One of the reasons why I love Spotify is because they generate curated playlists for you based on your likes, follows, and listening activity. From Discover Weekly to On Repeat and mood-based compilations like Happy Mix and Moody Mix, there is always an option for when I’m not exactly sure what I feel like listening to or want to listen to a variety of artists without putting the whole library on shuffle. One of my favorite playlists, though, is Release Radar. I love listening to new releases as soon as they drop, but I’m interested in so many artists that sometimes I lose track of who’s releasing new music and when. Not only does Spotify include songs by artists that I already follow and have liked songs by, but they also throw in other songs and artists that are similar to the type of music I have been listening to recently. This past week my Release Radar was particularly exciting, with new music from artists that haven’t had releases in a while and long-awaited tracks finally becoming available. There were also a few songs by artists I don’t typically listen to that really stuck with me. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
“C’mon Loretta” Trixie Mattel
Lately, I’ve been listening to Trixie Mattel nonstop, so I was delighted when Trixie recently announced that she will be releasing 2 albums this summer: The Pink Album and The Blonde Album. When she made this announcement, it was also revealed a new single, “C’mon Loretta” would drop on April 15. After anxiously counting down the days, I could not have been more pleased with “C’mon Loretta.” Written about the life and legacy of Loretta Lynn and accompanied by a sporty pastel music video with a shocking twist, the song perfectly encapsulates Mattel’s signature aesthetic and talented songwriting abilities. The opening melody and chorus are catchy, the ‘60s/’70s pop sound maintains high energy throughout the song, and the lyrics narrate an intriguing true story. I have not been able to stop listening to “C’mon Loretta” since it was released, and I am so excited to hear the rest of the songs on the upcoming albums!
“Settle Down” Ricky Montgomery
You’ve probably heard Ricky Montergomery floating around TikTok, as “Mr Loverman” was trending for a while around August 2020. Since then, he has released a few singles, although the majority of his newest work has been remixes and variations on his 2016 album Montgomery Ricky, the album I fell in love with. However, this week, finding “Settle Down” on my Release Radar playlist led me to find out that he has very recently released an entire EP titled It’s 2016 Somewhere! I was thrilled and pleasantly surprised to find Montgomery flowing from my speakers as I listened to the updated playlist for the first time. “Settle Down” is representative of the typical Montgomery sound, with very relaxed energy accompanying his unique vocals. Lazily bittersweet, “Settle Down” sings of a strained relationship torn between one person who has strong feelings for their partner and the other who, frustratingly, isn’t putting their all into the relationship anymore.
“Palm Springs” Modern Original, The Mowgli’s
As soon as this song started, I was immediately hooked and totally captivated by its energy. I’m not a follower of either band, but the sound reminded me strongly of DREAMERS, who I have been a fan of for some years now. In fact, when this song played for the first time I checked to see if it actually was a new DREAMERS song! Slow, heavy beats imitate the feeling of slugging through humid heat in the middle of summer, and the vocals emulate the longing ache of wishing to be on vacation. “Palm Springs” is the perfect summer jam, so throw on some shades and cruise out to the beach while basking in the low-key flow of this song.
“For Now” Doom Mutal, Davis Gestiehr, Daphne Browdy
“For Now” also vaguely confused me on my first listen, making me hesitantly question whether or not it was Phoebe Bridgers singing (it’s not). Soft, airy vocals contrast with the grungy electric guitar and prominent drum beat. The lyrics are moody and melancholy, but the song maintains enough energy musically to balance out the weight of the words. This song expertly combines a love of pop-punk with aspects of indie music. Although I don’t have as much to say about this song because the artist is new to me, you’ll see exactly why this song has become an instant favorite of mine. It’s one of those songs that’s hard to describe but has an impeccable vibe. I will definitely be keeping an ear out for Doom Mutual in the future!
I hope that these songs were as new and interesting to you as they were to me! If you need me, I’ll be listening to this Release Radar playlist on repeat until the next update.
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