Happy New Music Friday, everyone! And a very respectful Juneteenth, as well.
This week, you’ll find tracks by some inventive, evocative Black artists, alongside a few raucous white boys. Feel free to dive right in!
“Face Down” by Key Glock
Taking a cue from the legends themselves, 2 Live Crew, Memphis’ own Key Glock delivers a carnal anthem for a new era.
Dubbed “Face Down”, the track’s inspiration will be instantly recognizable to oldheads (me) and hip-hop diehards. Glock then delivers his signature flow over a remarkably crafted beat, making for a track you’re gonna be cranking all summer.
“NEW AMERICA//” by KennyHoopla and Albert Hammond Jr.
Emo/pop-punk revolutionary KennyHoopla returns this week with a new single, and he’s bringing a Millennial icon with him. The punk rocker’s new tune “NEW AMERICA//” is a rhythmic masterpiece that features Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes.
It’s perfect from start to finish, and should be played everywhere.
“Have Spacesuit Will Travel” by Sleep
All hail the return of Sleep!
This week, the benevolent gods of stoner doom reemerged with a new song, “Have Spacesuit Will Travel”. It’s a riff-filled journey through the heavens, with a low end that keeps you anchored and not drifting too far from reality.
Notably, the track introduces fans to the band’s new blood: Dale Crover (Melvins) on drums and Bubba Dupree (Void) on guitar. Of course, founding bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros returns and also pens the track’s corresponding new Sleep comic book, which is currently available to pre-order.
Later this year, the band will head out on an extensive North American tour, where fans will get to hear “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” live, along with many more tunes from the band’s killer catalog.
“Family Bizzy” by La Reezy
New Orleans rapper La Reezy is a really fascinating talent. He has a profoundly unique approach, but there’s also something almost familiar about his flow. Like, a reincarnation of early André 3000.
This week, Reezy dropped “Family Bizzy”, a new single from his forthcoming debut album, Skiddle Bandana. The track is a soulful tribute to his southern upbringing, the elders who made him who he is, and how his family continues to hold him down.
“May this pain never leave” by Boundaries
Boundaries are stalwarts of something that only a handful of other bands are doing right now. They keep alive the early 2000s metalcore sound made iconic by bands like Norma Jean, Avenged Sevenfold, and Atreyu. (This is a whole conversation for another time, though.)
This week, Boundaries has released “May this pain never leave”, the third single from their new album, Yearning: the unbeautiful after, out July 17 on Sumerian Records.
My initial impression of the track was: “Holy f***.” It’s so g**damn heavy and BRUTAL, but beautifully balanced. There are chest-crushing breakdowns, and then there’s some gorgeous melody. It’s equal parts relentless and nurturing.
The post New Music Friday: 5 Songs You Need To Hear This Week (6/19) appeared first on VICE.
