New Music Friday - 04/07/2025

Albums/EPs:

• ELIO - autonomy
• Kesha - . 

Singles:

• Agnes - MILK 
• Alison Goldfrapp - Hey Hi Hello
• Ava Max - Wet, Hot American Dream
• Ethel Cain - Fuck Me Eyes
• Loreen - Echoes 
• Mabel - Love Me Gentle
• Talia Mar - Letter to an idiot... 

ELIO - autonomy:

Jet Plane: Something something Taylor Swift. Anyway, is this going to be a more acoustic album? Not sure I'm here for that. I really liked ELIO for the most electronic bops. Not really someone I see opening for Charli XCX with this. There's nothing really wrong with this, but nor am I feeling it much. The vocal effects are not really working for me. The production is just somewhat boring to me. It doesn't really go anywhere. Even when it kinda does, it's for a lame beat I don't think does much. Towards the end it got better but that just was not enough. 5/10

Adderall: Me when I'm on ADHD drugs hopefully soon. Maybe then I'll be somewhat normal. We'll see. This is definitely more of a bop at least. I still think it's not exactly what I'm looking for though. I feel a disconnect in the chorus that isn't quite what I want. Like the song is not quite there? Cringe talking at the end for me. 6/10

Lucky October: I guess this is kinda the breakup album huh? I mean, fair play. But again we're going more acoustic and that is kinda crazy to me. It's decent. I enjoyed listening to it, but it's not my favourite. I do think it's a bit too 'boring' relatively speaking. Good voice though. 6/10

Saturday Night: Another song that is a bit more uptempo but like, it's not quite right for me. Like, if you're going to listen to Toxic and cover it...make something remotely like it idk. Sorry! Again, not bad by any means though. It's a bit slow, generic, nothing really that special to it. Good voice again though, and I enjoyed listening to it. 6/10

Switchblade: Short song. Again, it's a pretty little acoustic type number, but I'm not really here for it fully. Good voice, but still, I don't know, in parts it just feels like...not that much to me. 6/10

Autonomy: Same for this song honestly. Slower type song. Not a huge fan of the production. Still a pleasant enough listen. Not a song I would really return to. 6/10

Sugar, baby: Well this is a bit of a weird vibe shift. It's a bit...goofy or something I don't know. I'll take the faster beat though. I enjoyed this song a fair bit more. Maybe because it's faster. Maybe because it feels like there's just more to it. It's just more enjoyable for me. 7/10

Sunbeam: It's slower but there's definitely some substance to it. More interesting instruments and production, and it sounds better than some of the other songs. Still, I feel it wasn't as good as the previous song. 6/10

Overall Verdict: I know it's unfair of me to take my pre established views of an artist into a project, and they can make whatever they want. But I like ELIO songs mostly when they're sort of electronic bops. Things like inferno, or Vitamins, or 9 Lives. I'm kinda just listing songs off her mixtape at this point. This was very much a more acoustic, generally slower leaning album. I see its place as a way to recover from a breakup, for sure. It just doesn't really do it majorly for me. It's not a bad album by any means, and I'm sure this type of music appeals more to others. It was pleasant, but I won't be listening again I fear.

Kesha - .:

FREEDOM.: Ohhh, fun start. We love a piano (sometimes). Wow, a long song. I'm really here for this! Fun vocals. I really REALLY like this general vibe. The piano, especially it going semi-chaotic, the almost angelic vocals. This kinda made me emotional honestly? I feel like it's going to switch up--oh, there it is. WOW that vibe shift ahahaha. Very boppy and fun, feels very Kesha. Is it building up to something? Oh ANOTHER switchup with that piano. Iconic. This is truly FANTASTIC. Like, I like this piano bit less but the song overall? Wow. Fantastic. I really love these chaotic production elements. The twinkle synths. The distorted vocals. It all comes together SO well. Like, this whole song has been a journey in the best way. Reflecting, maybe starting slow and going faster and more boppy represents Kesha's freedom? Especially as Gag Order was slower and darker on the whole. Anyway, we stan Kesha for finally being free as well. Fuck Dr Luke! 9/10

JOYRIDE.: Hit song. Bop. Stunner. The gays claimed it cos we have taste. It's so catchy all the way through, and is thoroughly a great party song. That chorus is KILLER. Also, she somehow manages to make calling herself mother not cringe. Not everyone can do that (looking at you Meghan Trainor...). 9/10

YIPPE-KI-YAY.: I'll be honest, I hated this on first listen. And you know what, in typical me fashion, it's grown on me. It's actually quite catchy to me now. Sometimes I can't even trust my own opinions. Maybe I force myself to like songs, I don't know. It's never going to be my favourite song on the album, but it is a bop to me now. Didn't need the T-Pain version personally. Also, I'm not sure pop country is totally my thing but this is a good song in that genre. 7/10

DELUSIONAL.: She still sucks for doing that AI cover but I can forgive her because she's a queen. I never connected with this as much as a single. The verses are pleasant but nothing really special to me. Chorus is really catchy for me though. The Delusionalll/beautifulll stuff is great. The chorus definitely makes the song for me. Didn't feel the piano bit as much though. 7/10

RED FLAG.: I wasn't feeling it too much at the start and then that beat came in. Thanks car! Really like the rolling type of production there. I don't know exactly how to describe it. HEY HOES, LET'S GO. That's a fun chorus! Don't we all love red flags? Honestly, here I prefer the verses over the chorus, but they're both great. Okay maybe that chorus is killer too actually. Haha, the talking bridge is fun for me honestly. 8/10

LOVE FOREVER.: Wow, what is this kinda groovy type of vibe? I feel like I'll like this song a bit less than some of the others but that's fine. I like the "forever and ever and ever and ever" vocal distortions a lot. Like, SO MUCH. It's really carrying my enjoyment of the song. I connect less with the rest of the song, but it's still an enjoyable and good song. 7/10

THE ONE.: Oh, I forgot to listen to this more. It has a really grand and fun intro! Okay, I've decided this is a stunning song. Carly Rae Jepsen move over, this is the new best song with this title. I really like the grandness of it honestly. It really feels like Kesha is THE ONE. The production and the way it's sung really come together to create that feeling. That chorus especially is great. 9/10

BOY CRAZY.: HIT. HIT HIT HIT. Instant HIT. Like, play this in my ears at all times. Classic really fun Kesha energy. It's that good it gets a very rare 10 from me. That's how good it is to me. It's such a perfect fun pop song. Just all of it is pure perfection. Super catchy chorus. Fun verses. Great production. Fantastic vocals. Also, me for real. I am boy crazyyyy. Lock me up! I'm so random hahaha 10/10

GLOW.: Kinda almost like video game sounds here. Parts of it maybe sound like Wii music? Does that make sense? Decent production. Miss autotune? Okay girl. I'm not sure I'm a major fan of that chorus... I think that may be one of the biggest misses for me so far. Oh she's setting herself up with the Target line. I want it to happen though! "Sing it, bitch" part was fun. Oh no this could turn into an APT where I think I hate that chorus but it actually ends up taking over my brain like some sort of parasite. I better be careful. Not sure I really felt the ending of the song either... 7/10

TOO HARD.: Phew, I was scared for a second there. Thankfully the song 'kicking in' properly saved it. Nothing much is super calling out to me for this song. It's catchy, it's got decent production to it. Vocals fit the song well with how they sound and the effects on them. It's good, but not exceptional. I'm a sucker for repetitive choruses that sound good huh. 7/10

CATHEDRAL.: Is this almost going to be the Mandatory Ballad of the album? You know what, I'm not mad at that, especially as the final song. I like the second half of the chorus with the PASSIONATE vocals. I feel like some other parts of the song kinda try to cram too many words into parts or they're a bit clunky. This is kinda making me a bit emotional as well with the subject matter. Like, Kesha has been through so much and I really feel for her. Oh, that buildup is GREAT. Oh, that CHANGE, hell yeah. The buildup was all worth it. You know what, I'm here for that kinda bait out. I feel similarly to how I felt about FREEDOM. Great ending to the album. I feel like this was one of the more emotional and vulnerable moments. I'm ignoring the few clunky parts. 10/10

Overall Verdict: On reflection, it feels like the first half of FREEDOM and CATHEDRAL are kinda on a different album to the rest of the songs? Most of the rest of the songs are very 'pop' and 'party' songs, even if at times the lyrics deal with more vulnerable topics. It's a lot of 'I'm iconic, I'm sexy, I like boys, I like partying, I like drugs'. A favourite genre of mine honestly so I'm not complaining. But those two songs feel different. Different production, different vibes, almost a different story. They are more personal to Kesha and all the hell she's been through, and how she's now able to start living her life. They really spoke to me more for that reason. They almost felt like something more off Gag Order, which I really enjoyed. Does maybe THE ONE fit in this area too? Don't know. 

With those thoughts out the way, I can confidently say this is going to stay in my top 10 albums of the year, likely in the top 5, and it could even compete for my favourite. We'll see how things go. On the more negative side of things, I think there's a few choices to do with the production, lyrics and vocals here and there I'm less a fan of, but they are never really fundamental flaws. They just knock it down from being an even higher score. But man, oh man. Those emotional songs really stand out to me. But the party songs that Kesha does so well and really OWNS here too. Stunning. She knows how to make a bop and how to make you get your tits out. Really fun stuff. I will buy this album on vinyl immediately and play it to death, it's so good to me.

Singles:

Agnes - MILK: Okay miss BOPPPP. Really fun production. Dancey fun. Really like the voice too. Really liked this! In parts it kinda reminds of Jessie Ware a bit? 9/10

Alison Goldfrapp - Hey Hi Hello: Another single from the album and it's the first track. Seems like an instant bop but let's see how it goes. This was a great song! Great electronic production yet again and I look forward to hearing the album in full. Could be one of my faves of the year if the rest of it stacks up well. 7/10

Ava Max - Wet, Hot American Dream: Bad week for this to drop with the news of the cancelled tour. This is very generic Ava Max core. The chorus kinda pops off a bit, but other parts of the song do feel a bit soulless (mostly the lyrics/vocals) to me. Production is definitely catchy for me. Ew, the title of the song part, bad. The lyrics I feel are a big offender here. Like, what is this writing? Good production saves it a bit but...oof. 6/10

Ethel Cain - Fuck Me Eyes: My eyes??? Leave my eyes out of this. Miss Ethel are we making bops here? Like, that production sounds pretty good. Well it didn't pop off in a mega bop way but you know what? It didn't need to. Sounded fantastic throughout. Great everything. Production was great. Vocals are also good. Could this album actually make me an Ethel Cain fan? I never thought I'd see the day. Killer synths. 9/10

Loreen - Echoes: Not where I expected this to go with the piano start! It's a bop. Definitely better than her Mighty Hoopla performance was. Some of us had the uh 'pleasure' of experiencing that. Decent, boppy song. Good vocals. Liked the piano parts less. Well, that was abrupt. 7/10

Mabel - Love Me Gentle: Please please deliver. I want to like your music! Not liking how the vocals sound to start with. I like the production here though. Especially towards the choruses. It's just how the vocals sound... I think I can look past that though. Good song otherwise. 7/10

Talia Mar - Letter to an idiot...: Omg a letter to me? How generous. AHAHAHAHA I'm so funny and quirky. Didn't need that man. This gives me strong Ariana Grande vibes. In a good way! Really enjoyable, boppy song. Sounds fantastic. 8/10