Justin Bieber- “Love Song” (Def Jam)
Culled from the surprise sequel to his also-surprise summer set of lo-fi jams, “Love Song” finds the pop superstar quietly crooning about how he wants to write his partner the best possible love song. Unfortunately, he’s not going to be able to brag about achieving such a feat with this song specifically. The risk with these stripped-back songs is that they struggle to get into that next, more memorable gear and that’s the critical, albeit inoffensive, downfall that leaves “Love Song” forgotten in the background.
Zach Bryan featuring Kings of Leon- “Bowery” (Warner)
The indie-country superstar continues to indulge in his love for Heartland Rock on this intriguing collaborative combination, and it comes as no surprise that Kings of Leon’s signature arena-rock atmospherics bring the proceedings to the next rollicking level. The track really takes extra flight when lead vocalist Caleb Followill’s undeniable rasp enters the fray, forming both a lovely and rugged blend with Bryan’s voice. The results make for one of Bryan’s most anthemic and contagious outings to date.
Brandi Carlile- “Returning to Myself” (Interscope)
Carlile unveils one of her most gorgeously introspective moments, and yes folks, that is indeed saying something. Backed by a mostly acoustic setting and occasional, subtle folk-rock riffs, she bestows upon us the beauty of one turning inward and unraveling all of their complicated emotions and self-reflections. And she does so in the kind of grand, gracefully poetic fashion that only she could deliver. It’s a staggering showcase for her rare gifts as both a vocalist and a lyricist. A superb solo return from one of today’s most special artists.
Sabrina Carpenter- “Tears” (Island)
The present moment’s most vital pop-tart continues to show just how much durable mileage is present in her sizable tank of winking, raunchy, and catchy-as-hell bangers about the comedic complications within the dynamics of a romantic partnership. The way she establishes such a low bar for sexual attraction, in exchange for simple domestic consideration, is both harmlessly fun and cunningly sharp, forming the latest in her sly rundowns of lazy lovers. She continues to craft some of the most fun and memorable mainstream pop of the present moment.
Neko Case- “Destination” (Anti)
The bewitching, enigmatic godmother of alt-country returns with her first original material in seven years, and it boasts all of the classic signatures that her hardcore fan base has adored for nearly three decades. Her soaring, mysterious vocal timbre will still stop you in your tracks, no matter how many times you’ve heard it before. And her meandering, Dylan-esque songwriting will still leave you bewildered, fascinated, and fulfilled in the endless quest to excavate the meaning of it all. Sonically, it’s always anyone’s guess as to which palette she’ll draw from. In this case, it’s a gorgeously lush backdrop of alternative, orchestral pop that marinates her voice wondrously.
Lady Gaga- “The Dead Dance” (Interscope)
While it’s initially disappointing to see Lady Gaga pivot her promotional focus to a completely new track when there is such an ever-loving bounty of bangers waiting in the wings off the Mayhem soundtrack, you’ll get over it within one listen of “The Dead Dance”. And you don’t have to be a die-hard Monster to be dancing to it by its conclusion. We could see the “Thriller” comparisons coming from a mile away, but they’re ultimately all warranted thanks to both the record itself, and it’s instantly classic video. It’s a new anthem for the spooky season (and beyond), so you should certainly prepare to hear this in heavy doses every fall from now until the end of time. I won’t be complaining…though I’d love some similar attention for “Zombieboy” too while we’re at it…
MGK- “Cliche” (Interscope)
A satisfying mash-up of punk, dance, and pure pop culled from the rapper’s recent seventh studio album, which finds him making the not-so-surprising shift toward a more pop-oriented sound. Debates about his die-hards’ sell-out accusations aside, there’s no denying MGK pulls this realm off very well, loading the performance with the perfect tones of urgency and earnest reflection. It sort of feels like the love-child of peak-records from NSYNC and Blink-182, which in this case is far more of a compliment than that descriptor may conjure up. This stylistic shift on his part deserves an open-minded approach.
Robert Plant- “Everybody’s Song” (Nonesuch)
The Led Zeppelin legend continues to curate a stately catalog as a solo, rock elderstatesman, allowing his classic rock magic to age like an exquisitely fine wine. His newest LP is a diverse and often-obscure batch of cover songs, including this selection from indie cult-favorites, Low, whose catalog he’s plucked from before. The track has a deliciously foreboding, slightly-Celtic darkness and mystery to it, with backing vocalist Suzi Dian providing a subtle but gloriously powerful blend to Plant’s unmistakable pipes that recalls the heights of his work with Alison Krauss.
Ed Sheeran- “Azizam” (Atlantic)
After taking an acoustic detour for a few years and albums, “Azizam” finds the singer-songwriter returning to the poppiest landscape he’s indulged in since the “Bad Habits” era, and it may actually be one of the most contagious concoctions of his entire catalog. The fact that the Persian origins of its title leaves an indelible mark on the production may initially suggest otherwise, but this is one hell of a bop, and it is proving to be one of the year’s true sleeper smashes.
Rob Thomas- “Hard to Be Happy” (Universal)
A quarter-century onward from his peak as a cultural icon and Rob Thomas has certainly matured comfortably and refreshingly into his present role as an adult-pop singer. While “Hard to Be Happy” centers around the sadness that seems to implausibly permeate everyday life at times, it’s hard to feel anything but joy throughout this record’s run-time. Thomas’ vocal matches the shiny, alt-pop production, while still demonstrating lingering signs of the sweaty rock swagger that managed to appeal to both frat-boys and soccer-moms in his prime. And while this sounds better suited to rub elbows with a Michael Buble album than one from Santana, it’s nevertheless a musical coat that Thomas wears dutifully well.
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