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10 Greatest Songs of the Week: Model Pussy, Lauren Mayberry, Lael Neale, Slowdive, and Extra
Plus Will Butler + Sister Squares, Katy Kirby, Steven Wilson, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Different Notable New Tracks
Sep 01, 2023
Welcome to the twenty seventh Songs of the Week of 2023. It was one other quiet week for brand new songs, however we settled on 10 we appreciated.
Up to now week or so we posted interviews with Grian Chatten, Steven Wilson, Michael Dinner (showrunner of Justified: Metropolis Primeval), Silvertwin, Ratboys, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Lloyd Cole, and others.
Within the final week we reviewed some albums.
Do not forget that we beforehand introduced our new print concern, Challenge 71 with Weyes Blood and Black Belt Eagle Scout on the covers.
That will help you type by way of the multitude of recent songs launched within the final week, we’ve got picked the ten greatest the final week needed to provide, adopted by some honorable mentions. Take a look at the total checklist under.
1. Model Pussy: “I Received Heaven”
This week, Philadelphia-based indie punk band Model Pussy shared a brand new track, “I Received Heaven,” through a music video. The brand new single is out now through Epitaph. The band begins a fall tour subsequent week. Mason Mercer and Anthony Miralles directed the video. Take a look at the band’s upcoming tour dates right here.
Model Pussy is Colins “Bear” Regisford, Kaleen Studying, Maxine Steen, and Marisa Dabice. John Congleton produced the brand new track and extra new music is promised quickly.
Dabice had this to say in a press launch: “‘I Received Heaven’ is a track meant to merge the sacred and the profane and to function a reminder that we’re all good precisely as we’ve got been made and that nobody will get to resolve how a life ought to or shouldn’t be lived. Heaven is right here on a planet that gave us every part we would have liked to outlive. Heaven is within the vegetation and within the water and within the animals who we share this world with. Heaven is inside me and inside you. The weaponization of Christianity for political means, for particular person revenue and energy, as a device to deliberately divide us is among the best threats to our trendy world and a risk to our skill to seek out solidarity by way of love. To permit the hatred and the violence and the noise to rise is to reject our sacred function as people, which is solely to like.”
The band have additionally introduced that they’re reissuing their lengthy out of print 2016 album, Romantic, on their new Romantic Data imprint. (Pre-order it right here.)
Model Pussy’s final album, Persistence, got here out in 2019 on Epitaph. In 2021 they launched the Good EP.
2. Lauren Mayberry: “Are You Awake?”
Earlier as we speak, Lauren Mayberry, singer with Scottish electro-pop trio CHVRCHES, shared her debut solo track, “Are You Awake?” Mayberry has been teasing her solo single in current weeks and beforehand introduced some solo tour dates. Take a look at the tour dates right here.
Mayberry co-wrote the track with Tobias Jesso Jr. and Matthew Koma. Koma produced the track, which was combined by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.
Mayberry had this to say concerning the track in a press launch: “‘Are You Awake?’ is a track that began on a wet day final December with Tobias Jesso Jr. I used to be considering rather a lot about loneliness and homesickness, and as quickly as Tobias began enjoying the chords, the lyrics and melody got here to me actually rapidly. I completed the track with my good friend Matthew Koma, who actually understood what I used to be attempting to say.
“For a very long time, I couldn’t think about doing something exterior of CHVRCHES however I believe some issues that I wanted to jot down needed to be executed from purely my very own standpoint. I by no means actually thought I’d write a piano ballad, or a solo album full cease, so life actually is filled with surprises. I’m actually trying ahead to this chapter and might’t look ahead to folks to listen to extra of the music.”
Particulars of Mayberry’s solo album are nonetheless forthcoming.
CHVRCHES, in the meantime, just lately introduced a tenth anniversary reissue of their debut album, The Bones of What You Imagine, and shared a beforehand unreleased track, “Manhattan,” from it. The Bones of What You Imagine (tenth Anniversary Particular Version) consists of 4 beforehand unreleased songs and 5 stay recordings. It’s due out October 13 through Glassnote.
CHVRCHES additionally options Martin Doherty and Iain Prepare dinner. The band just lately remixed “An Arrow Within the Wall,” a brand new track by Loss of life Cab for Cutie.
In February, CHVRCHES shared a brand new track, “Over,” through a music video. “Over” is the primary single for the band’s new label, Island Data, and was one in all our Songs of the Week. In addition they carried out the track on The Tonight Present Starring Jimmy Fallon.
CHVRCHES are signed to Island in America and EMI in England. The band’s final album was 2021’s Display screen Violence, which got here out through Glassnote.
Mayberry was one of many artists on the duvet of our twentieth Anniversary Challenge during which she was interviewed about Display screen Violence. Purchase the difficulty from us immediately right here.
CHVRCHES had been on the duvet of one in all our print points in 2015 and you may learn the in-depth 8-page 5,600-word cowl story function on the band right here. You may also learn our bonus digital journal Q&A with them right here.
3. Lael Neale: “I’ll Be Your Star”
On Wednesday, Lael Neale shared a model new track, “I’ll Be Your Star,” through a self-directed music video the place she performs an elementary faculty instructor. It was filmed at Neale’s precise elementary faculty. The track was recorded in the course of the periods for her current album, Star Eaters Delight, launched in April through Sub Pop, however as a substitute was held again as a standalone single. Take a look at Neale’s upcoming tour dates right here.
Neale had this to say in a press launch: “Attending to make this video at my beloved elementary faculty felt like coming full circle. I had my first and solely movie class there during which I realized the spontaneous and primitive strategy to creating issues that I’m nonetheless dedicated to.”
Neale’s common collaborator Man Blakeslee produced and combined the track. “I’ll Be Your Star” follows “White T-Shirt,” one other Star Eaters Delight outtake, which was shared in June and was one in all our Songs of the Week.
Choose up our present print concern (Challenge 71) to learn our new interview with Lael Neale on Star Eaters Delight.
Learn our rave evaluate of the album right here.
Stream the album right here.
Learn our 2021 interview with Lael Neale.
4. Slowdive: “alife”
Legendary ’90s shoegazers Slowdive launched a brand new album, every part is alive, as we speak through Lifeless Oceans. On Wednesday, they shared its fourth single, “alife,” through an animated music video. In addition they introduced some new 2024 UK and European tour dates. Take a look at the tour dates right here.
Yesterday we posted our rave evaluate of every part is alive. Learn it right here.
Slowdive’s line-up stays Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christian Savill (guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Rachel Goswell (vocals), and Simon Scott (drums, electronics).
Halstead had this to say concerning the new single in a press launch: “‘Alife’ is among the first tunes we completed for the document. Shawn Everett did a very nice job with the combination. We tried so many occasions to determine an excellent combine by ourselves and couldn’t do it…it form of had us overwhelmed till Shawn stepped in. We determined if he might deal with that one he might most likely do the entire document. Our good friend Jake Nelson did a very nice animation for this track; it takes a number of the imagery from the paintings and digs just a little deeper into that.”
The whole lot is alive is the band’s first new album in six years. Beforehand Slowdive shared the album’s first single, “kisses,” through a music video. “Kisses” was one in all our Songs of the Week. Then they shared its second single, “pores and skin within the sport,” and third single, “the slab.” Each tracks made our Songs of the Week checklist in a particular playlist we put collectively.
Halstead had this to say about “kisses” and the album as an entire in a earlier press launch: “It wouldn’t really feel proper to make a very darkish document proper now. The album is kind of eclectic emotionally, but it surely does really feel hopeful.”
The whole lot is alive is the band’s fifth album and the follow-up to 2017’s self-titled album, which was their first full-length album in 22 years and first for the reason that band reformed. It was #4 on our High 100 Albums of 2017 checklist.
The brand new album is devoted to Goswell’s mom and Scott’s father, as they each died in 2020. “There have been some profound shifts for a few of us personally,” Goswell stated within the earlier press launch.
The document started with Halstead appearing as author and producer, working from dwelling, and he initially noticed the album as a “extra minimal digital document,” however as soon as the remainder of the band acquired concerned it grew to become extra aligned with their signature shoegaze/dream-pop sound.
“As a band, after we’re all proud of it, that tends to be the stronger materials. We’ve all the time come from barely completely different instructions, and one of the best bits are the place all of us meet within the center,” Halstead stated.
Goswell added: “Slowdive may be very a lot the sum of its components. One thing unquantifiable occurs when the 5 of us come collectively in a room.”
The album was recorded over the course of a number of years, beginning in 2020 at Courtyard Studio, the place the band have recorded earlier than, but additionally in varied different locations. Shawn Everett (The Struggle On Medication, Alvvays, SZA) combined the album in 2022.
Learn our evaluate of Slowdive.
Learn our interview with Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell concerning the making of the album.
Slowdive’s final album of their unique run was 1995’s Pygmalion. Slowdive broke up that 12 months, though a number of the members went on to type Mojave 3. The band reformed in 2014 and commenced enjoying reveals once more.
We interviewed Slowdive’s Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell in 2014 concerning the reunion and posted varied articles on the band. Learn our print journal article on Slowdive’s reunion. Learn our separate interviews with Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell concerning the reunion. Lastly learn our interview with Halstead and Goswell about the bands that impressed Slowdive.
5. Will Butler + Sister Squares: “Cease Speaking”
Will Butler (previously of Arcade Hearth) is releasing a brand new self-titled album with Will Butler + Sister Squares on September 22 through Merge. On Tuesday they shared the album’s newest single, “Cease Speaking,” through a lyric video. Take a look at the band’s upcoming tour dates right here.
Butler had this to say about “Cease Speaking” in a press launch: “This is among the ‘dream songs’ on the document. Emotion in desires; desires in actuality; drained and confused. ‘Cease speaking; there’s nothing to say;’ unsure if it capabilities as a dismissal ‘Cease!,’ or as an indication of affection ‘You don’t need to say it; I already know;’ I believe, like quite a lot of communication between individuals who love one another—just a little of each? Like, this track is filled with worry; somebody expressing worry to their companion, and the companion being like, ‘There’s nothing to worry, and likewise, shut up, stop being loopy.’ That’s not precisely it, however there’s one thing of that right here.”
When Will Butler + Sister Squares was introduced, they shared the album’s first single, “Lengthy Grass,” which was one in all our Songs of the Week. They’ve additionally shared the album’s “Arrow of Time” and “Willows.”
Butler left Arcade Hearth on the finish of 2021 and had spent the previous two years at dwelling together with his youngsters. “I used to be waking up each morning and studying Emily Dickinson, till I had learn each Emily Dickinson poem,” stated Butler in a earlier press launch. “I used to be listening to Morrissey, to Shostakovich, to the Spotify high 50. I had unformed questions with inchoate solutions.”
Sister Squares—who’re Miles Francis, Julie Shore, Jenny Shore, and Sarah Dobbs—all got here collectively by way of familial phrase of mouth. “I met Jenny—my spouse!—in faculty, the 12 months earlier than I joined Arcade Hearth. After I wanted a band to tour Coverage,” says Butler, referring to his 2015-released solo debut album, “I requested [Jenny’s sister] Julie to hitch as a result of I trusted her musically. And I requested Sara, Jenny and Julie’s childhood good friend, as a result of I knew she was tremendous gifted.”
Butler initially had completely different intentions for his solo profession and this album. “After Generations [Merge, 2020], I thought-about making a bizarre solo document. Me alone within the basement, and so forth., and so forth. Largely I noticed that what I needed was the alternative,” he says.
He then turned to Sister Squares and requested Francis to supply the brand new album. “Will and I organically found our relationship as a manufacturing duo by way of making this album. We didn’t have to speak an excessive amount of about issues as they occurred, as a result of the music simply flowed,” says Francus. “As a producer, working with Jenny, Julie, and Sara is the dream. They join so innately. In a single movement they will conjure a temper, or get on the root of a sense.”
Learn our 2015 interview with Butler on Coverage.
6. Katy Kirby: “Cubic Zirconia”
This week, Katy Kirby shared a brand new track, “Cubic Zirconia,” through a music video. It’s her first single for ANTI-. Emma Montesi directed the video. Take a look at Kirby’s upcoming tour dates right here.
Kirby had this to say concerning the track in a press launch: “I’ve been attempting to jot down this track for almost 4 years, but it surely solely got here into focus for me after I fell in love with a woman for the primary time. It’s an try to say one thing that I don’t suppose I’m good sufficient to articulate exterior of the track—one thing about how a lot I like when somebody is unembarrassed of being express concerning the beauty and aesthetic selections they make for themselves. Why wouldn’t you’re keen on the little methods of their commerce—the way in which they put on make-up, the garments and mannerisms that make them really feel most secure and most themselves—why wouldn’t these little methods be probably the most endearing artifacts of their interior essence? Should you beloved somebody, why would you not love these selections? It’s an honor to get that near somebody–shut sufficient to see how they assemble the picture of themselves with which they transfer by way of the world as greatest they will (as all of us do). Why wouldn’t that be sufficient?
“Cubic Zirconia! A lab-grown diamond. A salute to regardless of the world appears to be like down on as “synthetic”—even a protection of artifice. It looks as if naturalness will not be solely a dangerously imprecise and subjective idea, however that each time these ideas get invoked, the invoker is nearly invariably being manipulative and even malicious. Insofar as the road between genuine/faux, pure/unnatural, natural/artificial synthetic/real is hopelessly skinny. Insofar because it’s a line that shifts consistently and doesn’t appear to be in anybody’s curiosity besides the individuals who’ve determined that they’re probably the most certified to attract that line. What a ineffective idea. What an especially suspicious idea to leverage in assessing somebody’s value. What a sanctimonious little rip-off!”
Kirby’s debut album, Cool Dry Place, got here out in 2021 through Keeled Scales. Learn our evaluate of Cool Dry Place right here.
7. Steven Wilson: “Economies of Scale”
On Tuesday, British musician/producer Steven Wilson introduced a brand new album, The Concord Codex, and shared its first single, “Economies of Scale,” through a music video. On Tuesday we additionally posted half one in all our two-part interview with Wilson concerning the album. Learn the interview, which was carried out by Stephen Humphries, right here.
The Concord Codex is due out September 29 through Spinefarm. A deluxe version consists of remixes/reimaginings by Interpol, Manic Road Preachers, Tears for Fears’ Roland Orzabal, and others. Charlie Di Placido directed the “Economies of Scale” video. Take a look at the album’s tracklist and canopy paintings right here.
The album options Ninet Tayeb, Craig Blundell, Adam Holzman, Jack Risks (Meat Beat Manifesto), and Sam Fogarino (Interpol).
In 2022 Wilson launched his memoir, Restricted Version of One, and The Concord Codex is predicated on a brief story featured in that e book.
“I’ve all the time seen my music in cinematic phrases,” Wilson says in our new interview with him. “However one thing about this document has taken that facet, I believe, to a different stage. Perhaps it’s the actual fact it was primarily based on the quick story. Perhaps it’s the truth that each track appears distinctly completely different to each different track, and it has its personal form of inner musical world and musical vocabulary, and but it nonetheless appears to type a cohesive entire, a cohesive journey.”
8. Ty Segall: “Void”
On Monday, Ty Segall shared a near-seven-minute-long new track, “Void,” through a music video and introduced some 2024 North American tour dates. Segall co-directed the video together with his spouse, Denée Segall. Take a look at Ty Segall’s upcoming tour dates right here.
A press launch describes “Void” like so: “Along with his new single, Ty’s bringing all of it in a sustained blast, starting with a shimmering frisson of acoustic guitars, a sub-aqueous launch of oxygen rising as bubbles. As we spiral into sensory isolation, every bubble looks as if one other life – however which one’s ours? Doorways are flying open, with comings and goings. It is a journey! Nevertheless it’s not the start of the journey to the middle of no matter and what you discover there. That is the delirium that comes on the finish.”
Segall’s most up-to-date solo album, “Hiya, Hello”, got here out in 2022 through Drag Metropolis. Additionally in 2022, Segall launched the soundtrack to the Matt Yoka documentary Whirlybird, his first ever function movie rating, additionally through Drag Metropolis.
9. Oneohtrix Level By no means: “A Barely Lit Path”
Final week, Oneohtrix Level By no means (aka Daniel Lopatin) introduced a brand new album, Once more, which is due out September 29 through Warp, however didn’t share any new music from it. Earlier this week, nevertheless, he shared its first single, “A Barely Lit Path,” through a music video. Freeka Tet directed the video, which is described as a “harrowing story of a pair of anthropomorphized crash take a look at dummies.” Lopatin and Tet got here up with the video’s therapy collectively. Take a look at the album’s tracklist and canopy paintings right here.
Oneohtrix Level By no means’s earlier album, Magic Oneohtrix Level By no means, got here out in 2020 through Warp. In a press launch, Lopatin describes the brand new album as “a speculative autobiography.”
For the album’s cowl paintings, Lopatin collaborated with Matias Falkbakken, who made an unique sculpture for it, which was then photographed by Vegard Kleven. Then the duvet and packaging was designed by Reminiscence, which is a newly shaped collaboration between Lopatin and On-line Ceramics (Elijah Funk and Alix Ross).
10. Woods: “Day Transferring On”
Woods are releasing a brand new album, Perennial, on September 15 through the band’s personal Woodsist label. This week they shared two extra new songs from it: “Little Black Flowers” and “Day Transferring On.” “Day Transferring On” was our favourite of the 2 and makes this checklist. Take a look at the band’s upcoming tour dates right here.
Woods have been sharing two singles at a time. When Perennial was introduced, Woods shared its first two singles, “Between the Previous” and “White Winter Melody.” Then they shared its subsequent two singles, “One other Aspect” and “Weep.”
Woods’ final album was 2020’s Unusual to Clarify.
Honorable Mentions:
These songs virtually made the High 10.
Devendra Banhart: “Nun”
Beirut: “So Many Plans”
Daneshevskaya: “Huge Fowl”
Helena Deland: “Vivid Inexperienced Vibrant Grey”
Duran Duran: “Danse Macabre”
Peter Gabriel: “Love Can Heal”
Grrrl Gang: “Higher Than Life”
Right here’s a helpful Spotify playlist that includes the High 10 so as, adopted by all of the honorable mentions:
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