Sign o’ the times
I may be biased, but it seems the most exciting new releases as of late have been pretty nostalgic. Here is my personal best of:
Miley
Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, released a new single as part of the 20-year celebrations of the show that made her a star — “Younger You”. A nice little folk/country tune about time gone by, it does draw on the expressive nature of her voice, some might say the sadness she so easily conveys… Nothing truly groundbreaking here, just a nice reminder that Cyrus is becoming more mature, which we all hope will bring in more interesting work!
Sir Paul
Mr. Paul McCartney himself also released a new single, this one called “Days We Left Behind”. Quite obviously, the notion of looking back is all over the track. Which arguably makes more sense coming from the 83-year old legend than from 33-year old Miley. As is always the case with McCartney, the song is good. Is it groundbreaking? Again, that would be a bit of stretch: what it is is beautifully played and orchestrated, with McCartney’s voice flying intensely over the proceedings… One note: the chorus does remind the listener (at least this one) of Johnny Cash’s seminal “Hurt”, his musical testament of sorts. “Days We Left Behind” may be light, but it does have some of that gravitas. Which is obviously welcome.
Raye
Let’s move on to the UK’s latest sensation. The island that fostered the 20th century’s greatest rock stars seemingly keeps producing interesting new talents — including the great Olivia Dean. Raye is one of those fresh superstars, and she just released her sophomore effort, This Music May Contain Hope. Its first single, "Where Is My Husband!”, may have been a massive hit, but I urge to listen to the latest, “Click Clack Symphony”, instead. Why? Because I’m a contrarian. Also, because it comes with a great deal of grandeur, which is always good — when done right. In this case, none other than Hans Zimmer gives a hand to create a track that arguably goes beyond pop and into really interesting and orchestral grounds. Dark, ambitious, beautiful, it does show that Raye is more than just a pop star — already…
Flea
To finish, Flea. The legendary bass player who was instrumental in making Red Hot Chili Peppers a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, decided at the tender age of 63 to become a… jazz trumpeter. And he did too: his debut solo album, “Honora”, is a remarkable rendition of iconic and new songs alike in a manner that is so idiosyncratically Flea’s. A subtle mix of bona fide jazz vibes, with soft trumpets and hushed drums, and his unmistakable funky rhythmic flow, the entire album is a tremendous piece of art and, I contend, one that will go down in jazz music history. Two particular songs stand out: a show-stopping cover of “Wichita Lineman”, in and of itself a remarkable tune, with Nick Cave providing his haunting vocals and the iconic guitar solo making way for Flea’s trumpet, of course ; and another cover, this time of a song that hadn’t particularly stuck with me, Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You”. From the opening orchestra-sized arrangements to that beautiful bass line that actually follows the original vocal melody to the trumpet that picks up the rest, Flea succeeds in making a nice song into an atmospheric masterpiece. Hats off to the now jazz great…