Music On, World Off: It’s Getting Hot In Here

Hot. So damned hot as in today’s projected high temperature is 91 degrees. Bless your heart if air conditioning is a fixture in your life. Bless.

Shifting the focus from hot weather to hot music on this New Music Friday, if you haven’t kept up with what’s going on in my Spotify MUSIC ON, WORLD OFF playlist, allow me to help you out with that as 13 new songs have entered the fray. Why? Because Spoon continues to dish out tasty funk bits like “Can I Sit Next To You” and the answer is “Yes.” From American Apparel model to her debut album being executive produced by Kanye West, the album’s title track, “Like A Woman” is like a signature stamp for Kacy Hill and her open faced sensuality while LA’s Warbly Jets have something to say about the music industry in “The Lowdown.” Good stuff from Pvris, Old Dominion and The Brinks abound, so dig in and discover something cool. Let’s get you started with the following:

Kesha – “Praying”

Did anybody see this one coming? Probably not, but it’s exactly what it needs to be. Call “Praying” a moment of resolution, a moment of empowerment, a sonic “Fuck you” or a reclamation of the spirit, but Kesha knocks every ball out of the park with a elegantly powerful, edgy extraction from her soul. If you’ve ever wondered what grace sounds like, now you know.

Close Talker – “Okay Hollywood”

Feeling like a little Canadian indie shoegaze? Then get closer to Close Talker. On “Okay Hollywood” (from their album, Lens) the Sasakatoon trio groovily takes the LA-town down a few notches. Can you blame them? Yeah, neither can I.

LÉON – “Surround Me”

Nothing to say here other than LÉON is one of my 10 Artists To Watch In 2017.

Lewis Capaldi – “Lost On You”

Straight outta Bathgate, Scotland comes the riveting (like, be still your beating heart-riveting), stunningly beautiful and emotional (and vocal) capture of a faltering love by Lewis Capaldi. I find myself constantly concerned about what’s going on over there in Scotland where – on a damned consistent basis – the country produces artists with an unusually gorgeous ability to rend their souls with deft and delicate precision. Surgical. You may bleed a little after listening.

Here’s hoping that something in my MUSIC ON, WORLD OFF playlist lights your fire. In the meantime, happy New Music Friday, lovelies.