By: Edna Batengas,Jenna Beetstra, Grace Rose, Ana Maria Mejia Morales, Neil MacAlister
“Lost In My boots” – KWAYE
Edna Batengas: I like this one. It’s so calm and smooth, totally digging it.
Ana Maria Mejia Morales: Smooth. Yes. Nice bass, nice voice. Reminds me of Usher’s Confessions.
Grace Rose: Issa vibe. I dig this. I don’t understand the title, though. How are you lost in your boots? Did you get lost in a shoe store? Maybe I’m just too exhausted to get this metaphor.
Neil MacAlister: I’m digging this, too. Really soulful vocals, stripped-back production. As a genre, R&B is really killing it this year.
Jenna Beetstra: I really like this one. Soulful, smooth, enjoyable. Thumbs up all around.
“I Sip” – Tory Lanez
EB: Oh gosh his lyrics are so relatable, I think we’ve all been there before. I’ve always been a die-hard Tory Lanez fan and this song hasn’t changed a thing. Keep it up, Tory!
AMMM: It’s good. Catchy. It faded into the background as I was thinking of all the stuff I have due next week.
GR: Honestly, I’ve heard this before. Nothing super exciting here. He drinks. He smokes. He’s in his feelings. She said ‘no,’ bruh. Move on.
NM: I don’t know what it is about Tory Lanez that bugs me. I don’t mind his voice, his production is usually solid, his music just rarely does anything for me. He has his hits and misses though, and this isn’t a total miss.
JB: This isn’t bad. Nothing makes it stand out for me but it’s chill enough that I don’t mind it.
“Say Less” – Roy Woods
EB: Meh, I personally found this song to be a bit boring. I even forgot it was playing in the background. Nothing special here.
AMMM: I’m getting an R&B vibe after listening to the past two songs. All the same genre, all similar.
GR: So the Weeknd on a budget? The song told me to “Say Less” so that’s all I’ll say about that.
NM: I’m really excited for this new Roy Woods album, he’s definitely one of OVO’s most underrated artists. This song has a really slow buildup. It feels like it’s trying to go somewhere that it never quite reaches, but I’m interested to hear how it plays off in the actual album.
JB: Another one that isn’t bad but doesn’t do much for me. Again it’s OK, kind of boring.
“Rapper” – Jaden Smith
EB: Eyy, does anyone else remember when Jaden Smith and Justin Bieber came out with “Never Say Never”? All I can say is puberty has done you good, Jaden. His voice is just *sigh*.
AMMM: The Smiths are all musically talented. Thank you, Will and Jada.
GR: I highkey feel like I predicted his sister’s song “Whip My Hair” being a legitimate bop. So I’m gonna do the same here. It sounds a lot like the trap vibe that’s super popular, but I like this a lot.
NM: Of all the songs to pick off the new Jaden album, this is one of the worst. The first half of the album honestly blew me away, but this is so generic and derivative. He just doesn’t do trap that well. I’d recommend his other stuff, though.
JB: This is weird to hear because when I see the name Jaden Smith I think of a little kid. I guess that just shows I’m getting old and how little I follow celebrity lives.
“Freeze” – Andy Grammer
EB: Oh come on, who doesn’t love Andy Grammer? After “Keep Your Head Up,” I put him on a pedestal that he will never come down from.
AMMM: This song makes me move a little, ya know? A kinda smooth little dance broke out inside me as I started hearing it. A tad repetitive, but I’ll let it slide.
GR: Ehh. He’s got a very nice voice but it feels like a YouTuber reinterpreted some EDM song to add more guitars and it’s not my vibe.
NM: This is so generic. God, I’m so sick of this whole fake-island-vibe thing that every boring, white wannabe pop star is doing. Can we leave this stuff behind for the new year?
JB: I like this one. I think he has a nice voice and I love the tropical vibes. I am a big fan of tropical house also, though, so when songs have tropical vibes in them I generally enjoy them. I can see myself drinking a mojito and dancing near a beach.
“Home” – Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors, and Bebe Rexha
EB: Never really been a Machine Gun Kelly fan, but I’m totally warming up to this song.
AMMM: This is a song produced to reach Top 40. We have all heard it before.
GR: It’s “See You Again” from Furious 7. Except not.
NM: Machine Gun Kelly and X Ambassadors is just about the worst combination of artists I could probably imagine. Bebe Rexha’s pretty cool, but she isn’t enough to save this trash.
JB: Woah, Grace saying it is “See You Again” is totally true. Definitely modelled after that song — the slow mellow parts and the upbeat rapping parts. Not as good as “See You Again” was. That song crushed my heart. This song isn’t bad though.
“Comme si de rien n’était” – Dadju
EB: This song is so warm and comforting. Just took me to such a happy place. I approve!
AMMM: Oui. J’aime le rap français tout le temp. C’est unique, n’est pas, mon mec? Tu comprends?
GR: OK I like this. I like this a lot. I just have no idea what he’s saying and I’m pretty sure Google Translate butchered the translation. It’s still a bop.
NM: This is pretty chill, the piano is nice, and I’m digging the guy’s voice. Not something I’d return to, but it’s neat.
JB: I have added multiple French songs to my spotify from these weekly playlists. Clearly I need to do my own French music research since I seem to enjoy it!
“Gitmem” – Ece Mumay
EB: Nah, not my cup of tea.
AMMM: Regardless of the language, we have heard it.
GR: It’s a song.
NM: So the beginning sounded like some weird alt-country riff, and then it went distinctly European. I’m not terribly fond of the indecisiveness.
JB: Sounds a bit like Shakira, but not quite as good.
“Navigate” – Barenaked Ladies
EB: Ugh, I really don’t like his voice. It’s some mushy gushy love song. Amateur.
AMMM: JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA (that is how Hispanics laugh when typing). I can’t believe a song like this got made.
GR: Ummmm. No thank you. Also the album is called Fake Nudes….. What am I supposed to do with that.
NM: So the Barenaked Ladies sound like Coldplay now? They should have just stayed as a relic of my early 2000s memories, this is painful.
JB: Old school Barenaked Ladies will always be the best. I tried to disconnect from my previous thoughts of them to really listen to this song. I didn’t know they were still even a band. This song isn’t terrible but “If I Had $1,000,000” will always reign. I always liked that they would still eat Kraft Dinner.
“Pineapple Skies” – Miguel
EB: Oh, well hello there. Haven’t heard from Miguel in a while. Such a crisp and smooth song!
AMMM: I love how his name is just Miguel. No need for anything else. Just Miguel. Good. Catchy.
GR: Admittedly, I’ve got a soft spot for Miguel. So I very much dig this. Yet again, I still don’t get the title. I just really want some pineapple now.
NM: OK, I absolutely love Miguel. His last album was phenomenal. It seems like he’s going somewhat poppier with his new stuff but this is still really enjoyable.
JB: I was hopeful for this because I have a thing for pineapples. Also I am going to Hawaii for Christmas so the thoughts of pineapples got me stoked. I think I will be listening to this one on the plane.
“SAMSON” – DillanPonders
EB: Typically, this song would’ve driven me insane. But the lyrics are such a confidence booster that I’m loving this song.
AMMM: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
GR: It’s a ‘no’ from me. Also white guy with dreads? Hard pass.
NM: I really don’t know what to make of this, but I don’t like it at all. The chorus is awful. Who would listen to this?
JB: Ugh no. After such a chill song this makes my head hurt.
“Échame La Culpa” – Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato
EB: Latino music is taking over the planet and I FREAKIN’ LOVE IT! Such a club pumper!
AMMM: Targeting that Latin market are we Demi? It’s not as good as a reggaeton/pop song could be but it’s gonna make some big bucks.
GR: I don’t really know how to feel about reggaeton artists using American pop artists on their songs (i.e. Justin Bieber on “Despacito”). I blame capitalism. But it’s a bop.
NM: The only thing I have to say is that Demi sings better in Spanish than she does in English. Although that isn’t saying much.
JB: Woah, Demi, you definitely surprised me with this one, but in a good way. This is fun! I like that these collabs are giving less known artists some new fans.
