Each week, Faint Uproar offers up our picks for the five best newly released songs. Stream them and read our commentary below:
Ryan Adams – “Gimme Something Good”
So this was one of those rare and wonderful weeks where a bunch of musicians I really like all released new material. Among them is Ryan Adams, who also announced the upcoming release of his 14th studio album (out September 9). “Gimme Something Good” will kick off the album, and it suggests a return to Adams’ plugged-in, more rock-influenced sound. From the opening notes, it sounds an awful lot like Tom Petty, but that’s certainly not a bad fit for Adams. Here, he proves that he’s still more than capable of writing one hell of a catchy hook.
Spoon – “Do You”
Speaking of catchy, Spoon hasn’t sounded this good since their excellent, poppy 2007 album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. “Do You” is lively and fun, showing us that Brit Daniel’s signature yowl and the band’s songwriting chops are both still in fine form. We’ll get to see the full force of that soon, when they release their new album, They Want My Soul, on August 5. In the meantime, “Do You” feels like a perfect summer entry, inviting listeners to shimmy along while still packing a wallop.
Bon Iver – “Heavenly Father”
Justin Vernon is a perpetually busy guy, but this is the first new material we’ve heard under the title of his Bon Iver project since 2011. “Heavenly Father” is on the soundtrack for Zach Braff’s new movie, Wish I Was Here, and if nothing else, Braff is assembling some pretty fantastic music for his flick. “Heavenly Father” finds Vernon singing in a lower octave and a fuller voice than usual, which in my opinion is his sweet spot. Vernon rarely disappoints, and hopefully this is a hint that more Bon Iver material is just around the corner.
Titus Andronicus – “Stranded (On My Own)”
Patrick Stickles spoke openly about his personal struggles when he appeared on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast earlier in the year, and while it made for compelling listening, it also suggested that the future of Titus Andronicus was somewhat up in the air. Now, Stickles seems to be making steps to return to what he does so well, and “Stranded (On My Own)” is just as gritty, searing, and inviting as anything off Titus Andronicus’ phenomenal 2010 album, The Monitor.
Foxes In Fiction – “Shadow’s Song” (Feat. Owen Pallett)
Foxes in Fiction might be the least familiar name on this list to many, but by this point, Owen Pallett (who contributes some lovely, swooning strings on the track) has built quite the name for himself in the indie world. It’s a beautifully sombre collaboration, suggesting great things from Foxes in Fiction’s new album, Ontario Gothic (love the name), which will be out on September 23.
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