New Music Friday - 5/6/2022

Today’s featured artists are Beach Bunny, Carly Rae Jepsen and Sharon Van Etten. Let’s get to the reviews - Here’s why I’m digging what I’m digging this week:

Singles of the Week:

“Karaoke” by Beach Bunny

A favorite of this blog, Beach Bunny has been releasing a few songs from their upcoming release Emotional Creature (due out in July). The latest is a guitar-heavy power-pop song with sunny melodies. Lead singer Lili Trifilio says the song is about having a crush – it’s about infatuation, fleeting feelings, and the bittersweet nature of uncertainty. So while the sunnyness of the song comes through in the music, the lyrics are a bit dark. Be sure to check out the fun sci-fi style music video as well. And if you’re in the DC area on May 15th, they’re playing the 9:30 Club. Check them out!

“Western Wind” by Carly Rae Jepsen

I can’t quit CRJ! A kickin’ beat opens the song with a dreamy keyboard taking its turn next - the song turns breezy quickly and in comes the gentle but strong voice of Jepsen. After debuting the song at Coachella, Jepsen releases the track which acts as both a love letter to California and finds her ruminating on deep romantic feelings. Jepsen haters need to get beyond “Call Me Maybe” and explore her last two releases. I know I’m excited to hear more from her in the future.

Album of the Week:

We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong by Sharon Van Etten

It’s been a long two years for all of us. On her sixth album, much of which was written in the past two years, Van Etten sings about a theme that so many of us cope with every day: How do we take care of each other? Van Etten delivers strong, powerful songs in the face of confusion and trauma. The sound on this latest is a safer sound that her previous release, but the tracks are tighter and more universal.

Recorded in her home studio, the theme of home and family runs throughout. On "Mistakes," she's dancing at home with her family and she sings to her son directly on "Home To Me" and "Far Away."

Van Etten chose not to put out any singles ahead of We've Been Going About This All Wrong's release. "I still believe in the idea of an album," she told Rolling Stone; she hopes listeners will listen to the record in its entirety to understand the scope of its story.

I love this about Van Etten - Singles are great, but to be able to take the whole of an album in, in one continuous listen, is special. That’s just one part of what makes Sharon Van Etten and this album so special.

Check out my favorite track: “I’ll Try”