-sex love. It’s a topic which could still be relevant in various contexts today, but the music here transports you back in time and conjures up a whole landscape of olde-worlde imagery that really elevates the sense that this is a matter of life or death.
Even beyond any deeper meanings, you’ll just want to listen for the voice of Radie Peat. What a voice, man.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Dead To The World
I gave Noel’s previous single a bit of a slating, but I mentioned that I’ll always check out his stuff because of attachment to his past glories. And despite almost writing him off last time, he’s shown here that he’s still capable of delivering something that can stand up alongside his classics.
Dating back to the early Oasis b-sides, Noel’s best work as a frontman has generally been in his quieter moments. And this one fits the bill, an acoustic ballad with some orchestral backing. Noel has a tendency to default to anthemic, but he isn’t reaching for it here. The strings are used subtly, complimenting the gentle melody rather than aiming for grandeur.
Lyrically, it’s still got some of those vague Noel-isms, “I can lend you a dream”, which border on cliché now. But there’s just enough introspection here that it feels like Noel is genuinely putting himself into the songwriting, which was lacking from the last single. And he brings his voice down to not much more than a whisper, reminding us that he’s actually got a really good voice when he isn’t stretching it for a big chorus.
Less big stadium rock ‘anthems’ and more of this please, Noel.
100 gecs – The Most Wanted Person In The United States
I kind of want to hate 100 gecs, pretty much everything about them should annoy me but I find myself enjoying them in spite of my instincts.
They’re one of the biggest names associated with the hyperpop genre. If you don’t know what that is, well it sort of does what it says on the tin; a hyperactive and cartoonish blend of catchy pop hooks.
I almost gave up on their latest album, 10,000 gecs, after the first listen as it was just too much. But the more I go back, the more I like it. It jumps around all over the place, bringing in influences from ska, nu-metal, and much more. It really has no right to work, but it just does.
This song has embedded itself in my head, it’s ridiculous but somehow irresistible. The tune itself is relatively low-key, but then it’s overloaded with shitloads of effects and stupid lyrics – “Got Anthony Kiedis sucking on my penis”.
For Parks and Recs fans, this is what I imagine a song made by Crazy Ira and The Douche would sound like…and it’s good.
You can check out previous weeks’ best new music roundups at the Best New Music Weekly archive link below. And you can keep up with the latest updates by following No Frills Reviews on your chosen social platform.
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