The music finally hit this week. There has been a steady flow of new tracks all week. There are at least five new albums out today that I am interested in (Sharon Van Etten, Deerhunter, Maggie Rogers, The Twilight Sad, and Steve Gunn) along with a couple others I’d like to get to. We’ll start to see that flood of new tracks hit the playlist next week. Although I am excited that the first 2019 song I’m crazy about is in this week’s selections.
“In This Time” – HAERTS. The latest great track I found thanks to my Discovery playlist on Spotify. HAERTS released a new album last fall, both the result of and focused on losing their major label deal. I just read a review that said the album harkens back to the 70s sounds of George Harrison and Tom Petty. This song, to me, sounds like it could have been a B-side to a classic Fleetwood Mac song.
“All Over Now” – The Cranberries. The Cranberries were working on a new album when Dolores O’Riodon died early last year. This is the first track they’ve released from those sessions. Let’s be honest: it’s fine enough but doesn’t match up to their classic work. Yet I’ll listen to it because it’s the last thing we’ll get from her legendary voice.
“Five on It” – Spielbergs. These Swedish dudes keep cranking out excellent, massive tracks.
“Weird Ways” – Strand of Oaks. Here it is, the first great song of 2019. Timothy Showalter is back, this time with most of My Morning Jacket serving as his backing band. Their presence comes through beautifully on this track. Musically you could drop this on about any MMJ album. They really work well together. I don’t know if it is Showalter or Carl Broemel playing that solo in the middle, but it is beautiful and takes the song to another level. Jason Isbell and Emma Ruth Rundle will also appear on the album, which I am officially very excited for.
“Dynamite” – Jermaine Jackson. The Stereogum series The Number Ones has gone through several songs by The Jackson 5 in recent weeks. In one of those entries, someone dropped this video in the comments as a reminder of Jermaine’s solo career. I remember the song – and have always kind of liked it – but, whoaaaa doctor!, I forgot how terrible the video was. There is just so much to deal with here: why is Jermaine so sweaty? Why do they put “Dynamite!” on the screen some of the times he sings it, but not all of the times? Did they mean totally rip off the “Beat It” video’s dance sequences? Could they not have choreographed this better so Jermaine didn’t have moments of just standing and waiting for his next dance moment to occur? What tiny sliver of Michael’s video budget did Jermaine get? And what’s going on with that warden? The 80s, man. They were a trip.