Category: Single Of The Week

Single of the Week: “touchdown (4-track) by dear francis

I’ve been following the music of Jennifer Francis Clavin for a long time now… I believe I first heard the music of Mika Miko while working at a chain music store in 2006, when I would play anything the Kill Rock Stars would send us, and fell in love. Her band after Mika Miko broke up, Bleached, immediately became my favorite band. In the passing years, Clavin’s songwriting seemed to mature with me. Were we psychically connected? Or is she just that good at conveying her own emotions in a way that feels like “mass empathy”? Does any of this even make sense? I don’t know, but “touchdown (4-track)” is a her debut solo single (under the moniker “dear francis”), and, man, this song just tingles the soul. 

“touchdown (4-track)” is just the beginning of a whole new side of Ms Clavin. The track can be streamed and saved and purchased and all that good stuff in all the usual places. Expect more news in the coming months! 

Single Of The Week: “HIND’S HALL” by Macklemore

I was looking for a good single-of-the-week contender, and there have been quite a few. But I wanted to check out the new Hinds before committing to something. When I went to search for it, this track came up. I rarely give Macklemore much time, although I always appreciate him. That being said, I wasn’t expecting THIS. Of all the major traumas in this world, folks are struggling to make any big, bold statements about the treatment of the Palestinian people. “HIND’S HALL” is that. I have yet to hear such a bold, heartfelt, earnest track. This song needs to be everywhere. We will be studying these lyrics for generations to come. 

“HIND’S HALL” can be streamed in all the usual places. The single’s proceeds are being donated to UNRWA, so stream often. 

 

 

Single of the Week: “Going Blue” by Victoria Bigelow

I put this track on and was immediately entranced by this voice. I hear the phrase “honey-soaked” used rather liberally, but Victoria Bigelow sounds like sonic honey. But within the sweetness is rich, emotionally dense delivery. And the lyrics? “Going Blue” is such a vivid autobiographical tale of addiction that is both personal and widely relatable. This one is a stunner. I expect tears when I finally get to see her live. 

“Going Blue” is a track off Bigelow’s upcoming release, Songs For No One, Vol 2, out May 10th! 

Single of the Week: “Like I Say (I runaway) by Nilüfer Yanya

Many years ago, there was a Saturday Night Live sketch about a DJ who refused to let the beat drop. It was presented as a bad thing, but I kept imagining a song where the tension continuously builds without release and thought- “YES!” And Nilüfer Yanya does it on “Like I Say (I runaway),” and it’s better than I could imagine. 

This also means that Nilüfer Yanya is active again, and I can’t WAIT for the rest of the album, a tour, and everything else. For now, you can enjoy “Like I Say (I runaway)” in all the usual places. 

Single of the Week: “The Kill” by Maggie Rogers

OK. I’m not entirely sure if this is an actual “single,” but she played it on The Late Show, so I will pretend it is one. Anyway, I LOVE the new Maggie Rogers. I am very late to jump on this ship, but everyone to experience something for the first time? I was captivated by her set at Outside Lands last year, but this song is just a warm joy of an earworm. It’s firmly rooted in the Fleetwood Mac school of earnest soft rock, and there is no shame in that. Sometimes, you need something that’s just unapologetically nice and optimistic. 

“The Kill” is a track off Maggie Rogers’s recently released Don’t Forget Me, which is available in all the usual places NOW! She’s also playing ARENAS!! Tour dates are here, and she’s even doing a fancy thing where the first allotment of tickets is being sold ONLY IN PERSON. For my fellow Bay Area folks, the Chase Center date on November 1st will have a special, box office-only sale THIS SATURDAY, April 20th, from 10 am – 1 pm. Yes, that is Record Store Day, so you gotta make some hard choices. Or find a store that opens at 8 am. 

Single Of The Week: “AA BOUQUET FOR YOUR 180 FACE” by Saya Gray

Normally, the Single Of The Week is a new release for that very same week. BUT- I missed this one. And now I can’t go more than a few hours without listening to it repeatedly. Saya Gray is clearly the living definition of being “post-genre.” In many ways, she’s a descendant of Bjork- eccentric yet accessible. She is unafraid to experiment and unworried about alienating people because creativity seems to ooze from her. “AA BOUQET FOR YOUR 180 FACE” is the first single off her latest release, QWERTY II. The whole thing is one lovely journey that spans genres and emotions the human brain has never before conjured. 

QWERTY II is out now and ready for its place in your 2024 Top 10 lists. 

Single of the Week: “The Kids” by Victoria Bigelow

I’ve listened to “The Kids” about 20 times in the last week. This song is SO GOOD! It’s like shoegaze meets country, but not in a 4AD kind of way. It’s such a timeless piece of music telling an incredibly modern story. I also appreciate any time someone tells Pete Townsend that he’s wrong. 

“The Kids” is available in all the places you enjoy things. And, on May 20th, her next EP, Songs For No One Vol 2, will be available to you. 

Single of the Week: “Love The Sinner” by Griefcat

I’m a sucker for good political satire. Griefcat has managed to hit basically everything that frustrates me about conservative culture in a concise, hooky 3 minutes. The emotional journey, surprise punchlines, everything is lovely with “Love The Sinner.” They’ve essentially picked up where the great Garfunkel & Oates left off nearly a decade ago. 

“Love The Sinner” is the latest single from their upcoming full length Late Stage Capitalism, which you’ll be able to enjoy on April 19th. 

BONUS SINGLE: “Docket” by Blondshell featuring Bully

Well, holy shit. Sabrina Teitelbaum, aka Blondshell, put out the best debut record of last year… Maybe even the decade? There’s no way she’s going to one-up that perfect LP, is she? Well, her gift for characters and storytelling seems only to be getting better. Such a darkly honest and pure and risky piece of lyric! If “Docket” is a glimmer of what her sophomore record will be like… Well, we probably don’t deserve that record. 

“Docket” is available in all the usual places. She’s also on the road for, well, a very long time. Hopefully, she will grace our presence in the Bay Area again soon, too. Until then, there are plenty of places for you to visit: 

Continue reading “BONUS SINGLE: “Docket” by Blondshell featuring Bully”

Single Of The Week: “NVR RLLY” by King Isis

Jesus Christ, this song is heavy. I’m not quite sure how else to describe it. This song is one blistering blend of drop D-tuned guitars combined with vocals so emotionally volatile that King Isis sounds like they are singing through their heart, which they’ve ripped out of their own chest and smashed in your face. And seriously. They are so intense and heavy that they are the polar opposite of what the terrorist group ISIS stands for, reclaiming it with a guttural thunder. A reminder that Oakland, CA, is where all the best people on Earth are from. 

“NVR RLLY” is the latest single from Shed and the latest EP from King Isis, and it just so happens to be out TODAY!