New Music Friday - 20/06/2025

Albums/EPs:

• Benson Boone - American Heart
• HAIM - I Quit

Singles:

• Alessi Rose - That Could Be Me 
• CMAT - The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station
• Dylan - Bad 
• Hunnygloss - Drop Dead 
• JADE - Plastic Box
• KATSEYE - Gabriela
• Kenya Grace - Mr. Cool 
• Kesha, Slayyyter and Rose Gray - ATTENTION! 
• Lola Young - Not Like That Anymore
• Lorde - Hammer
• LOVA - Hail Mary 
• Madison Rose - DAYDREAMING
• Mila Smith - The Adults Are Talking 
• Nova May - TROPICANA BAR
• PinkPantheress - Close to you 
• Sophie and the Giants - A Little Bit Wild 

Benson Boone - American Heart:

Sorry I'm Here for Someone Else: I'm scared I'm going to like this album, but let's see how it goes. Starts with synths. Didn't need the cringe 1-2-3-4. Honestly, it kinda feels a bit cheap and nothing. Like it's missing something fundamental. I don't know exactly how to describe it. But it's just...not quite there as a song. Bad ending too... 5/10

Mr Electric Blue: Uh oh, that intro could mean a song that goes quite wrong. Unfortunately, it feels similar here. It feels like an undercooked and generic song. I just don't see anything good about it sadly. It doesn't make my ears bleed, which is something. It's just uninspired. Not feeling that outro either. 5/10

Man in Me: Oooo la la la shut up. It seems pretty similar to the other songs. Uninspired, nothing to it. Like he sounds decent enough but still. Very generic production and songs. Wow, that was an underwhelming chorus bit. Yikes. Oh wow...big flop here. Those high vocals don't really work with the production there in my opinion. Sounds bad. Random slow bit at the end with a piano because...reasons? 4/10

Mystical Magical: Those synths are okay I guess. A more sensual song? I'm kinda just not here for the vocals here with this production. I don't know. Oh, and this sounds REALLY SIMILAR to another song I can't place right now in that chorus. To be fair, that does improve it. But the rest of it... 5/10

Reminds Me of You: Not feeling the production choices here either. Also feels half baked. And a different vibe here too. Again reminds me of a different singer/song. I mean...I suppose it does sound a bit better so I will give it that. Not super fond of that outro though. 5/10

Momma Song: Piano and distant children sounds, okay ballad time. Like, Benson has a good voice but somehow it doesn't work on these songs for me. It just doesn't land. And the songs do feel generic and soulless. Even with a topic like this. It's still a miss. Unfortunately it is more slop. Sounds actively bad at points too. Stupid bells at the end too! 4/10

I Wanna Be the One You Call: Well, I don't want to call you! Who am I kidding? I would. But this song, ew. That start...awful. Just vile. Oh, I took a trip to Italy too! This was somehow the worst song so far. Made me cry out of disgust. 2/10

Wanted Man: Oh, ew, this is a disaster. What a bad song. It sounds truly terrible. I do not want this song...like what slop. Okay, parts of the chorus redeemed it a bit. 4/10

Take Me Home: Another bad song, although it did redeem itself towards the end. So it has that going for it. Some of the lyrics also feel kinda clunky sadly. Like I said, he has a good voice, but it just isn't enough. Kinda abrupt ending too for me.  5/10

Young American Heart: He's not stealing my heart. Honestly, this was probably one of the best songs on the project, which was saying something. The production and his voice go well together here. The bridge like section was a bit too repetitive and nothing, but the choruses were good. 6/10

Overall Verdict: So, this was a big mess. It was a bad album. It is half cooked, underbaked, stale, boring, and a big mess. Benson's vocals, where they work well, are definitely the highlight of the songs they are in. But that's about it. The production is stale, the lyrics are often terrible, the songs are just basically nothing. It's an album that was reportedly rushed out and written super quickly, and it damn well seems like it. BAD! One of the worst albums of this year honestly. 

HAIM - I Quit:

Gone: Charli XCX is quaking...or not honestly. Very much NOT feeling the start. It's too much nothing for me. There's nothing for me to grab onto really. I don't like the background vocals. Is that a sample? I'm not majorly gagged by the sample honestly. Oh, a fun switchup. This makes the song more interesting. And we're back to flopping a bit. Not the best song ever, though it had some good bits. 5/10

All over me: I think I can tell from this song that this album is not going to be for me. The melodies, the vocals, everything is just not really for me. Not that it's garbage by any means but it's just not possible for me to connect with it with how it sounds. It just sounds bland and boring to me. Kinda fun solo though. A bit better towards the end too. 5/10

Relationships: One of the singles and it does sound more catchy compared to the other songs so far. I definitely like this a lot more than I did. When compared with mediocrity before it, you like it more I guess. It has a catchy hook to it and somewhat more interesting vocals and production. Until it doesn't...ugh...but we ignore that. 7/10

Down to be wrong: Oh, this is interesting. I like the production choices here. It's interesting even if it's not my favourite ever. This song definitely had more substance to it too. It's at least interesting and has some good elements to it. Got a bit bored by it by the end... 6/10

Take me back: Hate the talking part here, especially with that production. No thanks. Bit too repetitive and also annoying twinkling too. Don't like the drums. It's bad. Guitar is not eating either. 4/10

Love you right: Oh no, more flop production for me. I don't like it. The sound of this album is just not up my street at all. Well, the vocals later in the song are good at least. And less annoying production there too. I guess this was merely okay in the end. Those vocals were nice after all. 5/10

The farm: Oh no, the flop guitar is back. Another bland and boring song that does basically nothing for me. Sigh. 5/10

Lucky stars: How long left? There's so much left please help. This is a slight switchup again so I can appreciate that. But I just don't like the production and the vocals yet again. They don't work for me. 4/10

Million years: Another boring song for me. I guess it has more of a beat or something to it? Still bland though. It feels like listening to this album is taking a million years... Just...I don't like this. Help! 4/10

Everybody's trying to figure me out: In a surprise to nobody, I don't like this either. It has a guitar that reminds me of some rock leaning songs I've heard before and don't majorly like. So yay! Me when everybody's trying to figure me out and you think you're gonna die. 4/10

Try to feel my pain: It's still annoying. It's still bland. Like, people enjoy this? I don't get it. It honestly is just annoying me and painful at this point. I need it to end. 4/10

Spinning: Spinning over there...oh wait wrong one. This sounds a lot more interesting with those synths though. Like it's something a bit different and I'm here for it! The vocals still fell a bit flat for me but it was definitely a lot more enjoyable of a song compared to some of the others. 6/10

Cry: Me when I cry. This also feels a bit better to me. There's something more catchy about it. Again, definitely one of the better songs on the album. I like that chorus as well. 6/10

Blood on the street: ZZZZZZZ. Back to boring sadly. Again reminds me of some other rock leaning songs with that guitar but I don't especially like it. It's annoying and also boring. Rather abrupt ending. 4/10

Now it's time: Now it's time for the album to end, thank god for that. Oh wait, now we decided to serve a bit of cunt? Why did we wait until now? The beat was good, it provided something interesting in this album. Random fun switchup, why not? Well, thankfully it's over, and at least it went out on a decent song. 6/10

Overall Verdict: I tell you what, I wanted to quit listening to this album. But I got through it in the end. I think this very much fits in the category of "not awful, but really not for me". Like I don't think I'd ever enjoy this type of music honestly. And I think in general HAIM's music is not majorly for me. And that's fine. For me, most of it was bland, boring and at times, painful to listen to. There were a few moments of good stuff that shone through, but they were few and far between.

Singles:

Alessi Rose - That Could Be Me: Let's see what this Alessi Rose hype is about. Especially considering I'm about to see her live opening for Dua Lipa. That talking part kinda sucks. The rest of it seems decent enough. Decent song! [I saw her open live for Dua Lipa and she's pretty decent actually, we'll see how her album goes]. 6/10

CMAT - The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station: Well, this could be a flop. It's just kinda nothing at all. And this is the artist going viral lately? This is completely devoid of anything. This is making no sense to the average listeners. So true! Self aware queen. This went on far too long and it essentially just droned on. About what, I'm not quite sure. At least she said she was bad at explaining herself! 5/10

Dylan - Bad: This sounds good! Bit rockier but that makes sense. Talking part with minimal production wasn't doing it for me. But you know what, the rest of the song is E A T I N G. Stunning! It's so catchy and infectious, and I think this fits Dylan incredibly well. I'm honestly surprised she hasn't blown up bigger than she has yet. I remember hearing her name a few years back. I don't think I was as blown away back then but she's got great music here! 8/10

Hunnygloss - Drop Dead: This is pretty classic electronic production like I've heard that so much. It almost seems like a sample (is it?). It's not my favourite song but it's hard for me not to enjoy songs with production like this. The buildup and drop parts were pretty good actually. 7/10

JADE - Plastic Box: I wasn't gagged by this seeing it live so let's see how I feel about this now. It definitely feels like it's still going to be one of the weaker singles. It's good but it almost feels like one of the most generic tracks to me. I feel like a lot of artists could have put this out. I'm glad it's a different vibe though. I feel like it has strong potential to grow on me with repeat listens as I liked it more as I went through the song. It does feel fairly repetitive though. I don't know, it's a good song, I like it, it's still one of the weaker singles for me, but that's because some of the rest are FANTASTIC. Still a good song and has a large potential to grow on me a lot more. 7/10

KATSEYE - Gabriela: This does not sound like I thought it would. I don't know what I was expecting but it was not this. Oh, the chorus is quite catchy though. I was not really feeling it until then. It's very catchy and infectious actually. I could see it getting stuck in my head easily. Some of the other parts of the song are not so good though. 7/10

Kenya Grace - Mr. Cool: Let's see if she can stop Strangers. Good start so far. Decent song! I enjoyed it. I think this is definitely a good lane for her. It's not the newest song to exist but it sounds good! 7/10

Kesha, Slayyyter and Rose Gray - ATTENTION!: Yes, you have my attention! Also, weird time for Kesha to drop this, but makes sense with her tour I guess. Should be on the album! It definitely fits her vibe. Good and catchy production! It is almost a bit generic electro pop but hey it works. Why does Slayyyter sound wrong in parts of it? I think Slayyyter works incredibly well when there aren't the few parts she sounds 'wrong' to me. Kesha fits the best here. Rose Gray sounds fine but I'm not really sure she's my favourite part of the song. I think it's a good song, but Kesha is the best part of it, and I'm not entirely sure the others were needed. All queens though so! 7/10

Lola Young - Not Like That Anymore: Ew, it's already going to be a flop, I can tell. That intro...no. I don't like how Lola is singing here, I can't lie. This sounds badddd. Yeah, I am distressed I have to listen to this. It's a mess. The production is annoying, and so is her singing. 3/10

Lorde - Hammer: Oh, fun intro. And it's going to be the intro to the album too. Love that production. Singing sounds great here too. Already going to be a lot better than the last single for me. I think the production is a strong highlight for me. Canal Street! Sadly it's not the one in Manchester which would have been cunty...Sad! Anyway, this is making me a lot more excited for the album. This is more my vibe, and more the type of music I do want from Lorde. GREAT song! 8/10

LOVA - Hail Mary: This could turn out to be highly annoying. I wasn't the biggest fan of that intro. Eh, it was okay, I guess. It's a song. It exists. It isn't bad but nor am I gagged by it. 5/10

Madison Rose - DAYDREAMING: Let's see if this is good because sometimes I don't feel Madison Rose. Sounds generic so far. I can kinda see this song in an advert actually (derogatory). The chorus is good but it's still not beating the advert allegations. 6/10

Mila Smith - The Adults Are Talking: This was really enjoyable actually! I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. Very catchy. Described as pop punk apparently, and well, maybe I need to get more into the genre if it's like this. 8/10

Nova May - TROPICANA BAR: Oh, this could be a hit. Not a fan of those 'beachy' sounds but the vocals and the beat could be good. Nice drop but it's not my favourite. Could have been better. It's still a pretty good song. Enjoyed it! 7/10

PinkPantheress - Close to you: Another song already? Okay! Well, in classic PinkPantheress style, it's very short, but it also just sounds like a standard track of hers. Which is not to be sniffed at because she generally puts out good stuff! Just a bit confused why it's come so soon after her most recent project. 7/10 

Sophie and the Giants - A Little Bit Wild: Seems a bit generic so far. Not that it's bad or anything, but still. Yeah, it definitely takes the sounds fine but is generic cake. 6/10