Category: Single Of The Week

Single Of The Week: Crash Into Me by Steve Aoki & Darren Criss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvrp6puFsuk

I was at the Manchester International Festival earlier this week when DJ Yoda played a headlining set in the Festival Square. There were people of all ages at the festival dancing along to mixes of classics of all types: rock, northern soul, hip-hop, Britpop, television themes, you name it. But nothing got the crowd going more than when he kicked into a remix of “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton. I was nearly bowled over by a guy wearing a denim jacket featuring a giant Dead Kennedys patch. He was belting out the words like they were the most meaningful thing he had ever heard.

All this to say, millenial soft rock is here and it’s ready to take over the dance floors at festivals all over the world. What’s the biggest millenial soft rock song of all? Honestly, probably “My Heart Will Go On,” but surely the one that’s taken the most derision over the years has been “Crash Into Me” by former Nickelback titleholder Dave Matthews Band. Here, Steve Aoki and Darren Criss reclaim the tune as the floor filling banger it was always meant to be. It’s fun, easy to sing along to, and a harbinger of a future where we’re all wearing punk rock gear singing Vanessa Carlton at the top of our lungs.

 

Single Of The Week: Jungle Love by Prince

So, officially the single off the new compilation of songs Prince wrote for other performers, Originals, is his original demo “Manic Monday.” I admit it was kind of a trip to hear Prince sing about “kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream,” but the song that I was most fascinated with on this record was “Jungle Love.” For those who don’t know the context, “Jungle Love” was both written for Morris Day & The Time, and was making fun of Morris Day. Prince always thought that Day was a little bit vain, so who wrote a song poking fun of that, and now we get to hear the original snark on full display!

The rest of Originals is streaming everywhere, and is coming out in the physical world on July 19th. You can preorder this here!

Single Of The Week: The Future Is Here by Sleater-Kinney

This is the second single off Sleater-Kinney’s highly anticipated 9th studio album, The Center Won’t Hold. For those who felt the first single, “Hurry On Home” was a departure, it was merely the gateway to “The Future Is Here.” Kicking off with a simple, analog synth riff before some of the most subtle drumming of Janet Weiss’ career kicks in. Corin Tucker then comes in, singing in the lowest register I’ve ever heard her sing in. What this becomes is a beautiful, kind of gothy song that feels more like Siouxsie and The Banshees or The Cure than the driving psych rock or classic punk that we’ve grown used to from Sleater-Kinney.

It’s been 25 years since Sleater-Kinney first entered the world as a functioning unit. Since then they’ve continuously challenged themselves with every record, proving to have the most consistent and exciting discography in rock n roll. The Center Won’t Hold will be available in all of the usual places on August 16th, or you can preorder from the band here!

Tickets for their Fall US Tour went on sale this morning, and tickets to those shows can be found here! Presale begins on Monday for their Winter EU Tour, so don’t forget to join their mailing list at sleater-kinney.com for presale info!

Single Of The Week: Your Hands My Pockets by Team Dresch

It seems that all of the Riot Grrl comeback story headlines this year have focused on the return of Bikini Kill, which, I do agree is very big news. However, the return of Queercore originators and fellow Riot Grrl originators Team Dresch deserves to not be overlooked. Their infectious hooks and blunt lyrics helped open up the pit to people that aren’t just straight white guys, and also helped those straight white guys understand a little better about what it’s like to not be the demographic that holds power.

In addition to reissuing their excellent back catalog as well as releasing a compilation of singles that don’t appear on any record, Team Dresch have also released their first single in 19 years! Surprisingly, it’s infectious, bouncy love song called “Your Hands, My Pockets” that could end up being a bonafide hit! I keep repeating it!

Team Dresch are about to embark on a nearly sold out US Tour. Dates are here, but don’t delay in buying tickets!https://teamdresch.bandcamp.com/album/choices-chances-changes-singles-comptracks-1994-2000

Single Of The Week: ‘Til We Lose The Feeling by Gemma

This week’s single of the week comes from New York’s Gemma! This track is a frantic disco number, and it’s doing a fine job with pulling out of the doldrums of the final week of May. The build up, the lyrics, everything is great about this song. Every mistake you made this week doesn’t matter, because it’s in the past. Just take what you needed to learn from it, and then dance it the fuck out. This is the song that I needed today, and I bet it’s the song you need, too.

Gemma’s latest record, Feeling’s Not A Tempo, is available now in all the usual places.

BONUS Single Of The Week: Hurry On Home by Sleater-Kinney

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5uAH0vNn2s\u0026feature=youtu.be”,”type”:”video”,”providerNameSlug”:”youtube”,”className”:”wp-embed-aspect-4-3

STOP THE PRESSES!!!! Sleater-Kinney have dropped their first single in two years, and the first track to come off their upcoming, hotly anticipated follow up to 2015’s brilliant No Cities To Love. It’s a driving rock number that doesn’t sound like anything the band has ever done. Elements of industrial, no wave, and post punk color the song, with Carrie’s signature snarl taking center stage while Corin’s passionate yelp providing color and discord.

STOP THE PRESSES!!!! Sleater-Kinney have dropped their first single in two years, and the first track to come off their upcoming, hotly anticipated follow up to 2015’s brilliant No Cities To Love. It’s a driving rock number that doesn’t sound like anything the band has ever done. Elements of industrial, no wave, and post punk color the song, with Carrie’s signature snarl taking center stage while Corin’s passionate yelp providing color and discord.

The full length record, produced by Annie Clark of St Vincent fame, street date is still TBD. However, if this track is any sign of things to come, then Sleater-Kinney will have released 8 perfect records in their lengthy career. You can stream the single in all the usual places, or you can preorder the 7″ here! And the band will be on tour from Indigenous People’s Day to Thanksgiving, so make sure you book hotel rooms and get time off from work NOW so you can hit as many of these as possible. Or just go to the show in your hometown…

Single Of The Week: Got You by Amyl and the Sniffers

Australia has been killing it lately with great rock n roll! Courtney Barnett, Julia Jacklin, Wing Defence, Camp Cope, and so many more amazing musicians keep popping out of our friends on the other side of the Earth. The latest of these excellent bands is Amyl and the Sniffers, giving us a nice healthy dose of bratty garage rock to get you through your Friday doldrums.

Their new record came out TODAY and can be found streaming in all the usual places, or you can order the fancy splatter vinyl here! Also, they are touring everywhere this Summer, including a stopover at Burger Boogaloo, where you can enjoy them alongside The Jesus + Mary Chain, Shannon and the Clams, Dead Boys, fellow Aussies’ The Scientists, and many, many more!

Single Of The Week: RoMaNcE by ShitKid

This week’s Single Of The Week comes from Sweden’s ShitKid. We have one of the most wonderfully weird videos I’ve seen in a while, accompanied by some catchy as fuck LoFi garage punk. Lyrically they’ve produced some of the best late adolescent angst since the heyday of The Donnas! (Please come back, Donnas!) 

ShitKid’s sophmore album, [DETENTION] can be found in all the usual places, including Bandcamp. They are also hitting the road later this year supporting The Melvins & Redd Kross, so make sure you know where your ear plugs are. Those tourdates can be found here!

Continue reading “Single Of The Week: RoMaNcE by ShitKid”

Single Of The Week: Bill, In Consideration by Enablers

This week’s Single Of The Week comes from SF’s Enablers. Not that SF needs any Enablers, because this town is basically Neverland for people with too much money, but the band is solid. Imagine if Parquet Courts decided to start taking a ton of acid, and let loose whatever stream of consciousness ramblings that came to mind. Only with a heavier dose of psychedelia. This band is trippy in all the right ways, and heavy when you need it to be heavy.

Their record, Zones, is out on June 14th and can be preordered here!

Single Of The Week: Loss & Relax b/w Half Colored Hair by Black Belt Eagle Scout

This week’s single of the week is notable because, well, it came with a b-side. So you’ve got two songs to help you make it through your Friday! Portland’s Black Belt Eagle Scout has followed up last year’s nearly perfect Mother Of My Children with two songs that manage to be delicate and noisy simultaneously, perfecting the sound that Neil Young & Crazy Horse had been fighting to find for decades. The church organ that kicks in for the second half of “Half Colored Hair” is downright chilling.

The 7″ can be purchased here, or find Black Belt Eagle Scout on tour with Julia Jacklin this spring!