But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.
Here are our top 5 songs to stream this week. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post.
Hiss Golden Messenger — Biloxi (and more)
North Carolina transplant MC Taylor brought his gorgeous folk tones to KEXP’s studios recently, performing a set of four singles from his latest release, Heart Like A Levee. It’s rare to hear a songwriter replicate the record so cleanly, a testament to the serious artistic ability of Taylor and his band.
Tennis — In The Morning I’ll Be Better
Indie pop darlings Tennis announced a new record called Yours Conditionally this week, dropping a groovy bit of 50s-influenced rock called In The Morning I’ll Be Better along with the news. The song feels well-suited to the final throes of a drunken office holiday party, whirling like a warm, drunken stupor.
Kacey Musgraves — What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
This week’s holiday single comes from country songstress Kacey Musgraves, whose piercing and perfectly pitched alto blends with pedal steel guitar to form a beautiful holiday ballad. This one seems like it might find its way into Woody Allen’s next picture, thanks to a classic feel that is propelled by beautiful brushed drums and woodwind backgrounds.
Ryan Adams — Do You Still Love Me?
The organ, guitar, and passionate vocals on Ryan Adams’ latest single Do You Still Love Me make it feel like a long-lost Journey single. A classic-sounding rocker with various breakdowns and guitar solos, this one centers on Adams’ recent divorce from actress Mandy Moore, as well as other recent tumult in his life.
Hurray for the Riff Raff — Rican Beach
Afro-Cuban percussion meets politically charged vocals and Santana-like guitar on Hurray for the Riff Raff’s newest track, which is dedicated to the pipeline protesters at Standing Rock. Despite its overt political message, the song remains aesthetically mellow — it very naturally forces you to think about the choices you are making with your life.
That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more tunes and check out our playlist loaded with our recent selections below:
