Listen to this week’s hottest singles from Suki Waterhouse, Dim Wizard and more.
This week WSN features singles from boygenius, The Frights, Suki Waterhouse and Dim Wizard. This week’s artists breathe new life into their music, from reviving Boygenius’ masterfully touching lyrics to Dim Wizard’s experiments with prolific musicians.
“Not strong enough” boygenius
Holden Lay, staff writer
boygenius’ latest single, “Not Strong Enough,” sits somewhere between the supergroup’s usual soul-confessional lyrics and Fleetwood Mac’s twinkling acoustic pop sound. Created by the combined forces of indie-folk stars Phoebe Bridgers, Julienne Baker and Lucy Dacus, ‘Not Strong Enough’, the fourth single from the trio’s forthcoming album ‘the record’, is as good a song as any to kick them off returning after a five-year hiatus. The song features significant vocal contributions from all three members, who reflect on personal frailty in relationships and lean heavily on stark imagery of isolation. Bridgers sings, “A black hole opened up in the kitchen / Every clock has a different time / All it takes is energy to fix it / I don’t know why me,” while Baker dreams of “drag racing through the canyon.” Backing up the drums, Dacus leads the three, repeating, “Always an angel, never a god” over and over. Baker’s atmospheric guitar ties everything together, creating an unforgettable showcase of the stronger, more anthemic side of Boygenius’ sound.
“Love” by Sookie Waterhouse
Ana Marks, author-author
Actress, model and singer Sookie Waterhouse had a busy weekend. The long-awaited Prime Video series Daisy Jones and Six , starring Waterhouse as a keyboard player in a 1970s rock band, debuted on Friday. She released “To Love” on the same day. her first music release of the year. The track combines Waterhouse’s underlying hypnotic voice with an ethereal beat and a 90s dream pop guitar sound that permeates throughout. Waterhouse provides layered, powerful vocals, adding a soaring gospel note towards the end of the track.
Unlike her previous EP, Milk Teeth, which dealt with Waterhouse’s past woes, “To Love” offers a glimpse into her state of pure pleasure, oblivious to the outside world. She basks in the glow of simple infatuation: “And we talk about how lucky we were / When we watched the old lovers we shunned / While the world falls apart / You’re so easy to love.” In this track, Waterhouse, moving away from the soulful, nostalgic lyrics that have permeated her previous work, embraces the hope of romance.
“Ride the Vibe” by Dim Wizard
Ethan Beck, staff writer
Founded by DC musician David Combs, Dim Wizard is to fuzzy indie rock what DJ Khaled is to pop rap. Whenever he has time, Combs gets together with a group of his friends and works with them until a song is born, and “Ride the Vibe” is the latest product of Combs’ collaboration. Featuring ex-The Sidekicks frontman Steve Ciolek, the track was co-written with indie-punk legend Jeff Rosenstock and co-produced by Illuminati’s Sarah Tudin. Despite having so many different contributors, “Ride the Vibe” is a cohesive piece of power pop reminiscent of rockers like Dazy and Antarctigo Vespucci.
“When it feels like a wasteland / I wonder how much longer I can take, man,” Cholek sings, hot and exhausted in one of the best choruses of the year.
The main elements of “Ride the Vibe” are the drums that you feel in your chest and various backing vocals that add a lightness to the song. The track has been recorded since early 2021, so “Ride the Vibe” is likely just the beginning of this era of stellar Dim Wizard collaborations.
“I’m a Beatle” by The Frights
Katherine Manotas, Contributing Author
Starting with a chant-like repetition of the song’s title, The Frights’ new single, “I’m a Beatle,” is either an ode to The Beatles or a mockery of the rock star life. Released as the first single from the band’s new album, Gallows Humor , out June 2nd, the song suggests a more edgy and abstract turn for the band — at least compared to their work. “I’m a Beatle” flips between slurred, angry chants with matching drum beats and verses of calmly picked guitar melodies paired with world-building lyrics.
Despite being sonically contradictory, the two pieces are linked by the song’s overarching angry nature and the long repetition of certain lines. For example, the phrase “don’t think I’m having fun anymore”—a scathing comment about the music industry—is repeated throughout the second verse. Other lines also build on this theme: “The record’s cool and you’re going on tour” and “I want my drugs and I want to record.”
Whether the band approaches The Beatles or mocks them, The Frights make fans think about the legacy of the famous band and the influence of classic British rock on the music industry.
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