"Love Again" by The Kid Laroi
Brand new single from The Kid Laroi for an upcoming album and well...I cannot be the only one thinking that The Kid Laroi's music is becoming more generic? I didn't hate "Thousand Miles" but I certainly did not care for it and unfortunately "Love Again" is this guitar based song that features Kid Laroi howling his lungs out and it just sounds awfully raw but just not in a good way...I'll forget this exists come December.
"Players" by Coi Leray
Ahh.. Coi Leray, an American female r'n'b star and rapper who has been notching success in the US for awhile now and with this being Coi Leray's break out hit in Australia, I just wish I cared more about this...it samples Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" and Coi Leray going on about how women are players too, thing is I found myself listening more to the sample than Coi Leray AND this does feel like a push to copy Latto's "Big Energy"...Coi, you can do better.
"Boy's A Liar" by Pink Pantheress feat. Ice Spice
Ahh more artists having their breakthrough moment with this song getting a lot of praise as being one of the best hits of 2023 so far so what do I think of it? Honestly... I like it but I am not sure it's quite great, the production reminds me a lot of K-Pop or at least a sound that NewJeans did better on "Ditto", its very pretty sounding and the lyrical content about this guy not being honest is threatening to blow apart this relationship, I just wish the production reflected more of that tension...thats all.
"Last Night" by Morgan Wallen
Well all cross overs from the American country scene cannot be good and this from Morgan Wallen is a case in point and look I think there's potential, there's a solid hook here and the guitar sounds fine in a song where last night both Wallen and this girl got drunk and had sex and now Wallen has caught feelings but ugh, its Morgan Wallen himself that I just cannot stand here, he sounds painfully nasal like somebody grabbed hold of his nose and won't let go.... I really do not like this.
"Trustfall" by Pink
Oh Pink, what happened to you? Why does your whole new album feel so bare of personality? I mean this is one of the better songs from that album but to see Pink making music like this for the adult contemporary radio meat market is just disheartening, you are better than whatever the hell RCA are turning you into.
"Delilah (pull me out of this)" by Fred Again...
So more Fred Again...and you know, I actually like this a fair bit more than "Rumble" especially as the production reminds me a lot of Armand Van Helden....its a vibe, I dig it.
"I'm Not Here To Make Friends" by Sam Smith feat. Jessie Reyez and Calvin Harris
So the Sam Smith album is solid but why couldn't "No God" have been the next single and not this where the hook is this shouting, overproduced junk and Jessie Reyez adding adding about as much to the song as lettuce does to salad, throw in that annoying hook and its a skip for me.
"OMG" by NewJeans
K-Pop time! NewJeans are the newest act to breakthrough and I am not as sold on this as I am with "Ditto".and I suspect its that stiff percussion that feels omnipresent in the mix to a distracting level, I don't think its bad per se but I wish it'd been "Ditto" instead
"Green Green Grass" by George Ezra
Nice to see George Ezra back on the charts, he had one of my favourite hits of 2018 courtesy of "Shotgun" so I was looking forward to hearing this song which was a hit in the UK last year aaannnnd...what the ever loving fuck happened here? Why has George Ezra turned to making a song that sounds fit for a Colourbond commercial or peformed in front of four year olds as a precursor to a Wiggles concert? The hook is annoying as hell and it just sounds like complete ass.... What a disappointment.
"Love You Anyway" by Luke Combs
So Luke Combs dropped his new album this month with this being a promo single and...god damn, dude is ON FIRE because this song is excellent with its warm fiddle and organic guitar, production wise, this is a really easy song to love however its the lyrics that may as well create human puddles because the sentiment is sticky sweet in that he is saying no matter what his wife does, nothing will change his feelings and he will still love her, great song!
" Lost" by Linkin Park
Rest in peace, Chester....thats all that really needs to be said here.
"Snooze" by SZA
Finally, we have this album cut from that last SZA album but its not one that I care for with trap effects smeared over over the top of a decent piano line. As for the lyrical content, its actually just "Nobody Gets Me" except she's realizing she isn't happy without this guy in her life. Its not terrible but SZA has done better.
Worst of the Month: " Last Night" by Morgan Wallen
Dishonourable Mention: "Green Green Grass" by George Ezra
Honourable Mention: Uhh...I guess "Delilah (Pull Me out of this)" by Fred Again...
Best of the Month: Love You Anyway" by Luke Combs
