V’s New Music Roundup: Taylor Swift, Lil Uzi Vert, and more
Here are some of the biggest and best music releases of the week.
Last night was a major event for music fans. Sure, there was “Midnights” mayhem, but also album drops from Carly Rae Jepsen, Arctic Monkeys, Adam Melchor, and more. It’s time to open your Spotify (or Apple Music, for those without taste) and prepare yourself for the onslaught of new music. Because today, we’re feasting.
Let’s get into this week’s best releases:
“Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” by Taylor Swift
“Midnights” has been practically inescapable, as we all clamored with anticipation for the album release. In typical Taylor Swift fashion, though, there was a last-minute 3AM surprise. After releasing the original 13 track album, Swift proceeded to release 7 bonus tracks, each one filled with gold. The secret treasure of the album? “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.” It’s the peak of Swift’s lyricism, her craft at its best.
“So Nice” by Carly Rae Jepsen
Though the phrase may be thrown around too frequently, in this case it seems apt: Carly Rae Jepsen has come to save pop music. We’ve been craving some 2010s radio pop, filled with synth and overlarge emotions. Where oh where has that Katy Perry pop gone? Carly Rae Jepsen fills this void, with her new album “The Loneliest Time” proving that funky, joyful pop is not a dead genre.
“Just Wanna Rock” by Lil Uzi Vert
Just three months after the release of their EP “RED & WHITE,” Lil Uzi Vert has returned yet again with their new single “Just Wanna Rock.” With a throbbing beat and synth underlay, the single is uniquely danceable. It rages with power, and knows exactly what its doing. This is Lil Uzi Vert’s return-to-form, proving the strength of their rap itself.
“Perfect Sense” by Arctic Monkeys
It seems like Arctic Monkeys have officially found their sound with their new album “The Car.” In a folky, string-filled lovefest, Arctic Monkeys combines quaint storytelling with grand scoring for a 10 track album of back-to-back hits. As a finale, “Perfect Sense” nails it on the head: “Keep remindin’ me that it ain’t a race / When my invincible streak turns onto the final straight.”
“Superhuman” by Bishop Briggs
Briggs opens her latest single with the words: “If you could fly the world in an hour /It would be no surprise to me.” Penning the track when she was expecting her firstborn, Briggs was enthralled by motherhood and the ability as a woman to bring life into the world. Featuring soothing vocals and an infectious guitar loop, Briggs sings an uplifting and encouraging song about overcoming all of life’s challenges, despite obstacles.
American Gurl: Super Deluxe Value Size by Kilo Kish
Today, Kish’s highly acclaimed album, American Gurl, gets the deluxe treatment. This new edition features five brand-new singles by the 32-year-old and gets at the first’s origins. The original examined the current state of the entertainment industry and the expectations placed on the artists. “I feel it’s fitting to have a super-sized version of the album,” Kish shares. “These are songs that further explore the concepts of the original, an uncomfortable relationship with the American dream.”
“C’est La Vie” by Peach Tree Rascals
Peach Tree Rascals are reinventing what a boy band can be. They need not be a sex-filled pot of lust with high harmonies, but rather an be a more chill, acoustic yet fun vibe. After blowing up with their TikTok-hit “Mariposa,” Peach Tree Rascals have continued to put out woozy, sentimental pop songs. “C’est La Vie” fits this aesthetic perfectly: merry, dazed, lovely.
“Let Me Know When” by Adam Melchor feat. Fleet Foxes
Adam Melchor has perfected the quiet, acoustic sound that has become oh so popular. Akin to Billie Eillish and the likes, Melchor’s soft-spoken beauty is glorious to witness. His new album “Here Goes Nothing!” reflects this poignant writing, with lyrics that bleed off the page: “Let me know when you fall out of love with me / So, it won’t hurt so bad when you leave / At least then, I’ll expect it.”
“Matinee” by Smino
There’s a fairly conventionally rap sound that many of us have gotten used to, with epic melodies and writhing drumbeats. Smino is disrupting this norm, providing rap a new, more muted look. His new single “Matinee” has those trademarks of good rap, but does so much more with shifting genre and blurring into different ideas of what a rap hit could be. It’s inventive in the best way.
“Call it Love” by Jake Wesley Rodgers
Prepare yourself: you’ve probably never heard a song like “Call it Love.” Jake Wesley Rodgers lays spoken poetry over harmonious melodies, creating something bigger, bolder. It almost sounds like the opening of a contemporary musical, how it blurs song and speech. Those words ultimately thrill: “But I just wanted to be his cigar / And taste where his words begin / Now I know why dictators kill poets first / Cause he started a war in me and bullets cannot reverse”
“Autumn” by Couch feat. Jackson Lundy
Couch is leading the neosoul revival, but not just with their blazing trumpets and droning saxophones. For their new single “Autumn” the band teams up with Jackson Lundy to represent the more sultry, slowed-down side of the genre. A sonic masterpiece, “Autumn” calls back to those sensual sounds we’ve missed so dearly.
“The Giver” by Sarah Kinsley
Remember that piano riff that would accompany every TikTok telling you to romaticize your life? Well that comes from Sarah Kinsley, who found fame in her viral hit “The King.” Kinsley’s new single, “The Giver,” turns this music prowess on its head. Gone are the swelling piano riffs and drum fills; these are replaced with a quieter, Phoebe Bridgers-like sense of intimacy. We’re hungry for you, Sarah Kinsley.