Singles
AJR- “The DJ Is Crying For Help” (Mercury)
The indie-pop trio returns to the scene with a characteristically complex single that retains the quirky and charming vocals, dizzying electropop sonics (highlighted by a piercing violin breakdown), and relatable self-reflection of their best past moments. The mid-tempo jam is sung from the perspective of a burnt-out professional disc jockey who feels trapped and left behind in the youthful scene of his past: “You got older ’cause you’re good at life/I’m all seventeen at thirty-five.” A catchy and captivating snapshot of the emotional conflicts that arise as one transition into adulthood, and the reeling feelings left in the aftermath of one’s failure to launch into that next life stage.
Backstreet Boys- “Last Christmas” (BMG)
The pop kingdom’s most resilient boy band anchors their first-ever holiday disc by going straight for the Holy Grail of Christmas-pop classics with the 1984 Wham! epic. They don’t add anything particularly dynamic or new to the proceedings, and certainly don’t come close to reaching the impossible task of matching the original, but they do succeed in putting their own updated, harmony-laced spin on it. Yes, the joy which exudes from this record is irritating on one hand, but its undeniably contagious on the other. Those of us living in AC-radio soundtracked cubicle hell this season are likely groaning each time it begins, and deliriously bobbing along by the time it finishes.
Kelsea Ballerini- “If You Go Down, I’m Goin’ Down Too” (Black River)
Kelsea Ballerini delivers a track that is inarguably her rootsiest and most entertaining single to date the latest cut from her solid Subject to Change LP. It’s a full deep-dive into her 90s country influences, most notably The Chicks whose cult classic “Goodbye Earl”provides the storyline inspiration, while their under-appreciated hit “If I Fall, You’re Going Down With Me” is paid glorious homage in the song’s hooky title. The delicious lyrical nuggets are a-plenty: “I keep all your secrets by the dozen/You know where my skeletons sleep/Hypothetically if you ever kill your husband/Hand on the Bible, I’d be lyin’ through my teeth”, “Our bodies are buried and they’re in the same ditch/So even if I wanted to, I can’t snitch/Thirty to life would go quicker with you/So, if you go down, I’m goin’ down too.” Ballerini delivers all of this cheeky goodness with a perfectly executed blend of sass, spunk and stomp and it’s all vividly colored in a vat of dobro, fiddle and mandolin that is surely making Martie and Emily mighty proud.
Phoebe Bridgers- “So Much Wine” (Dead Oceans)
It should come as no surprise that Phoebe Bridgers proves to be the perfect candidate to provide the most frost-bit and depressing Christmas tune in recent memory. The fact that she colors the end of the chorus with a whimsical whistling solo and a stacked dose of demented folk charm is the kind of signature branding that undoubtedly labels this a Phoebe Bridgers record. But damn does her sweet, somber vocals make for some beautiful, soul-stirring devastation. Even the jolliest fans of unbridled holiday cheer will succumb to the ethereal power of this gorgeous excavation of winter’s, and life’s, loneliest depths. I have no problem adding this to my annual rotation; it’s one of her best moments on record thus far.
Lana Del Rey- “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” (Interscope)
Another modern master of musical heartbreak, Lana Del Rey previews her 2023 project with the kind of splendidly haunted and hypnotic downers that she has built her career upon, where she uses the titular tunnel as a mysterious metaphor for the kind of beauty that humans foolishly disregard within themselves and others. Like all of Del Rey’s most significant recorded moments, this single is lushly and dramatically produced to match the commanding moodiness of its singer’s aural voice. The shout-out to the magnificent Harry Nilsson in the final verse earns some major brownie points as well.
Gorillaz featuring Thundercat- “Cracker Island” (Parlophone)
A spiraling dynamo of funk, dance, electronica and alt-rock. It’s the kind of peculiar, multi-layered tracks that unveils new surprising twists and delights with each successive listen. You’ll never quite feel like you really understand what is going on, but that matters none. Just turn it up loud and immerse yourself in the kind of sonic trip that Gorillaz was made for.
Ellie Goulding- “Fields of Gold” (Apple)
Nearly thirty years on and Sting’s seminal ballad remains one of the true gems in the entire annals of pop music. It comes as no surprise that Ellie Goulding’s breathy, golden pipes prove to be perfectly suited to deliver a graceful update on the classic. A gorgeous rendition of a gorgeous song; pure and simple.
The Head and the Heart- “Tiebreaker” (Warner Brothers)
The indie-folk stalwarts return to the thematic sentiment of one of my all-time favorites from them, 2020’s “Honeybee”, and just like that sweet song of romantic devotion and perseverance, “Tiebreaker” also puts some additional and well-deserved prominence on the piercing honey vocals of Charity Rose Thielen. Granted, I with the track had remained closer in vein to the production of that preceding hit. I have no problem with the band branching out sonically as they have aggressively done on recent albums, but “Tiebreaker” just gets a bit too busy and cluttered, when it would have been better served to stick to the basic pop-soul undercurrent that it opens with. Nevertheless, that doesn’t ruin the cut, but it does hinder it from reach its fullest potential. An acoustic rendering would be more than appreciated.
Chris Isaak- “Run Rudolph Run” (Sun)
Chris Isaak once again gets in touch with his love for classic rock & roll and gives this Chuck Berry classic a refresh that is joyously electric and spits fire with each and very vocal and guitar lick. His new Christmas album is more than worthy of seeking out and adding to your annual holiday party list. He doesn’t get far enough attention for it, but Chris Isaak is continuing to keep the thunderous heart of rock & roll alive and well in the 21st century. Fantastic.
Charles Kelley- “As Far As You Could” (Big Machine)
Released in the raw aftermath of a stint in rehab, the Lady A frontman could have easily included this in the next batch of the band’s new material, and it would have easily ranked among the finest songs the country group has ever recorded. It’s far more fitting however that Charles Kelley released this as a solo track, given the intense personal nature of the demons he’s addressing here. He’s never been as honest and gripping with his artistry, and has rarely sounded this good on record. This will resonate with any of us that are fighting the control our vices and addictions have on us, whether they’re alcohol-related or otherwise. A stunning and impressive performance.
Alicia Keyes- “Christmas Time Is Here” (Keyes)
This legendary Vince Guaraldi chestnut has rarely been covered throughout the annals of Christmas pop, and for good reason. The original is perennially untouchable. To her credit however, Alicia Keyes uses the unique magic of her golden voice to paint a marvelous, modern sheen on the standard. She keeps it rooted in its jazzy origins, but manages to balance that sound with her own sleek, stylish brand of R&B.
Larkin Poe- “Strike Gold” (Tricki-Woo)
Seriously, I could listen to the rapturous guitar riffs of this duo from now until New Year’s. It’s cliche at this point, and I already mentioned The Black Keys comparisons in last month’s Digest, but this duo truly represents a fresh and confident act that has the potential to keep blues-rock vital and present in the mainstream in the same way the Keys have done for the past two decades. The vocals, musicianship and rock swagger of their hooks all add up to a sumptuous, irresistible bluesy feast.
Adam Lambert- “Holding Out for a Hero” (BMG)
The glamorous pop-rock powerhouse previews his upcoming covers album by unearthing Bonnie Tyler’s 1984 smash. It comes as no surprise that the always drama-ready Lambert retains all of the nervy urgency and pop potency of the original, but also gives it a refresh by replacing the hyperactive synths with the heart-pounding roar of the kind of glam-rock intensity that he’s been serving as the modern day lead singer of Queen. In Lambert’s hands, it’s every bit the roaring anthem that it’s been for nearly four decades while also finding new and exciting ways to tap into the potency of a song we’ve heard a zillion times before.
The Milk Carton Kids- “Running on Sweet Smile” (Thirty Tigers)
Three minutes of pure, unadulterated musical beauty. That tagline could be used to describe so many selections from the catalog of the Milk Carton Kids, and “Running On Sweet Smile” does nothing but maintain that level of excellence for the duo’s new chapter. They’re the closest thing we have to a male version of The Everly Brothers in today’s music world and hearing their sensational harmonies evokes both tears and a smile.
Ozzy Osbourne featuring Eric Clapton- “One of These Days”
An undeniable rock thriller that celebrates all of the very best qualities of Ozzy Osbourne’s ridiculously spooky and high-octane style, all the while featuring the most intoxicating electric guitar solos that rock god Eric Clapton has bestowed upon us in well over a decade. Allow yourself to escape and indulge in all of the glorious excesses of this record, and my God do it with the damn volume up full-blast. We don’t get unabashedly, shameless metal epics like this anymore.
Paramore- “The News” (Atlantic)
While “This Is Why” slowly lured us back into the emo punk vibes that Paramore launched their career on the strength of, follow up “The News” provides a full-blown flooding of the speakers with all sorts of their classic angsty goodness and biting world observations. Hayley Williams delivers an eviscerating vocal attack on the manipulative media information that we let control us, while her bandmates couple it with an explosive onslaught of guitar amps, pounding drums, and…cowbell for good measure. It’s Paramore in their very best and more signature realm.
SZA- “Shirt” (Top Dawg)
A slow-burning but undeniably persistent earworm, chalk-full with alluring trap beats and seductive Rihanna-recalling vocals, that continues to establish SZA as a creative threat to watch in the R&B and Hip-Hop lexicons.
Shania Twain- “Beauty and the Beast” (Disney)
An unexpected combination and soulfully satisfying surprise for Shania and Disney mega-fans alike. If you fall in both of those categories like I do, this one hits in a multitude of sweet-spots. Twain’s role as Mrs. Potts in the recent live musical production of the animated classic finds her revisiting the Angela Lansbury version of the film, rather than the Celine Dion-Peabo Bryson Diva duel that John Legend and Ariana Grande used as a template in 2017, and it proves to be a perfect match for Twain’s weathered and rich latter-day range. I’m biased as hell, but she sounds gracefully splendid and reverent in her delivery and expression here. She certainly does Lansbury proud, and this performance will prove to be a dark-horse gem in her epic catalog.
The War & Treaty- “Dumb Luck” (UMG)
From the moment that Tanya Trotter unveils her first soulful lyric on “Dumb Luck”, she’s got the listener right in the palm of her hand thanks to the sheer emotional power and majesty of her voice. Like all of the duo’s previous work, husband Michael Trotter likewise matches that passionate pathos on the second verse, and when they join together on the chorus, it’s a total knock out. The Trotters are the kind of soulful singers who allow us to feel every stirring, painful and triumph nuance and emotion of every thing they sing. The glossy, string-based production had me a bit worried for a moment as I think all W&T followers are a bit trepidatious of what a major label will want to do with the couple’s gritty Americana sound. Thankfully, we’ve got Dave Cobb in the producer’s chair. He knows what he’s got here and he never allows the production to swell to the point where it distracts from the vocal magic that this track showcases. A superb, soulful stunner.
Weezer- “I Want A Dog” (Atlantic)
This is Rivers Cuomo longingly yearning for the companionship that man’s best friend can provide against a blend of strings and an arena-rock barrage of Guitar Hero-worthy solos. So, yes it’s utterly ridiculous. But it’s also utterly kick-ass because, well, it’s Weezer singing a rock anthem about a dog. We shouldn’t overlook the pathos of the song’s sentiment however, with a critical lyric that cuts to the very core of the special brand of loyalty and friendship that animals so often provide better than humans: “I want a dog, ’cause sometimes humans hold it all inside/I need to feel connected.”
The 706 
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