THE WEEKEND REPLAY
Welcome back to another Weekend Replay! I have a pretty stacked playlist of new tunes for your listening enjoyment this week. So get your headphones ready, and let’s begin.
Vampire Weekend starts rock music this week with the release of their new album Only God Was Above Us. “Prep-School Gangsters” is a highlight, with one of the best guitar riffs of the year so far. The band reinvents themselves, with a surfier rock sound across some of the tracks including this one. The verses start relatively relaxed and break into the choruses with said amazing guitar riff. Bayside released their new album There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, featuring the great closing track “I’m So Happy I Could Die.” Like the previous song, it stands out for its swells throughout the choruses, with surges of youthful joy amidst a strong guitar and drum track.
Alternative music is led by Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s new collaboration with Kacey Musgraves. “Overtime” is a tender guitar-based duet that brings the two artists’ voices together flawlessly. Combining a more country-esque acoustic production for the band with Musgraves’ signature twang sees amazing results. Elektric Animals released their new song “Ready To Go,” a summer-ready alt-rock track. The vocals are smooth over a steady guitar riff in the verses, with heavy drums ready to amp up the choruses.
Rising pop star Chappell Roan is kicking off pop music with her new single “Good Luck, Babe!” The singer-songwriter kickstarts her new era with a retro synth-pop cut, unlike much of her debut album released just last year. She reunites with frequent collaborator Dan Nigro for a stellar track, and my personal favorite part is when the massive chorus gradually gets slower during the outro until it cuts out completely. British pop artist Griff released the second installment of her vertigo EPs, featuring standout track “Pillow In My Arms.” The singer paints vivid scenes of the aftermath of a relationship, using the titular pillow to replace the warmth of a former lover. Over a bouncy drum beat, she sings mournfully with beautiful storytelling and vocals to match. Closing out pop and the Replay is Charli XCX with her new double single off of her upcoming album brat. “Club classics” is an instant club staple, with XCX singing about simply wanting to go out and dance to her own music, her friends’ and her fiance’s (George Daniel of The 1975, who co-produced the track).
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
“Drunk, Running” by Lizzy McAlpine
“MASC” by Doja Cat & Teezo Touchdown
“Fainted Love” by Conan Gray
“Stick Around” by Medium Build
“Spite” by Omar Apollo
“Lejos de Ti” by The Marías
“Good Time” by Cage The Elephant
“daddy of mine” by Four Year Strong
That’s all for this week! Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for another roundup of the best new music.