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 five 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.
Conor Oberst — Barbary Coast (Later)
Bright Eyes songwriter Conor Oberst is famed for his gorgeous and wordy ballads, and Barbary Coast (Later), a single off his Salutations album is no exception. A simple guitar melody and drumbeat join with image-heavy lyrics like, “Try to lose myself/in the primitive/in Yosemite/like John Muir did/but his eyes were blue/and mine are red and raw.” It’s a combination of words and music that grabs your ears and refuses to let go.
Gorillaz — Let Me Out (Feat. Pusha T and Mavis Staples)
This week marked the release of the fourth song from famed electronic band Gorillaz’ upcoming album Humanz, and so far each new one seems to boast an entirely different set of musical influences. On the latest single, Let Me Out, there’s an awesome mid-2000s Kanye West vibe going on, with slow-paced lyrics from West collaborator Pusha T and a soul-influenced hook from vocalist Mavis Staples.
Big Thief — Mythological Beauty
We’ve been fans of Brooklyn-based band Big Thief ever since we first heard their fantastic album Masterpiece last year, and were extremely happy to hear the recent news that the band has another LP, called Capacity, coming soon. The first new single from that record, Mythological Beauty, showcases the same use of musical layers we loved on Masterpiece, with Fender Rhodes, guitars and the smooth, round vocal tone of songwriter Adrianne Lenker transporting you to a land far away.
Middle Kids — Edge of Town (and More)
Australian rockers Middle Kids nailed their recent appearance on Seattle’s KEXP radio, performing their hit single Edge of Town live with a raucous and upbeat energy. Though they’re a newer band to the world stage, this live video shows just why they’ve seen such a quick rise to popularity around the globe. This clean and poised performance seems sure to grab them more fans.
Nite Jewel — The Answer
Your night driving cut of the week comes via songwriter Ramona Gonzalez, whose Nite Jewel project has been putting out fantastic electronic songs for years. On The Answer, a four-on-the-floor beat supports the ethereal synthesizer lines above, with Gonzalez’s shimmering vocals putting a bow on the whole musical package.
That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more tunes — and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:
