You’ve probably heard Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Old Town Road,” Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s “Señorita” and Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” — the songs of the summer everyone can’t escape this year. These recent releases may have eluded your summer playlists and Spotify queues. Give them a listen before school starts and fill these last precious days with new discoveries.
“Dance Through it” by Chicago-based band Twin Peaks
You’ll love walking to class with this song playing in your earbuds, inviting your post-summer blues to be resolved with a little dancing.
“Ann’s Jam” by Chastity Belt
“Ann’s Jam” has a sound reminiscent of fellow all-female band from Washington Sleater-Kinney. The band’s first single in two years, the fresh tune is melancholic and enjoyable.
“Lovestained” by London singer-songwriter Hope Tala
You don’t need to be fresh out of a summer romance to lift your arms along with Tala’s quick and lusty single from her first EP “Sensitive Soul,” released August 14.
“Talk About It (B-Side)” by Charlottesville native and UVA fourth year Kate Bollinger.
Summer ‘19 was a big one for Bollinger and her music, but this song in particular sounds cooler and a little more mellowed-out than the rest. Perhaps it’s the saxophone, an instrument you don’t find on most indie recordings.
“PrettyGirlz” by 18-year-old sensation Willow
One of the queens of the emerging genre of “antipop,” this song features breathy singing and loud, unexpected cascading drums and guitar, capturing the mood of “hot girl summer.” It’s unapologetic about how unapologetic girls currently are.
“Boy Bye” by boy band Brockhampton
Lavish is the word to describe the new single from Brockhampton, a loaded and jumpy song worthy of multiple listens just to catch all the witty lyrics. It starts with a latin jig and turns into something else completely. Brockhampton does not disappoint.
“One, Two” by Midwest rapper Ugly God
Demanding and truthful, Ugly God makes songs that are delightfully crude. You probably won’t hear this song at Trin — even though it belongs on every bar’s speaker.
“Time Flies” by D.C. area rapper Rico Nasty
An anthem about surviving moments in your life that fly by in-between jobs, school, friends and blurry late nights, play it during celebratory times and the low points too. That’s how versatile Rico Nasty’s music is.
“Not” by New York based band Big Thief
The lead single from the indie-folk band’s upcoming album — which will be their second one of 2019 — clocks in at six minutes and seven seconds. The band seems to have hit their stride, with lead vocalist Adrianne Lenker growling on this single, shouting lyrics about things that are “not.” It’s forceful and beautiful.
“Stay High” by Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard
“Wow, what a voice,” is usually what people say when they hear Howard sing — at least that’s probably what attendees said at the 2017 Concert for Charlottesville, when Howard came on stage to sing a few tunes. Now she’s making a solo album, and if this single indicates what that’ll sound like, Howard is unquestionably a force of nature.
“Was it Something I Said” by L.A. based singer-songwriter MyKey
MyKey sings incredibly honest lyrics with a voice reminiscent of an early Alex Turner. This song is cool — and knows it — but is all the more relatable because of it.
“Nighttime Drive” by dreamy vocalist Jay Som
“Shoplifting at the Whole Foods” is a lyric from this song that pops out as funny, sweet and romantic — Jay Som at her best. This song gives the feeling of late summer, emulating the kind of sluggish beauty produced in the heat. The violin on the track is also a pleasant surprise.
“Hope” by (Sandy) Alex G
You’ll love this song because it will remind you of when you’re wondering about a person you haven’t spoken to in a long time but really want to. (Sandy) Alex G’s music never fails to evoke highly specific memories that are so human and so fruitful.
“Wannago” by Frankie Cosmos
Cosmos sings about things as big as the cosmos —her namesake — and the general concept of dreams, but her recent summer singles feel more grounded in a dance-beat. The shift suits the singer.
“Ivy (Live at the Capitol Theater, Olympia, WA)” by Car Seat Headrest
This track is from the band’s recent album of live recordings and begins with “This is a Frank Ocean song” followed by a cheering chorus from the audience. Lead singer Will Toledo demonstrates his vocal longevity and sings Ocean’s song full of hurt — a signature tone in his music.
“Xeno Bobby” by indie-pop band The Generationals
The electronic backdrop in this song distorts the track’s conventional beat, giving it the pleasing aura of a 2012 Passion Pit song.
“Marion” by folk giant Bon Iver
This song, from his newest album “i,i,” sounds the most familiar to old Bon Iver tracks like “Holocene” and “Skinny Love.” People are meant to cry and sway at Bon Iver concerts and he keeps trying to interrupt that experience with his experiments in electronics. Enough with that nonsense.
“House Fire” by Blue Grasser Tyler Childers
Straight off his new album “Country Boy” — a piece envisioned by the artist to be “a working man’s country album” — this song is rebellious and heel-clickin’ good.
“Summer Girl” by sister trio HAIM
You’re probably sleeping on HAIM and this single, which works to be easeless and achieves it miraculously. Not many bands can make a single titled “Summer Girl” without sounding ringy and cliche, but HAIM can.
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