Like I’m sure many of you did, I was up early on Saturday to watch the Royal Wedding. It was great! There was lots of history, lots of cool clothing, and a lot of joy. I would definitely do it again. That being said, as someone who is decidedly not a morning person, I am not designed to wake up that early on a Saturday. I was feeling the drag all day. This week’s Take 5 is not a sleep playlist, but I did fall asleep with my headphones on at one point on Sunday, so everything I was listening to was a sleep playlist. Now that we’ve all caught up on our sleep, let’s get into this week’s selections.
Morgxn, The Naked and Famous – alone/forever
We start this song with a title that might relate to the feelings of some single folks watching the Royal Wedding this weekend (I promise this is the last Royal Wedding joke). Morgxn unveiled his debut album vital on Friday, and there are a number of great tracks to pick from. One of the highlights of the album is “alone/forever,” a track that showcases Morgxn’s electronically drenched pop sound and intimate, inviting lyrical prowess. As the title implies, Morgxn sings about his fear of living out his life on his own. The track also gets an assist from The Naked and Famous, with frontwoman Alisa Xayalith providing her own verse and harmony work on the chorus.
Tayls – Pop Tart (Queer Boy Small Town)
I’ve been listening to Nashville punk band Tayls‘ new self-titled EP all weekend, and I remain impressed on each listen. The brainchild of Taylor Cole, the EP dives into a lot of big questions and life experiences, all while presenting a multitude of different sounds. This is illustrated perfectly by “Pop Tart (Queer Boy Small Town).” A song about Cole’s childhood as a queer youth in a close-minded environment, “Pop Tart” is Cole opening up his history for the world to say. Between Cole’s impassioned shouts, a funky bass line, and perfectly placed fiddles, “Pop Tart” is an eclectic song that reveals new depths of music and ideas no matter how many times you press play.
Betty Who – Taste
Sometimes we make mistakes in who we choose to date or be with. It happens, maybe they’re not a great person, or maybe it just doesn’t work. At the same time, sometimes the inherent chemistry overrides our brains and we keep going back. That’s the subject of Betty Who‘s new song “Taste.” A big, biting hook and fantastic backing vocals set the table for Who to explore her mistakes. You see, Who just keeps on going back to guys she knows she shouldn’t because of her, “appetite,” lets say. As she sings on the chorus, Who explains it with the line “The worse they are the better they taste.” With a range of intensities that lets Who both croon and belt in equal measures, “Taste” is another triumph for one of our best active pop stars.
Mitski – Geyser
I am down for new Mitski literally all the time. You could wake me up at 4am and if you have new Mitski music for me, I will not be upset. Last week was a good time for me, as Mitski returned with a new single called “Geyser.” We already know Mitski can do whatever the hell she wants and pull it off magnificently, and “Geyser” is an illustration of that. From the looming, ominous intro to the powerful and stirring ending, “Geyser” is always delivering something new. It’s hard to believe the track is only two and a half minutes long because so much happens in it, yet “Geyser” never feels rushed or hurried. If you are not a Mitski fan yet, “Geyser” is a great place to dive in.
Van William – Cosmic Sign
Knowing what you’re going to do with your life on a large scale is an intimidating venture. I still have absolutely no clue where I’ll be in a couple months, let alone years down the road. Van William can relate on his track “Cosmic Sign,” but he also carries hope and his history with him. “Cosmic Sign” find William delivering his message with a truly captivating warmth and honesty to go with his many skills with a guitar. While he’s looking for the titular sign, he also is drawing on his own experiences to help guide him, a lesson we all could learn from. With this much charm and skill in one song, “Cosmic Sign” should be on your shortlist when you need a musical pick-me-up.
Subscribe to our ‘Take 5’ playlist on Spotify!
