This is an archived post originally sent out via the cmd+f weekly newsletter
This week's batch has been the most difficult week for me to keep under wraps simply because I’ve fallen neck deep into these tracks. I’m pretty sure I’ve shared half of them to a handful of people sometime this week because I couldn’t contain myself, but kanyeshrug.gif.
As usual, I’ve got five tracks by five artists that may have flown under your radar. Grab a coffee, kick your feet up, and enjoy the tunes!
You may have also noticed the header is different this week. I decided to dig through thousands of digital scans of film photos I’ve taken and decided to put them to good use. The photo above is from FYF Fest last summer when I fell to my knees outside the Cafe Bustelo sponsored booth and went to embarrassing lengths to swipe up some coffee swag. It’s not a paid endorsement, but if they happen to see this, please know I start my day with a cup of Bustelo black every morning.
Hit me up on Twitter at @hellogoodbritt with your thoughts about any of the recommendations below, and please do send me any finds of your own – I get really pumped. Last weekend I was at a bougie grocery store in Venice Beach, and the cashier gave me a music recommendation after noticing my Prince badge on my backpack. It took every fiber of my being to act casual about it. When I had one foot out the market, I whipped my phone out and immediately started dragging the recommended artist’s tracks into playlist. Help make this happen more often! Shoot me some suggestions.
If you like any of the songs mentioned in this letter, tell your friends about it, but most importantly let the artists know, too! They work really hard on helping evolve the culture.
________________________________________
“The World’s Best American Band” - White Reaper | HELL YEAH! What a fucking jam. This song was obviously made with a live show in mind: the guitars shred start to finish, the production on the reverb is fuckin’ crisp enough for you to get the gist of the words well enough to scream along in a sweat-drenched crowd with someone else’s arm hair stuck to your cheek. Solid 10/10 from start to finish. White Reaper are upping the stakes for their new album, and I’m loving what I’m hearing in this track. No joke, I'm putting a sticky note up in every room of my house to remind myself to catch them live this year. Listen here
“Bellyache” - Billie Eilish | Not going to front: the reason I initially listened to this song was because I read her name as “Billy Elliot” and thought, “why not?” The first time you listen to “Bellyache,” the opening minute and a half is rather disorienting. You’re waiting for a chorus to drop, but instead Billie is circling around trying to get her head in the damn song, and SUDDENLY! After enduring two pre-chorus and verses, we’re rewarded with a chorus when the song is half way over! You’d think that’d bring some relief, but no, we too are left with a bellyache. Every aspect of this tune leaves you hanging. The strange composition of this song really sold me on it. Oh, and when you find out the song is about a psychopath attempting to come to terms with going on a murdering spree, you may recognize that as the “aha” moment you were waiting to drop the whole song. Listen here
“Money” - That Poppy | I feel into a That Poppy black hole this week after seeing a retweet from her account, which led me to her YouTube channel, which led me to a whole mess of conspiracy videos about who the hell That Poppy is and.... Jeez. I’m two years late to this game, and it turns out That Poppy is like some pop music creepypasta story of an ambiguously aged girl/woman who may be 15 or possibly 25?? Her aesthetic is very Suburban Late Teen Instagram Influencer Raids Forever 21 and Feeds Off Sanrio Candy. That aside, the phenomenon reminded me of when iamamiwhoami first broke out with their cryptic video series. With That Poppy though, her music is straight up top 40 pop. Out of all her tracks under her belt so far, “Money” is my absolute favorite - I can totally hear singers from the likes of Annie or Marina and the Diamonds singing. Also, the lyrics are hilariously, intentionally juvenile. Listen here
“Some” - Steve Lacy | Imagine Raphael Saadiq and Mac DeMarco produced a song together. Imagine no more: Steve Lacy is realizing this concept through soulful, sexy, melodic vocal arrangements over low-fi, drunk guitar riffs in 4/4 time. I have a good hunch about Steve, and great things are going to be happening around his name this year. You should really check out his entire new demo/EP. “Some” is a great intro to his music. Listen here
“Matter” - Shallows | Some may have forgotten my most gassed track of 2016 was a quiet little pop number dropped at the tail end of 2015 called “Summer Sucks,” and to this day it is pure heat. The duo behind my de facto Song of the Year 2016 have put out a new single “Matter,” and it’s a tightly produced track extracted from a1980s Junior Prom dance floor, gnarly guitar solo and all. Shallows are one of my favorite acts from LA at the moment producing thoughtful, well crafted indie pop. The world needs more of THIS. Listen here
________________________________________
It’s a new month! I’ve already started throwing things into my March 2017 playlist. Feel free to take a peak or follow to keep up with everything I’ve been listening to this month.
A(lmost a)ll of the tracks I’ve shared this week and past cmd+f newsletters are archived into a single playlist on Spotify for you to follow here. You’re welcome.
See you next week!