Not every song you make can be a hit. And boy, these artists proved that this week! Here are the most underwhelming tracks from this week’s New Music Friday.
- “PAIN” by King Princess
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If you ask me, King Princess is in her flop era. After producing a very successful EP and a handful of singles, King Princess’s music is just not living up to its expectations. Enter “PAIN,” another mediocre single released by my once beloved queer icon. Overall, I was genuinely confused by the arrangement on this single. The intro had me scratching my head, with KP mumbling over a hectic hook. The rest of the track didn’t fare any better, as the lyrics were confusing and hard to decipher over the heavy beat and bass line. I will say, the bass line on this song was pretty groovy, but was the only upside to this generally confusing tune.
- “Caroline” by Arlo Parks
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Arlo Parks is a twenty-year-old hailing from London, known for her confessional, honest lyrics and relaxed energy in her music. As far as disappointments go, this song isn’t actually that bad. But, given the scope of Arlo Park’s music career so far, I feel like she could have done better. To me, this song sounds jarringly similar to a song Parks already released, “Eugene.” Both songs feature a mellow beat, soft vocals, and a mesmerizing guitar track. I really enjoyed the vocals and harmonies on this tune, however, I wish Parks would be more willing to leave her comfort zone and try something new. This track isn’t the worst, but it’s definitely a safe play for Parks. That being said, at only twenty, I’m excited to see what direction she’ll take her music in the future.
- “Bedache” by Christian Leave
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If you’re into e-boys, Christian Leave is the artist for you. The tall, lanky, twenty-year-old singer has all the teenage girls swooning on Tiktok. And for good reason too! Yet, his most recent release, “Bedache,” just misses the mark for me. I think Christian Leave is most successful when his tracks stay acoustic and sweet. “Bedache” takes a different turn, full of hard-hitting beats and stronger guitar tracks. The main issue I have with this track is the painfully repetitive lyrics. Overall, this song isn’t terrible, I just think it’s Leave’s first time branching out from his usual style. With a little more practice and refinement, I think the young singer has the potential to do well in this sound.
Tune in again next Sunday to hear my opinions on next week’s new releases or follow my Spotify for more music suggestions!
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