Max's Weekly Music Roundup
hahahahaha happy remi album day holy moly.
It’s been a busy busy week, but we’ve made it to Friday again. Not that we had much choice, but still something to smile about.
Well the Remi album is here… if you aren’t ready to see me losing my mind in here for a bit, see you in a few weeks I guess. But actually wait, there’s so much good music that just came out and I am really stoked to share all of it!!
What I’ve Been Listening To This Week
playlist #2, every song is so good, this really is what i’m listening to most hours of most days.
The New Stuff:
Juno - Remi Wolf
As I start to plan for The Maxies, I’ve been digging into my favorite stuff from this year. I’ve found it kind of curious that there just haven’t been album albums pulling me in like in years past. Started writing this whole thing about why I thought that was, and just when I felt like I made a good point, Remi makes it all moot. I am overjoyed that Juno is here, and can’t wait to blast this thing tirelessly until Spotify tells me I’ve listened to it too much and won’t let me play it any more.
The six new songs and my first impressions:
wyd - the harmonies in the chorus??? the bridge over the guitar solo??? this one is a 10/10
Volkiano - she’s got pipes!! the gentle guitar chords with the mean bass. a whole second song on the back half?? this one is a 10/10
Buttermilk - I always wondered what the deep album cut would sound like from Remi, and folks, it sounds so good omg. effortlessly cool. I love it. this one is a 10/10
Sally - floating from autotuned mystery to indie-rock anthem, that bass going for a run. this one is a 10/10
Buzz Me In - breezy and fun and sad and hopeful and well, it’s a 10/10
Street You Live On - the vocal production is mind-blowing, the writing is phenomenal, a devastating and loving end to the album. That fade out?? it’s a 10/10
I love Remi Wolf so dang much and this album rules good god.
I Know I’m Funny haha - Recorded at Electric Lady Studios - Faye Webster
Ok I guess there have been other records that have stolen my heart this year, Faye Webster’s IKIFH being the current belt holder. And this live version just brings out the best of it all. The emotion sitting on her vocals, that touch of space the live version brings just makes it all hit that much harder. Same goes for that guitar, bending with such longing. Beautiful writing, crisp drums, idk what else to say this one just rules and I’m so grateful for any excuse to listen to these songs again and again and again.
Simple, Sweet, and Smiling - Kacy Hill
I’ve been a Kacy fan for years now - shoutout her Sep ‘18 Max’s Music Mondays feature, Dinner is still an all-timer. Her album has arrived and I’m so thrilled. The title track is a certified Dang Treat. Hill’s unmistakable vocals start us off, drums hustling on by in perfect time over those warm and steady chords. A dream team of producers, Hill is joined by John Carroll Kirby, Jim-E Stack, and Mk.gee. Some of my favorites who are ALL over a lot of the music I’ve loved these past couple years. And tt all comes to life in the chorus. A little gift wrapped moment for yours truly, and I’m thankful for it!!! Hill stunning as ever, that guitar noodling like a fool, the subtle horn moment, the keys fluttering way off in the distance. It just all comes together for a gem of a scene, coming and going so quickly but perfect while it lasts. A devastating post-chorus, Hill more intimate than ever as the band takes a step back. Reminding us ever-so personally that we aren’t alone. The percussion ramps up, piano still hammering about over on the right. Hammering about is too fun a phrase not to use, but let’s not downplay just how incredible it is. A kiss of western flair pulls us through the verse and back into the chorus, and I am in heaven. A little jam session to bring us home. A special song and I can’t wait to dig into the album more too.
Princess Wiko - FPA
Wow. Dramatically beautiful. Starting so intimate and small, FPA’s vocals, unbearably good tone. The orchestra picking their moments, side by side with a big piano. This subtle low layer on the vocals pulling me in too. You can feel the whole thing swelling as we pass the 1:20 mark, dropping everything before it bursts. Some galloping percussion get us moving forward again, glass breaking, things just getting more dark and intense, before it all breaks down again. Some spoken word twisting and turning, catching my attention until the chorus returns at full strength. That booming kick just what we needed all along, it’s powerful. The keys get one last moment to shine, and that they do. Another thrilling single from FPA :)
the first song from my album - Dijon
oh my. so good I can barely stand it. it took me three tries to even watch because it made me so damn excited.
The Less New Stuff:
Foot Forward - James Blake
When James Blake yells Metro… tysm. That piano loop is so charming in its flatness(?), snaps grooving too, Blake right up front floating over it all. The bass rounds out the bottom, and Blake jumps up high to balance things out. The ‘foot forward’ section is so fucking catchy and it also reminds me of some late-00’s song that I can’t quite pin down but if I think of it I promise to tell you. When it breaks free over the drums and vocal samples right around 1:30 whewwwww. It’s big and gnarly in the best ways. That falsetto bringing us home, that final chorus over tiny keys, it’s so heartwarming.
Superpretty - boylife
Alright so I start by talking about not having many albums I’ve loved this year and now we’ve got Remi’s, Faye’s, and boylife’s all praised and gushed about in one newsletter… So maybe I gotta rethink that bit, but whatever this song is a smash!!! boylife is impossible to describe to people, as I’ve found out this last week or two. He’s an incredible artist, floating across indie r&b, rap, rock, but doing all of them together at once and also it’s sweet and tender?? And also so fucking cool?? This song covers all the bases. Production going absolutely insane to start, boylife landing some big lyrical blows up top. The whole song twists into something new, settling to a more comfortable groove (still feeling brand new though). Sneaking in lines like “Still insecure about my height, baby” and “Got Pad See Ew with the extra pork” keeping things light and real. The choruses rock so hard, fuzzy and big and begging for a crowd. Things strip back at 1:50, boylife taking a gentler approach over warped vocals. He comes flying right back out at 2:13 like he was shot out of a canon soaring above us all and above that soulful & funky instrumental - a taste of what could be. Waiting patiently for that version too. It all erupts again, my ears overwhelmed and perfectly content. Those disco ooo’s so subtle and so perfect. Things go Eilish-dark at the end, heavy and sinister. It’s a TRACK. wow I love it more and more with every listen.
Have a great weekend and please let me know if there’s more good music I’m missing. I’m all ears!!! Which when typed out that way is actually terrifying but hey, you know what I mean.
Talk soon, miss you already, thanks for being here, how many more of these phrases can I add, XOXO,
Max