Saturday, May 20, 2017

Week in Review: New Songs/Music Videos You Need to Check Out (May 14-May 20, 2017)

A lot has been going on in the world of music this week. And though not all of it was very happy (R.I.P. Chris Cornell), we are keeping our heads up with all of the great new music that has come out over the last seven days.

This week saw a lot of new music from across the pop and rock spectrum. In pop music, Katy Perry released another new single, a disjointed diss track featuring Nicki Minaj called “Swish Swish,” while Lana Del Rey released the second single from her upcoming album, the beautifully ethereal ode to summer festivals, “Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind.” DJ Robin Schulz made his return with the James Blunt fronted “OK.” In rock and alternative, we got new videos from Muse, COIN, AFI, Royal Blood, Rancid and All Time Low. Courtney Barnett also released a new one-off song, her first single in two years.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has once again been keeping track of all the new songs and music videos that came out this week. Here are some of our favorites that we think you need to add to your weekend playlist.


1.       Robin Schulz feat. James Blunt, “OK”: Hearing James Blunt’s distinctive voice mixed into a dance track seems a little odd, but by the chorus it seems to work. If anything can make him popular (or relevant) again, it could be this track. I enjoyed the video too. While I don’t think Blunt is the best actor in the world, I love the play on ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ for this song.  When the song gets hectic, so do Blunt’s visions, but in the end, it all turns out “okay.” (video)

2.       COIN, “I Don’t Wanna Dance”: “I Don’t Wanna Dance” is a catchy song made even more memorable by the video the band released to go with it. Much of the lyrical content of the song is about not knowing how to dance, sung over a simple synth melody. Then, the video brings another layer to the song, having the band on a honky-tonk cruise where scenes of them line dancing by themselves are spliced with scenes of others on the boat line dancing around them. None of the dancing is good, but that’s most likely the point. I personally think it is very well done. (video)

3.       Muse, “Dig Down”: The video for “Dig Down” stands out a bit more than the song does. Set in a dystopian world where the human body becomes obsolete, the female lead must fight off those that are trying to kill her. The song plays as Matt Bellemy and the rest of the band, projected on television screens and dressed in 80’s-inspired garb reminiscent of Max Headroom, are giving the bad guys the command to attack. (video)

4.       Courtney Barnett, “How To Boil An Egg”: I love the blues-rock vibe of this song. It feels easy and effortless, something you can listen to while relaxing. (video)

5.       Sparks, “What The Hell Is It This Time?”: The latest single from Sparks’ first album in eight years, “What The Hell Is It This Time” is both comical and intimidating. Taking on a militant tone, the song comes from the perspective of G-d, who is enraged at people who pray for everything. The topic seems to fit really well with this over-the-top new wave/synth-pop style. Not to mention the video is hilarious. These guys still have it. (video)

6.       Rancid, “Telegraph Avenue”: Rancid get a bit nostalgic on “Telegraph Aveneue,” the latest single from their upcoming album, ‘Trouble Maker.’ Slower and bit less garbled than “Ghost of a Chance,” Tim Armstrong waxes poetic about everything that has happened on this one street in the Bay Area. (video)

7.       AFI, “Hidden Knives”: AFI has always had a flair for the dramatic, and “Hidden Knives” is no different. The song is seemingly about betrayal and the sharp words (knives) one can use to hurt someone. The video is a quite literal and even more dramatic interpretation of the song. The three minute black and white film finds singer Davey Havok in on a heist with his female accomplice who sets up an elaborate hoax to get rid of him. (video)

8.       Royal Blood, “Hook, Line & Sinker”: “Hook, Line & Sinker” is a heavy, blues rock song mired in sludgy, distorted bass. The lyrical melody is jilted, mirroring the bass lines. (video)


These are some of our favorite new songs and music videos from the past week. Give these a listen/watch and use them as a starting point in your music discovery.

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Discover your new favorite artists at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia available in store and online. Browse thousands of titles spanning an array of genres, including rock, metal, pop, R&B, hip-hop, dance, disco, classical and more. With more titles being added all the time, it is always the perfect time to come down to Vinyl Bay 777 and discover something new.

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