As we move into the New Year, The 706 looks forward to routinely reviewing what will hopefully prove to be a wealth of outstanding singles that come to define the year 2021. While we wait for the release calendar to pick up steam in the wake of the annual holiday slumber, we’ll first spend the month of January playing catch-up with a series of reviews of the current crop of singles that were already vying for our attention as the ball dropped.
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood- “Shallow” (Pearl)
It’s not an enormous stretch for country music’s royal couple to cover the Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper smash given the already raw, stripped down setting that its premier version was already steeped in. It’s certainly an unenviable bar to aim for given the magnitude and relative recency of the original. This however is a respectable cover, though certainly not a necessary or revolutionary one. Nevertheless, the pair’s passionate chemistry remains palpable and it always a wonder to hear Yearwood’s peerless voice under any circumstances; it remains as gorgeous and flawless as any other period in her thirty years as a recording artist.
Lana Del Rey- “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” (Interscope)
The title track from Lana Del Rey’s pending seventh LP is, as both the song title and her spellbinding track record suggests, a dark and hypnotic stunner that absolutely drowns the listener in all of its mysterious and somber glory. Reuniting with producer Jack Antonoff, the pair once again creates a dreary, haunted atmosphere that follows its narrator through the depressing, domestic simplicity of suburbia. This woman is both numb in her disconnect yet passionately yearning for inspiration all the same, and that tension positively floats through the speakers.
All Time Low and Blackbear (with Demi Lovato)- “Monsters” (Fueled By Ramen)
One of the most durable singles of the past twelve months, “Monsters” was first unleashed last spring, and has provided All Time Low and Blackbear a firm grip on the summit of the Alternative Airplay Charts for the past four months. It’s an urgent and infectious dose of pop punk that recalls that sub-genre’s peak period in the early to mid-2000s, and possesses little to no burn-out factor even the after the zillionth listen. The recent re-mix adding Demi Lovato to the proceedings likewise works seamlessly, and could secure the hit one more round of crossover success.
Foo Fighters- “Shame Shame” (RCA)
The lead single from what is arguably the biggest marquee release of the first quarter, “Shame Shame” is a deceptively simpler production that many of the Foo Fighters’ grandest singles. It’s crisp, concise, and pared back. It’s also intense, inspired, and oh so intoxicating. It’s slow to boil, but breathes a slithering fire once it does. Dave Grohl and company have always been among the masters of ambitious post-millennium rock production, but here they remind us just how much they are capable of creating with the most basic ingredients.
Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber- “Monster” (Def Jam)
A dream-pairing for pop super-fans that proves to be one of the most subtly profound ruminations to be found in the top forty stratosphere this year. Mendes and Bieber come together for a mature reflection on the costs of being a young superstar that simultaneously reconciles their mistakes and takes the industry to task for its unrealistic expectations and toxicity. Mendes has been on this introspective trajectory for some time, but “Monster” returns Bieber to the thoughtful maturity he impressed with back on 2015’s Purpose. (Excerpt from Fifty Best Singles of 2020: Part I).
Eminem- “Gnat” (Interscope)
“Gnat” is essentially a snapshot of all the unfortunate components that came to define America in the year 2020, i.e. COVID-19, political division, national paranoia, and just conflict in general. As is his long-established calling card, Eminem encapsulates all of this into a brash, nervy, rip-roaring three plus minutes of cunning rap wordplay. It’s critical to remember that the actual virus is not the only sickness infecting our society. Per usual, he makes every clever and pointed word count, proving that his work is just as contingent on the quality of the words as the quantity.
Bleachers featuring Bruce Springsteen- “Chinatown” (RCA)
Bleachers has been brilliantly waxing 80s nostalgia from the moment they invaded the rock charts in 2014, so it should come as no surprise that their new Springsteen collaboration finds them naturally melding their signature sound with dreamy, subtle tinges of E-Street glory. This track squarely taps into the emotional restlessness and doomed, youthful dreams of the Boss’ early epics. Its street cred is not dependent on Springsteen himself providing guest vocals, but it sure elevates an already terrific and atmospheric single to a whole, new level.
Chris Stapleton- “Cold” (Mercury)
For anyone that still believes the Stapleton hype is overblown, give this chilling record a listen. The countrypolitan strings add a cinematic element to the proceedings, swelling right on cue at all the most dramatic, emotive moments. They collide with a captivating undercurrent of R&B touches, and the result is both gorgeously lush, and raw with emotion. As moving as the sonics are, the ultimate element of greatness belongs to Stapleton’s fiery voice. There’s simply not another singer like him to be found in today’s music scene.
Grace Potter- “Release” (Fantasy)
A marvelously soulful depiction of the deeply painful, yet beautiful catharsis that is felt at the end of a relationship, when one party gracefully lets the other go, in hopes that the favor will soon be reciprocated. With the mere power of her voice and a simple piano arrangement backing her, Potter unearths all of those complicated emotions in achingly powerful fashion. Remind me once again why this woman is not ruling the rock world? 
Kelsea Ballerini (with Shania Twain)- “Hole in the Bottle” (Black River)
A flirty, straight-forward drinking song that never once takes itself too seriously. Best of all, it’s completely devoid of all the over-baked tendencies that have sunk so many of Ballerini’s past performances. Her vocals are breezy, effervescent and personality-packed. The chorus is memorable and contagious. Best of all, the twangy guitar picking is a perfect balance of saucy grit and contemporary polish. I’ll gladly take several pours of this track. (The Shania Twain remix is a joyous bonus piece, even if one can’t help but feel like her presence was not utilized to its full potential.)
The 706 
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