Natalie Prass, “Lost”

Posted on May 16, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Natalie Prass
“Lost”
The Future and the Past (out 06.01 on ATO)
I’m a few weeks late to this one, but this gorgeous, heartsick ballad is too good to ignore. A sharply-written look at the way a bad relationship can keep dragging you back in, “Lost” sees the fed-up 32 year-old refusing to fall into the traps of an ex. It’s the kind of thing that just about everyone has been through, and the way the track makes you feel will directly relate to how far away you are from that kind of relationship.

joan, “i loved you first”

Posted on May 10, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

joan
“i loved you first”
Digital Single
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, first of all, thank you. I see you. Secondly, you’ll know that I have a soft spot for power ballads, and holy fuck, the Arkansas sweetboyz come through with a big one. Complete with verses that sound like the Backstreet Boys, a cheesy ass guitar solo, and a glorious group vocal climax, “i loved you first” hits all the right beats and will leave you seriously considering texting your ex*.

*don’t

Skepta, “Pure Water”

Posted on May 10, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Skepta
“Pure Water”
Digital Single
As UK hip-hop continues to grow at an astonishing rate, it’s easy to forget that nobody has meant more to this iteration of the genre than Uncle Skeppy. Luckily for us, the 35 year-old came though with a reminder of his unrivaled power with this muscular, razor-sharp new single. Like the best Skepta tracks, there’s not one ounce of fat on “Pure Water” — just a banging beat, two magnetic verses, and an infectious hook. He’s not reinventing the wheel here, but with a style that’s this groundbreaking and singular, he doesn’t have to.

Rae Sremmurd: “Offshore” (f/ Young Thug)

Posted on May 7, 2018 by TP1.COM in Featured, Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Rae Sremmurd
“Offshore” (f/ Young Thug)
Swaecation
Though I’m still processing the Mississippi superstars’ excellent, new 27-song project, the free-flowing “Offshore” feels like an instant classic. Producer Mike Will is a genius at negotiating sonic space, and his gooey, descending synth chords leave plenty of room for Thug to play in. And my god, does he oblige.

For nearly three minutes, Thug treats us to a single unbroken, spellbinding verse, showing off the idiosyncratic vocal gymnastics that made so many fall in love with him in the first place. A true natural, he seamlessly slaloms between choppy, magnetic bars and legit R&B crooner vocal runs, stretching his voice in ways that both keep the listener on their toes and make perfect sense together. It elicits the kind of feeling that only peak Young Thug can deliver and is a reminder of what a singular, special talent the 26 year-old really is.

Father John Misty, “Just Dumb Enough to Try”

Posted on April 20, 2018 by TP1.COM in Featured, Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Father John Misty
“Just Dumb Enough To Try”
God’s Favorite Customer (out 06.01 on Sub Pop)
Though his last LP “Pure Comedy” had its moments, it was an overwritten project that was weighed down by grand, mostly superficial proclamations about the frivolity of modern life. His usually sharp pen often landed with a thud as it shot for insightful and landed closer to Abe Simpson.

For me, Papa J. Misery is at his best on direct, confessional love songs like this one, a mid-tempo stunner from his upcoming fourth LP. This lovely ballad is the sound of Tillman coming out the other side of his excellent marriage LP, “I Love You, Honeybear.” Misty admits to being a shitty husband and underlines his commitment to make things right with his wife. It is an affecting and insightful track that hopefully signals that this new record will be driven more by the heart than the head.

Mazzy Star, “Quiet, The Winter Harbor”

Posted on April 19, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Mazzy Star
“Quiet, The Winter Harbor”
Still (out 06.01 on Rhymes of an Hour)
Though I was a little young for their heyday, like so many others, I fell in love with the Santa Monica group’s seminal, swooning “Fade Into You.” And though this new track will likely not hit the same dizzying heights, it packs much of the same hazy, mysterious beauty that the 1994 single did. Its simple step-wise piano melody and emotive slide guitars form the perfect canvas for Hope Sandoval’s dreamy, doleful vocals to carry you away. More like this, please.

Grouper, “Driving”

Posted on April 5, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Grouper
“Driving”
Grid of Points (out 04.27 on yellow electric)
We’re only a few weeks away from hearing the legendary Liz Harris’ eleventh solo LP, and it’s shaping up to be one of her best projects. Following the haunting, “Parking Lot,” “Driving” is also a piano-led affair that sees Harris’ doleful vocals way up in the mix. And though it’s impossible to make out what she’s saying, her voice is transportive. I’m not sure where it’ll take you, but this song pulls me far from the city to someplace quieter, foggier, and along the Northern Pacific Coast.

<a href="http://grouper.bandcamp.com/album/grid-of-points">Grid Of Points by Grouper</a>

Kacey Musgraves, “Golden Hour”

Posted on April 2, 2018 by TP1.COM in Featured, Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Kacey Musgraves
“Golden Hour”
Golden Hour (out now on UMG)
At this point, you probably already know that the 29 year-old Texan’s new album is something special. The disc is a stunning collection of impeccably sung and written modern country tunes, all of which deserve your time. However, I wanted to give one of its most low-key moments a little extra shine: this gorgeous ode to the simple pleasures of spending time with the person you love.

Kacey’s always been so adept at making little moments feel momentous (see: my all-time favorite, “Late to the Party“). And at its heart, “Golden Hour” is about appreciating the way our partners ground us, how they give us someone to rely on in an unceasingly unreliable world. Sure, it’s simple. Sure, it’s cheesy. But, it’s true. And, it’s yet another example of Musgraves’ uncanny ability to highlight the beauty in her everyday life, then distill it into a song that can help us appreciate that beauty in our own.

Westerman: “I Turned Away”

Posted on March 28, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Westerman
“I Turned Away”
Confirmation Single (out now on Blue Flowers)
I’ve been curious about the young London songwriter (and Tottenham fan) for most of this year, but his low-key, experimental pop hadn’t quite grabbed me fully until I heard this beautiful, wistful track. Though it’s drawn Arthur Russell comparisons, it oddly reminds me of some of Springsteen’s quieter moments on “Nebraska” and “Tunnel of Love.” Maybe it’s the consistent backbeat or the way the reverb-soaked guitar resonates, but “I Turned Away” has the same haunting quality of those records.

Mr. Mitch, “Creep (Take You Home)”

Posted on March 22, 2018 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Mr. Mitch
“Creep (Take You Home)”
Digital Single
The London producer digs into the smarminess of many men’s attitude toward approaching women on this low-key track. Like much of Mitch’s best work, “Creep” builds slowly and carefully around a repetitive, hypnotic sample. In this case, however, the refrain is grating, unsettling, and mildly threatening, aiming to recreate the feeling that many women deal with every single day.

Hot Jam of the Day