New Music Friday - 21/02/2025

Albums:

• Sam Fender - People Watching
• SAYA - SAYA
• Tate McRae - So Close to What

Singles:

• Dove Cameron - Too Much
• JENNIE (feat. Doechii) - ExtraL
  
• Jensen McRae - Praying For Your Downfall
• MARINA - Butterfly
  
• Perfume Genius (feat. Aldous Harding) - No Front Teeth
• Rico Nasty - TEETHSUCKER (YEA3x)
• Selena Gomez (feat. benny blanco & Gracie Abrams) - Call Me When You Break Up
• Suki Waterhouse - Dream Woman

Tate McRae - So Close to What

Miss possessive: On the one hand, I feel like this is an uninspired repeat of some of the work that Tate has done before. On the other, I'm afraid I can't make it not bop. Sigh, maybe this is the album that makes me change my mind on Tate McRae... 7/10

2 hands: I'm pretty sure that I wasn't especially fond of this single when it was released but the chorus of this one does hit for me currently. Maybe I'm just in a good mood today. The verses don't quite sound as good, but the chorus IS hitting. Or maybe I just really want 2 hands on me right now. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but it doesn't really need to. 7/10

Revolving door: Woah, okay, miss beat. Calm down! This could either be really good or flop monumentally. Thankfully, I think it's more good than a flop. I think I'm just a sucker for songs that have a fast beat through them like this. There's almost barely anything to it but, still, it sounds good. 7/10

Bloodonmyhands: Me when I have got some bloodonmyhands. Are these songs all going to be slightly different versions of the same song on the album? This is a problem I think I had with Tate's last album, but I guess the difference is those songs all sucked. These ones don't so much, they sound decent. The feature works extremely well though in my view! 7/10

Dear god: I'm not sure if I'm being unfair or not but I really see "this sort of sound sort of worked for me before in getting viral so let's just do that again and again" in this song. I think maybe the similarity fatigue is starting to sit in for me. It does have an alright enough chorus but I think I'm finding this song slightly more grating for whatever reason. Dear God, I hope you're listening. Get some new sounding songs on this album! 6/10

Purple lace bra: Okay, a bit of a more grand opening with the instruments. At least it DOES sound a bit different! Unfortunately, it sounds different in the way that it...is not good. It is a boring song. I guess the message is sad but I don't really feel it that much through this song. 6/10

Sports car: Another one of the pre-release singles that wasn't especially my favourite, but I think I like it more now. Oh, GOLLY GEE! Again, I just hear past Tate McRae songs in this. The chorus is pretty decent thanks to the production. The whisper vocals are kinda stupid and annoying though. I think I'd like the song to be more powerful and pop off a bit more but it doesn't sadly. Still good though! 7/10

Signs: The pre-chorus is a decent buildup. Chorus seems decent too. This song is annoying because it sounds alright but I feel like it could be more and it's missing out on something great the way it is. Some of the lyrics and the meanings of the songs I'm finding a bit...eh. We DO love a more intense final chorus moment, that feels like it's caught on a lot lately. 6/10

I know love: Can't relate, girl! This song has me feeling again there's a lot of uninspired and repetitive material here. The Kid LAROI probably sounds fantastic here because it's a break from repetitive Tate McRae song after song. I know great songs when they hit, and this one isn't one of them! 6/10

Like I do: How many times can you reinvent the same production but it sounds a bit different? Am I just being in a hater mood? Again, it sounds alright, but at the same time I'm boooooored. 6/10

It's ok I'm ok: Me when it's ok I'm ok. I guess the feeling I'm feeling when I'm listening to this album? The drums (or whatever they are) are hittingggg. Sadly, the chorus...not quite it. The production of the verses is definitely the best part of the song. 6/10

No I'm not in love: Am I trapped in a hell where they just play the same song again and again but it sounds just SLIGHTLY different to all the others? It's in one ear, out the other. There's nothing really interesting or inspiring here. 6/10

Means I care: I guess this is this album's version of a ballad or a slower song? In a shock twist, it doesn't sound THAT different from any other song. Give me a break please! 5/10

Greenlight: Lorde's nachos are fine is all I'm saying. It's a slower version of the same song again, shock! I can't fault the album for being cohesive but like...give me a bit of something else, PLEASE! "Stuck up in a rewrite of the same song." Tate is self aware! Anyway, boringgggg! 5/10

Nostalgia: Oh it's another ballad moment. I guess it does sound a bit different? Maybe? I don't even know any more. It has more of a guitar to it at least. That's something. Still boring though! 5/10

Overall Verdict: Do some of the sings hit? Yes. Do I think this is a good album? Absolutely NOT. It's like somebody set themselves the challenge of making 15 Tate songs that sound slightly different but are all basically variations of the same song. The beats and production get so repetitive, the singing is basically the same on all songs, about almost exclusively the same topics. It made it such a grating listen because I was basically listening to the same (not amazing) song again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again. It's possible I would have liked them more in isolation.

Sam Fender - People Watching

People Watching: This doesn't sound too bad to start with. Sam sounds good, although I think something about his vocals annoy me a bit. The chorus kinda eats I can't lie! This song also does give me "I'm an indie artist" vibes but eh, it's decent. Don't we all people watch on the way back home? 7/10

 

Nostalgia's Lie: She's starting decently! I'm a bit unsure on this song. It's definitely not bad by any means but it's also not really speaking to me. I guess that's often the problem with this type of music for me. 6/10

 

Chin Up: Okay, maybe now I'm getting in the swing of the album I realise why this type of music isn't really for me. It's not bad by any means, they have decent hooks to them, the produciton is different, but it's just not really FOR me? 6/10

 

Wild Long Lie: This is a slower moment and I find it a bit more boring. I really like the northern accent you can hear coming through in this song though. Even though this song is like 6 minutes long I don't actually think it went on too long. I also appreciated the instrumental break in the middle. 6/10

 

Arm's Length: I'm always a bit eh on studio talk but whatever. The production sounds decent. The song did pass me by a bit but I think it sounded alright enough. Not studio laughing at the end, go away... 6/10

 

Crumbling Empire: Sounds decent again. Okay mention of privitisation. Definitely seems like it's at least a somewhat politically infused song. The crumbling empire hook works quite well for me, and so does the production. 7/10

 

Little Bit Closer: Again, sounds pretty decent. The production and again the hook are pretty good, and so are the lyrics. I kinda wish I had more to say but it's a pleasant listen. 7/10

 

Rein Me In: This one has started in a slightly different way which is is intriguing. Another longer song but it didn't overstay its welcome at all. I don't really have much to say about it but it was another decent listen. 7/10

 

TV Dinner: Not sure I'm as much of a fan of how this one started. The almost list like vocals at the start are...maybe not. The production does get more interesting though. It definitely grew on me with the rest of the song, it was just the start that was a bit...eh. Also like the pain in some of the vocals towards the end. A decent instrumental moment at the end too. 7/10

 

Something Heavy: Oh, it's a COVID mention. That's MY thing! The chorus here is good again. The end is definitely the best part of the song as well, the good chorus with slightly more intense production. 7/10

 

Remember My Name: Okay, mr VOCALS! It definitely feels like a closing song on an album. It's a bit more low key with a lot more focus on the vocals, which really are eating here. It's kinda a somewhat grand outro? 7/10

 

Overall Verdict: I didn't expect this album to be my type of music when I went into listening to it and it wasn't really. But I don't regret listening to it to give it a try. I can honestly say that Sam Fender is an incredibly talented individual. For those that enjoy this more indie type of vibe, Sam writes some incredible lyrics and the production on the songs sounds decent as well! Definitely recommend checking it out if you are into this type of music. Sadly, I'm not, so I won't be listening again!

Saya Gray - SAYA:

 ..THUS IS WHY ( I DON'T SPRING 4 LOVE ): These titles scare me a bit but we'll see what happens. Okay, I'm being transported into some sort of weird electronic thing? Well, where this song started isn't where I expected it to end up. It's an interesting mix of sounds. Not really for me though I fear. It ended in a similar way to the way it started. 6/10

SHELL ( OF A MAN ): Guitar moment time. Also...a bit nothing, if I'm honest. It's a song related to weddings I guess? Voodoo doll fetish, excuse me? I will be speaking now to stop this... 5/10

LINE BACK 22: The production??? Not really what I expected but it kinda eats? After the intro, anyway, which was a bit...there. Well that was a fun somewhat wacko outro with the more electronic sounds, not like the rest of the song. 6/10

PUDDLE ( OF ME ): She's...alright I guess. That's all I can really say. 6/10

HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP UP A LIE?: A slower more acoustic moment in places, but just generally a bit boring. There's some interesting sounds in the background here and there but that's all I can really say for it. 5/10

CATS CRADLE!: A very interesting interlude! It's one of the best tracks because it has all the really interesting elements, the mish mash of like alien sounds, electronic sounds, the instruments and the vocals. Sadly it's only a short interlude.

10 WAYS ( TO LOSE A CROWN ): Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh! Making sure that was 10 times was more interesting than the song. The last bit was really cool and interesting though, if only the rest of the song was like that. 5/10

H.B.W: This song is a bit more interesting. Only a BIT though. Again, it started eating more towards the end but it's just not enough to make it good. Like, why not take some of those ideas and make it more like the whole album instead of relegated to the last parts of songs? 6/10

EXHAUST THE TOPIC: This has some of the more interesting production elements from the start which I appreciate. I like the disharmony of the different elements of some of the production. I just wish there was more of this throughout the album. It kinda lost some of that momentum though... Another massive vibe shift at the end 6/10

LIE DOWN..: I will be going to sleep after this you're so right. Because...no. It's boring yet again. And again it becomes way more interesting in the last minute when it picks up the weird more electronic sounds while the rest of the song fades out somewhat. What could have been... 6/10

Overall Verdict: I feel like this album had some interesting ideas in places, but I don't think it quite committed to them as much as I would have liked. Having somewhat boring and mediocre songs that then switch it up and get a soul in the last 40 seconds really doesn't do it for me. I think the album should have been more like the interlude song and those last 40 seconds. I mean, Saya can make the album that Saya wants to make obviously, but I think this made it...not great.

Singles:

MARINA - Butterfly: So excited for MARINA'S return! This definitely feels like Marina to me. I like the lyrical content, and---WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT CHORUS? WHAT THE FUCK? Okay, that was a jumpscare and a half. I don't need those child ass vocals. Bring back Marina challenge! I was just saying how good the song was until those kid ass vocals ruined it. Can I just pretend they're not part of the song? The best part of the song is definitely the outro, why couldn't it be more like that? 7/10

Dove Cameron - Too Much: Okay, miss video games. Interesting into. Well okay, is this automatically going into a favourites of 2025 list? It has potential. I'm just a sucker for this kind of electropop type bop. I'm basic, sue me! The later part of the chorus especially HITS. My only complaint is maybe the vocals feel a bit...meh at times for me, but other than that, fantastic! Bop central. 8/10

Jensen McRae - Praying For Your Downfall: An artist name really similar to Carly Rae Jepsen, it has to slay right? She's not quite a Carly Rae Jepsen bop but she's a cute song.  7/10

Perfume Genius (feat. Aldous Harding) - No Front Teeth: Boring, boring, boring, nothing, nothing, nothing. At least to start, it did get more interesting later. I know Perfume Genius is like this critically acclaimed darling that so many people go wild for me, but I'm not really seeing it from this song. 6/10

Selena Gomez (feat. benny blanco & Gracie Abrams) - Call Me When You Break Up: Call me when a good Gracie Abrams song exists more like. I fear I will never see that. At least this song is more interesting than the last single for Selena's album, being a more upbeat moment. Repetitive ass song. To be fair, Gracie was...fine. Kinda outperformed Selena on Selena's song. Somehow it's only 2 minutes and yet repetitive and it outstayed its welcome. 6/10

Rico Nasty - TEETHSUCKER (YEA3x): The production from the start has me VERY interested! The vocals sadly let me down, and I think I find the chorus a bit annoying with all the YEAH YEAH YEAAAAH. Also, who decided all songs are like 2 minutes now? Annoying! 6/10

Suki Waterhouse - Dream Woman: I like the choir like vocals at the start. I'll stay for you Suki, don't worry (I won't). It definitely makes it feel more dreamy with the choir-y vocals. This was a cute track anyway, not especially for me but it was decent. 6/10

JENNIE (feat. Doechii) - ExtraL: What in the Beyonce Girls? This song is...not really eating. The chant ass vocals are just not it. Doechii was definitely the best part of this song, Jennie by comparison was...on this song I suppose. Unfortunately, I think Jennie was the one who took the extra L here 6/10