New Music Weekly 34 | Car Seat Headrest, Vince Staples, Kississipi
New Music Weekly is your one stop shop for new releases in the world of music each and every week. From the best of the best, to some of the rest, Mark Conroy is here to give you the low down on what you might have missed. This week: Car Seat Headrest, Vince Staples, Kississipi and more…
Kississippi ‘Cut Yr Teeth’
Kississippi recalls the female-driven, dreamy indie rock of the likes of Jay Som. ‘Cut yr Teeth’ is an unflinching examination of relationships that should never have started. The signs were there but the ignorant belief in the possibility of brighter pastures to come did its damage as Zoe Reynolds admits “Our future plays tricks on us, huh?”. The track starts with simple but forceful strumming but then melds into something more muscular, as if to compliment Reynold’s frustrations at not only her former partner but also herself.
Xenia Rubinos, Sammus, and Olga Bell ‘Levitating’
An extremely talented and diverse trio of ladies join forces to creates a song that sounds light as a feather but has words that hit as hard as a politically charged bulldozer. The title of is apt in two ways; Olga Bell’s production shimmers sweetly and floats effortlessly while the acerbic words of the two MC’s sound like they’re saying them while they’re looking down at us from above, knowing the score than then we ever will. They take aim not at right wing pundits, but rather at the shallow nature of empty liberal rhetoric that does little to shine a spotlight on the marginalised women, black and Latino, at a time when they need it most.
Car Seat Headrest ‘Beach Life in Death’
Will Toledo just can’t leave well enough alone, and thank god. Car Seat Headrest didn’t just add an extra minute to 2011’s below ground level Lo(w)-fi track ‘Beach Life in Death’, they polished it and gave it a bit of aural chutzpa. Throughout the 13 minutes of this triptych odyssey of existentialist introspection, the band once again prove why they’re better than anyone else at finding that sweet intersection between conventional 90’s rock tropes and the more progressively experimental Pavement-like wizardry.
Ravyn Lenae ‘Sticky’
Ravyn Lenae is something of star on the rise in the world of contemporary R’n’B and Sticky might just be her best song yet. Lenae’s versatile vocal abilities are what really shine here, as she moves from sultry even pitched confidence to creating hooks with the catchy falsetto of hers.
Jeezy, J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar ‘American Dream’
Jeezy is now 40 years old, which should explain why he is no longer known as ‘Young Jeezy’ and his latest attempt at soap-box preaching should be further evidence that he’s no longer in touch in way he used to be. “First my president was black, now my president is wack” he laments awkwardly in the kind of no-shit statement that we’ve seen in many mediocre verses throughout 2017. Still ‘American Dream’ still has simplistic charm and forceful feel that’s easy to get behind and K-dots outro is worth waiting for.
Billie Eilish – “&Burn” (Feat. Vince Staples)
If his excellent album Big Fish Theory didn’t already convince you, then who he collaborates with should prove that Vince Staples is not your typical rap star. Billie Eilish is LA singer/songwriter who combines the deeply felt vocals of Sylvan Esso with the trap drum loops to create a interesting mid-point between hip hop sound and alt-pop delivery. ‘&Burn’ is the best showcase of her talent yet, and Staples does not hold back with one of a brief but impactful appearance.
