Music On, World Off: Look, A Kitten

Hey, lovelies: happy Friday. Here’s a kitten. A hell of a cute kitten.

A hell of a cute kitten getting his nap on atop a guitar. Why? Just to offer a tiny – but very necessary – distraction from the dumpster fires happening outside in the real world. Another distraction I’m offering is this week’s edition of my Music On, World Off Spotify playlist: 13 fresh songs from 13 artists doing their musical thing. After all, it is New Music Friday.

Something of a love curveball comes from Imagine Dragons with “Next To Me”: a curveball in that it’s a uniquely relationship-intimate song, more so than ID fans are probably used to. From their sophomore and self-titled album out today, “Petrichor” is the very personal sound of Los Angeles-by-way-of Wales Until The Ribbon Breaks‘ reaffirmation of life and love after a 3+ year hiatus while Canadian soulster Elise LeGrow wraps her husky and limber voice around her funky combo rendition of Bo Diddley’s “You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover” paired with Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me.” Two songs for the price of one.

Afer six singles, Mt. Joy finally ply their folk-rock wares in full with their upcoming self-titled debut album (due out 3/2): one of the stand out songs being “Dirty Love.” And while Nashville’s Wilder sings about “California,” Nova Scotia’s Rich Aucoin deploys a wicked bass line in an electronic rock jam about “The Fear.”

Also, say hello to the “Heavenly” Pale Waves, Ellie Goulding, Lauv and more in Music On, World Off so get on in there, give it a ‘follow’ and never miss an opportunity to eyeball cute AF kittens. Trust, it’s good for the soul.

Happy New Music Friday, folks.