Lots of emotional pits and valleys on this week’s countdown, from star-studded collaborations (Elvis Costello & the Roots) to songs about divorce (Sebadoh) and odes to the awkwardness of puberty (FIDLAR). Dance, laugh, shed a tear. This one goes everywhere.
10. FIDLAR – “Awkward”
Adolescent anxiety seeps from FIDLAR’s latest single, which is a re-recording of a track that originally featured Kate Nash. “I’ll probably end up fucking up and make it super awkward,” sings the ever-optimistic Zac Carper. Whiny girlfriends, barfing at parties, awful haircuts — sounds like junior high. And God knows that shit was awkward.–Jon Hadusek
9. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – “Harrison Ford”
As Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin‘s second single in support of their upcoming album Fly by Wire, “Harrison Ford” takes inspiration from the relentlessness and daring nature of humanity’s greatest inventors. The band puts their indie-rock guitar demeanor aside and gently glides through soft grand piano steps and hip-swaying percussion that stimulate a dreamy aura. The song’s lyrics approach mental mysteries and stir curiosity from them as vocalist Phillip Dickey ponders “how the heart beats; I’ll never know”. In order to find these answers, he challenges the status quo in realizing “you don’t have to be good” because, in the end, the best answers come when we just pretend. Fly by Wire is set to hit record store shelves on September 17th.–Sam Willett
8. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib – “City”
Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs and producer Madlib have taken a quality-over-quantity approach to their creative partnership. They haven’t released much — just a few stray singles and EPs — but it’s all been excellent, and a full-length debut is slated for release later this year. In the meantime, we’ve got “City” — yet another one-off song, this time from the Adult Swim Singles Program. From an emcee’s perspective, Madlib’s beat is difficult: unforgiving snare breaks and a sped-up jazz bassline. But Gibbs handles it, cranking up his usually husky flow to match the tempo. Never one to limit himself lyrically, he references rising gas prices and economic tension, displaying a socio-political awareness to match the blunt-smoking gangsta-ism that defined his earlier material.–Jon Hadusek
7. Balance and Composure – “Reflection”
Bands can be thrown under the bus with the emo genre tag, but Balance and Compousure evade such a stereotype with their unique, orchestrated intensity on their newest single, “Reflection”. The outfit’s sophomore effort not only translates growth instrumentally but also vocally. Jon Simmons veers away from the gnarling yells that defined their past singles and, instead, utilizes his natural, relaxed tone to cut seamlessly through the band’s powerful instrumentation. Lyrics like “reflection; who do I really see?” and “faith in anything; and I have no backbone” approach weakness and insecurity, but their newfound maturity takes these pains toward new conclusions as “[they’re] building a message and life with you closer.” Their new album, The Things We Think We’re Missing hits stores September 10th. —Sam Willett
6. Crystal Antlers – “Rattlesnake”
When you see a rattlesnake, what is one supposed to do? At first, it’s easy to freak out and scream your lungs raw, but professionals tell us to stay calm and remain completely still. Both of these reactions run par for course on Crystal Antlers‘ newest single, “Rattlesnake”, a track which proves that serenity and panic will always shake your bones time and time again. The track will be released as a 7? picture disk on September 24th via Innovative Leisure. A new LP, Nothing Is Real, is also on the way. –Sam Willett
5. Ramesh Srivastava – “Paradise (For Keith Haring and the Legendary Children)”
Voxtrot broke up at the peak of their popularity back in 2010 after releasing three excellent EPs and a full-length album — a budding career cut short. The band members went their separate ways, but we’re finally hearing from the Voxtrot camp again, as frontman Ramesh Srivastava released a pair of songs this week, including “Paradise (For Keith Haring and the Legendary Children)”. A melodic ballad in line with Voxtrot’s more brooding moments, the track put Srivastava’s cracked falsetto above a melancholic undercurrent of piano and synth. “Don’t freak out and lose control,” he sings. “Love is the message.” It’s great hearing that voice again.–Jon Hadusek
4. Cut Copy – “Let Me Show You”
For their first post-Zonoscope single, Cut Copy sent two dudes in lab coats and a lathe to press its sounds on the finest of virgin vinyl at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival last weekend. Come the needle drop, however, is a series of bumping synthesizers that encapsulate every molecule with bouncing momentum. The entire rig thrives in an club-like environment injected with pure darkness, pulsing stage lighting, and sweat-fueled passion on the dance floor. Seriously, nothing beats its bridge, though. Once again, Cut Copy has unleashed another reinterpretation of their retro-80s dance metropolis, and we can only imagine what to expect next. —Sam Willett
3. Sebadoh – “I Will”
On the heels of last year’s Secret EP, Sebadoh is releasing Defend Yourself, their first album in 14 years. The band have touted it as a return to the DIY stylings of Sebadoh III and Bakesale; however, the songwriting comes from a older, wiser perspective. With the wounds of a recent divorce still fresh, Lou Barlow accepts a new challenge on somber opener “I Will”. “This will be/ The hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he sings. It’s hard not to hear the loud-soft-loud rock song as a direct reference to the divorce, as Barlow’s always been one for emotional transparency in his lyrics. He cuts straight for the heart. —Jon Hadusek
