New Music of the Week!

February 14, 2023
CASTEL

Thank you for joining me again, this week we got some full-length projects to review. It was a cute week for music y'all.

We welcome back Paramore from their six-year hiatus. The band has shifted members quite a bit between their self-titled album Paramore, which was made with bassist Jeremy Davis, and their fifth album, After Laughter, which saw Davis leaving the band and the return of original drummer Zac Farro. AL was a significant departure from the Paramore I grew up with. Paramore & After Laughter saw the band take a more pop stance on their albums to much critical acclaim. Personally, I wasn't a fan, but Paramore grew and didn't want to be pigeonholed, which is why I am happy to announce This Is Why is a much-welcome return to pop-punk but leaning more toward punk, heavy drums, and a bit of a more political message. The album could use a bit of reworking on the track listing, where I feel it was riffy guitar-heavy to start and leaned more into the ballads towards the end. The saving grace is that the slower tempo songs allow Haley to amaze us with her vocals.

Key tracks: "You First," the most Paramore song that grabs and showers me with nostalgia / "Liar" continues a streak of powerful ballads by the vocal powerhouse on their albums. This one stripped down the bare bones as Haley croons softly over the guitar.

I found Kelela during her hiatus. Admittedly, my music taste was alright, very radio mainstream until 2020. I discovered her discography and fell into a rabbit hole of her impeccable electronic and R&B music. Thematically, Raven, the album rises and falls like breathing. Being at peace with being alone but acknowledging there is potential happiness in love and companionship, we will run after it. Not again.

Besides key tracks, the album is bookmarked by "Washed Away" and "Far Away," the latter continuing the aesthetic and musicality that the former laid the groundwork for. I will need NYC to have Kelela nights the way we had Beyonce nights to experience this euphoric piece under low lights, with hot bodies and a booming base.

Key tracks:
“Happy Ending”; “Missed Call” transports me to the '90s. I'm envisioning this playing over a “Ray of Light” type music video, the rush, the fast pace, “Bruises” into “Raven” transition, and that's all I have to say; the Rah Rah Gabor featured “Closure.”

Bob, The Drag Queen, has had me in a chokehold since I watched "Purse First." I wouldn't find Drag Race for another four years; I hated Reality TV. If Bob is anything, Bob is confident. No, Bob IS confidence. They have mastered what some call "brag tracks," and what they will do is push the Black, Trans, and Queer agenda. Gay Barz features Kamera Tyme, Mikey Angela, Ocean Kelly, and Basit. You can sum up the project, a love letter to Black queers, ballroom, and standing in your power, in the interlude that closes it:

"Monet: Why Gay Barz? Bob: Cause we gay nig*a. We be gay. Monet: Y'all nig*as is gay."

Key Tracks: "Gay Barz", "Take My Picture", "Black"

Coming Up On The Radar:

"Special (Remix)": Lizzo linked with her positivity bestie Sza, whose added verse that doesn't do much to change the original song, but it is pretty enjoyable to hear these two beautiful voices blending together on a piece, telling me to feel Special *wipes a single tear*

"Cuff It (Wetter Remix)": No one does a remix like Muva Beyonce. She is going BACK into the booth to feed us new verses, musicality, riffs, harmonies, and just a whole new song. This makes me want to put on a complete lingerie set and dance something crazy for my man... I don't have one, but I can be delusional!

"Pop Ya Sh*t (Freestyle)": There's not much to say, but this Lady London freestyle is played daily. It just makes me feel like I'm conquering every day ahead of me. A baddie who knows their IT, so anyone coming to pursue better come correct.

“We Go Down Together”: Dove Cameron continues her release of pretty solid singles from her forthcoming project, Celestial Body, with this Khalid-assisted duet. I could let this replay in the background repeatedly. Their harmonies to close out the song lift me, not into the air, but I levitate 6 feet off the ground like Phoebe Halliwell.

"You Make Me Sick": I'm a sucker for grunge songs where the artist rides the beat so well. I'm screaming right along with you, Ashnikko!

“Borderline”: Tove Lo did it again. I love this song. More than anything, that was on Dirt Femme! The pre-chorus sets up the dance-heavy chorus, and I am taking over the dance floor.