As the bird with the quickest heart rate, the Hummingbirds never skip a beat or some heat. Tune in weekly on Tuesdays for the Mag’s weekly roundup of what’s popping in music. Looking for other weeks? Click here.
Lianne La Havas — Self-Titled
July 17, 2020
Where has Lianne La Havas been for the past five years? Apparently expanding her vocal range, seeking out incredibly talented instrumentalists, and crafting this self-titled album. Inspired by Erykah Badu, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, and her mentor Prince, La Havas created a set of intimately recorded tracks that will take any listener on an emotional roller coaster of love, lust, mourning, and triumph.
Joey Bada$$ — The Light Pack
July 17, 2020
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Joey, but The Light Pack proved he’s not going anywhere. On “The Light” he wastes no time addressing this drought: “It’s like I lost my glow, yo, my inner light was dimmin’ / Now I got my mojo back, y’all don’t know how to act.” “No Explanation” feels like the centerpiece of the project, as Joey and Pusha T each drop verses that border on spoken-word, knowing that their strong voices and nasty lyrics speak for themselves. “Shine,” the final track, features a Roy Ayers sample and bars about his career goals: “Fuck buyin’ cars, though, I’m buyin’ back my masters.” Without being mind-blowing or boundary-pushing, this pack seems to be a career realignment for a rapper that’s trying to make a difference in the world.
KYLE — See You When I am Famous!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 16, 2020
Many associate KYLE with his corny reputation, but he’s been working for years to create a discography that shows him as more than a happy-rapper cliche. “See You When I Am Famous!!!!!!!!!!!!” is an ode to his high school yearbook quote, and with a strong supporting cast featuring Bryson Tiller, Raphael Saadiq, Rico Nasty, Rich the Kid, Too $hort, and Trippie Redd, he’s proven he’s famous and able to put together a fun, emotional, goofy album with thumping beats and open lyricism.
Yo La Tengo — We Have Amnesia Sometimes
July 17, 2020
Yo La Tengo (YLT) dropped a taste test of quarantine instrumentals with “We Have Amnesia Sometimes,” likely referencing their collective old age and quarantine’s nature to make you forget. Cheeky song titles and expansive, lingering guitar riffs pace the mini-project, which will tide fans over until a new release.
Whitney — Hammond Song
July 15, 2020
Whitney’s cover of The Roaches encapsulates their classic style — chill guitar riffs and dreamy horns nicely backing up Julien Ehrlich’s unique vocals. While this cover doesn’t quite live up to the out-of-this-world three-part harmonies on the original, it shows promise for the groups’ upcoming album, Candid.
Thanks for reading our reviews of our favorite new albums, songs, and releases of the week! Check in next Tuesday for more.
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