Songs of the Week: Justice Restored
Justice, “Audio, Video, Disco”
You have approximately two months to bump this new bit of heat from Justice in public before people start bitching that they hear it too much. Not that you should stop playing it even then, of course.
Berner feat. Big KRIT, Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown, “Yoko”
Sometimes, rappers try too hard to look like they’re having fun. The video for instant-banger “Yoko” (used here as a shorthand for “attractive Asian woman,” as far as we can tell?) gets it just right: If we were rich and didn’t give a crap, we would also spend our days doing donuts in a rented racecar.
Blake Shelton, “Footloose”
In a nifty bit of cross-demographic marketing, the folks behind the Footloose remake got newly minted country crossover star Blake Shelton to cover Kenny Loggin’s soundtrack classic, and he turned in a harmless facsimile. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, really. Let’s not forget that this could have ended with Fergie rapping.
Kurt Vile, “The Creature”
A shoulder-shrug wisp of a ballad from the sleepy Philly troubadour so great that, if there’s any justice in the world, will one day soon be put to use as backing music for a mumblecore epiphany scene.
Wavves, “I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl” and “Nodding Off”
When they’re not getting kicked out of the VMAs, Wavves are busy churning out immaculate — immaculate! — pop-punk. “Nodding Off” features front man Nathan William’s ladyfriend Best Coast, but “I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl” is the real gem. Step 1: Get your mom’s Volvo. Step 2: Drive around your high-school blasting this while throwing stuff at people.
Jeff Tweedy, “I Gotta Feeling”
At a solo acoustic gig in Chicago, the grizzled Wilco leader took on the Black Eyed Peas’ divisive “I Gotta Feeling.” It’s adorable because (a) he has the lyrics in front of him on a stand, and (b) because he talks the rap parts in a monotone: “Fill up my cup. Mazel tov. Look at her dancing. Just take it off … Let’s do it. let’s do it. Let’s do it. Let’s do it.” This works out much better than could have reasonably been expected.
M83 feat. Zola Jesus
Have you been meaning to have more awesome nightmares? Here, put this song on before you go to bed tonight.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, “AKA…What a Life!”
In Chuck Klosterman’s Grantland profile of Noel Gallagher, the talkative former Oasis’er doesn’t seem overly concerned about solo success or besting his brother’s new band, Beady Eye. But maybe you can afford to be calm when your single sounds just like something Coldplay already took to No. 1.
Kendrick Lamar, “My Mind”
Keep an eye on Kendrick Lamar, the diminutive 24-year-old Compton MC that’s already your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. “My Mind,” a breezy trifle, is a nice quick intro to Kendrick’s effortlessly perfect flow.
Filed Under: Songs of the Week
More from Amos Barshad
-
We Went There: Blur Finally Makes It to Madison Square Garden
-
We Went There: Jay Z and Tidal Bring Beyoncé and Friends to Barclays Center
-
A Homecoming for Astronaut Jones: Tracy Morgan Returns to ‘SNL’
-
‘The Facts Are the Least You Can Rely On’: Director Danny Boyle Talks ‘Steve Jobs’
-
A Killer Trump, Miley’s Dead Petz, and Hillary Two-Times: Your ‘SNL’ Season Premiere Check-in
More Songs of the Week
-
Songs of the Week: The Return of Adele
-
Songs of the Week: 5 Seconds of Summer, Neon Indian, and EL VY
-
Songs of the Week: Selena Gomez, Nosaj Thing, and Courtney Barnett
-
Songs of the Week: ‘Where Are Ü Now’ Covers, Mac Miller, and the ‘Unbreakable’ Janet Jackson
-
Songs of the Week: Janet Jackson, Fetty Wap, and Father John Misty vs. Everybody
More Hollywood Prospectus
-
Brand Echh: Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton Can’t Save the Lame ‘Our Brand Is Crisis’
-
50 Scenes That Do Not Appear in the Fox ‘X-Files’ Revival
-
In Praise of Beach Slang, 2015’s Best, Most Sincere Rock Band
-
Who Was Missing From Taylor Swift’s Miami Squad?
-
Happy ‘Halloween’: The Best Horror-Movie Monsters