It's a monumental week, folks! School is caput - High Schoolers are graduating and yes, all your friends are getting married. It's a wild time to be alive, and since Zeus is cranking the thermostat, it's time to cool off with some slick chill Summer Jams. We're really settling into a gang of four or five summer stallwarts now - who is going to emerge on top? Keep reading, folks.
Hot Jam of the Week: "Something Bad" by Miranda Lambert ft. Carrie Underwood
I'm really not a country fan. Any long time reader of this column should know that I like to present a solid mix of alt rock, chicky pop, and gangsta rap - but I generally shy away from Country. It's just complete anathema to me. But yeah, "Something Bad" is a legit track, and follows more in that recent Taylor Swift tradition of more pop-infused country jams. There's never been a more convincing duo in sexiness in the history of the world here, and this does strangely feel simultaneously like a classic country jam and a much more mainstream pop ballad. But Country is mainstream, right? Hot Jam.
Ride My Bicycle: "Best Friend" by Foster the People
I'm really torn by Foster the People, because they had their hugest jam with "Pumped Up Kicks", which was really a lovely track, but they've got so many other spectacular songs. This one probably falls somewhere along with "Coming of Age" in that it doesn't totally reach as high as they can go. But it's got lots of room to catch on and make some Summer Waves. And that vid's trippy as hell.
Two is Good: "2 On" by Tinashe ft. Schoolboy Q
This song was actually in my head all week. I really like its intro that blends into Tinashe's sweet vocals and Schoolboy Q has proven himself an excellent addition to any track. It's kind of too much of a mimicry of Jhene Aiko, who can out-coo any other sister out there right now, but I can still dig it.
Graduation Anthem: "Hangover" by PSY ft. Snoop Dogg
This was another track that got stuck in my head all week this week. It's a fitting anthem to all the life events that inspire drunken antics this time of year and it's also a really funny video and song. It's rewarding both to see PSY doing anything besides "Gangnam Style" as well as Snoop dishing out some pretty heavy doses of doofiness. Solid. I'm not sure if this is actually getting airplay or not, but it sure gets a lot of lifeplay from me.
Mr. Anderson: "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith
Our boy Sammy is blowing up right now and he's somewhat been proving himself more than just another forlorn white boy in the crowd. This has really got some weight to it that's nice to unwind to after that hangover caused by PSY and Snoop. It's the Hangunder track of the summer, folks.
Oh Look - Summer: "Summer" by Calvin Harris
I called this our Hot Jam way back in Week 1 and now it finally seems like this is actually taking off as a good little Summer Jam. Maybe not so little - it's popping at just the right time to go on a serious run at the whole damn thing. I think that Iggy and Iggy especially are peaking right now, and this could very well be the heir apparent. Keep two eyes and three ears on this one, folks.
Spendiferous: "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charlie XCX
I think that "Fancy" has crested, although I've been saying that for the past three weeks or so. It's losing a bit of its novelty and getting pretty dangerously close to overplayed status, or at least "not hot" status, and as a result, I may have to take an axe to it next week. This week, though, it still reigns. Well, almost but for -
None I Can See: "Problem" by Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea
It was a bit of a toss-up this week until the iHeart Radio show this week that really catapulted it to the top. I think all that iHeart crap is kind of bullshit, but to see Ariana live you really get a feel for that voice, even if her style and dancing is still the most typical pop bullshit ever. Still, this song is an earworm, and by now it's committed a pretty fair case for its inclusion as a serious Summer Jam contender come September. Unless we fall in love when the leaves turn brown.
Next week...
I like getting a glimpse of Shakira's "Empire" this week, even if it landed a while ago, and I was also looking at Charlie XCX's "Boom Clap," although I'm not sure she's as strong a soloist as a hook singer. Anyway, "Fancy" could launch her, but I'll restrain a little before announcing it as a Hot Jam. Stay tuned folks, this is getting really good.
Hot Jam of the Week: "Something Bad" by Miranda Lambert ft. Carrie Underwood
I'm really not a country fan. Any long time reader of this column should know that I like to present a solid mix of alt rock, chicky pop, and gangsta rap - but I generally shy away from Country. It's just complete anathema to me. But yeah, "Something Bad" is a legit track, and follows more in that recent Taylor Swift tradition of more pop-infused country jams. There's never been a more convincing duo in sexiness in the history of the world here, and this does strangely feel simultaneously like a classic country jam and a much more mainstream pop ballad. But Country is mainstream, right? Hot Jam.
Ride My Bicycle: "Best Friend" by Foster the People
I'm really torn by Foster the People, because they had their hugest jam with "Pumped Up Kicks", which was really a lovely track, but they've got so many other spectacular songs. This one probably falls somewhere along with "Coming of Age" in that it doesn't totally reach as high as they can go. But it's got lots of room to catch on and make some Summer Waves. And that vid's trippy as hell.
Two is Good: "2 On" by Tinashe ft. Schoolboy Q
This song was actually in my head all week. I really like its intro that blends into Tinashe's sweet vocals and Schoolboy Q has proven himself an excellent addition to any track. It's kind of too much of a mimicry of Jhene Aiko, who can out-coo any other sister out there right now, but I can still dig it.
Graduation Anthem: "Hangover" by PSY ft. Snoop Dogg
This was another track that got stuck in my head all week this week. It's a fitting anthem to all the life events that inspire drunken antics this time of year and it's also a really funny video and song. It's rewarding both to see PSY doing anything besides "Gangnam Style" as well as Snoop dishing out some pretty heavy doses of doofiness. Solid. I'm not sure if this is actually getting airplay or not, but it sure gets a lot of lifeplay from me.
Mr. Anderson: "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith
Our boy Sammy is blowing up right now and he's somewhat been proving himself more than just another forlorn white boy in the crowd. This has really got some weight to it that's nice to unwind to after that hangover caused by PSY and Snoop. It's the Hangunder track of the summer, folks.
Oh Look - Summer: "Summer" by Calvin Harris
I called this our Hot Jam way back in Week 1 and now it finally seems like this is actually taking off as a good little Summer Jam. Maybe not so little - it's popping at just the right time to go on a serious run at the whole damn thing. I think that Iggy and Iggy especially are peaking right now, and this could very well be the heir apparent. Keep two eyes and three ears on this one, folks.
Spendiferous: "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charlie XCX
I think that "Fancy" has crested, although I've been saying that for the past three weeks or so. It's losing a bit of its novelty and getting pretty dangerously close to overplayed status, or at least "not hot" status, and as a result, I may have to take an axe to it next week. This week, though, it still reigns. Well, almost but for -
None I Can See: "Problem" by Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea
It was a bit of a toss-up this week until the iHeart Radio show this week that really catapulted it to the top. I think all that iHeart crap is kind of bullshit, but to see Ariana live you really get a feel for that voice, even if her style and dancing is still the most typical pop bullshit ever. Still, this song is an earworm, and by now it's committed a pretty fair case for its inclusion as a serious Summer Jam contender come September. Unless we fall in love when the leaves turn brown.
Next week...
I like getting a glimpse of Shakira's "Empire" this week, even if it landed a while ago, and I was also looking at Charlie XCX's "Boom Clap," although I'm not sure she's as strong a soloist as a hook singer. Anyway, "Fancy" could launch her, but I'll restrain a little before announcing it as a Hot Jam. Stay tuned folks, this is getting really good.
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