Songs You Need To Hear Now #21

All the latest and greatest from Genesis Owusu, Grian Chattan, The Chemical Brothers, John Carroll Kirby, PONY, Softcult, Say Sue Me, Ratboys, and more!

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Here are all the highlights from the great new music I’ve been listening to this week. Thanks to everyone who is saving the playlist! Please be sure to follow and save the playlist for all of the latest updates:

Listen on Apple Music 🎧

Last week, I read a comment referring to albums and their sequencing being niche ideas in music’s current state, which slightly frustrated me. I totally get that with streaming services, the general public often thinks of singles only, but that’s not the case with the artist’s intent.

There is still an art to sequencing a record, and it may be more important than ever when you’re given 30 seconds of someone’s time before they skip to their next shovel of the algorithm (corporate) recommended slop. Bands no longer have the luxury of the consumer buying the vinyl/cassette/CD and spending hours listening to the album in their car or on their home stereo because it was often the only album they bought for weeks or months. Instead, the opening song and the first two or three others must get their point across without missing before knowing when to pick things up again in the back half, if needed.

I approach these weekly playlists with the same ideas because I’m often probably giving you recommendations you haven’t heard, and all twelve to fifteen songs in the mix are well worth your time. It’s the same process that I’ve had for over two decades, whether I was making you a tape, CD, or playlist. The three general lax self-imposed rules I always follow are:

a) don’t let things stick in the same gear for too long

b) don’t place back-to-back songs from the same artist (I typically include two songs from an artist/band to indicate which one I’ve listened to the most in a week)

c) go with the flow, baby.

Playlists (and albums) are full of little vignettes - how you connect them matters.

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“Leaving the Light” by Genesis Owusu is the song I can’t get enough of this week. I covered his debut album, Smiling with No Teeth, with a glowing review two years ago, and it ended up as my number eight favorite record of 2021. Next month, the Ghanan-born and Canberra-based musician returns with Struggler, and if “Leaving the Light” is any indication, I’m hopeful Owusu is skipping the sophomore slump.

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I’ve had a great time contributing to the Dublin-based Headstuff over the past year, and I am happy they asked me to write about a few of my favorite records from the first six months of the year. You’ve read about them here, but I wrote about both Blondshell’s phenomenal debut and Caroline Polacheck’s pop perfection. There are some others, like Young Fathers, that are sure to end up on my year-end list, so take a look at what my fellow contributors are digging into:

Headstuff Picks - The 12 Best Albums of 2023 (So Far)

What are you listening to this week? Let me know in the comments!

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These songs are also included in the ever-popular Good Ass Songs 2023 playlist. At 280 songs and counting, it’s the best way to catch up on another excellent year of music!

Listen on Apple Music 🎧

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Can’t pick something to listen to? Throw on Earwormz!

Listen on Apple Music 🎧