I scanned a list of upcoming 2023 albums and didn’t see a lot to get excited about other than the Lana Del Rey release covered earlier this week.
New titles have been announced by Sam Smith, Pink, Shania Twain, Gorillaz, and Margo Price, to name a few, but I won’t go out of my way to hear any of those.
It’s still very early, though, so I’m sure some more exciting titles will pop up on the horizon. How about a new Ben Folds album, if the universe is taking suggestions?
Due to an oversight on my part, I initially left one of my top 20 albums off of the list. Adding it back in meant I had to bump the previous #20 into oblivion.
I realized the error after I had already started writing my posts, so rather than discard my thoughts on the unlucky album now in the 21st slot, I’m presenting them today in place of my usual Random Weekend post.
Paramore’s latest album After Laughter has been on steady rotation in my household lately. It’s the rare record all four of us like.
The tracks are mostly upbeat pop songs but today’s SOTD, ’26,’ is an exception. Written by lead singer Hayley Williams as a message to her younger self, the song celebrates the power of hope. In earlier songs, she wrote about staying grounded and not getting lost in the clouds, but here she calls out that worldview as cynical.
Paramore claims the #11 spot on Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop poll with their sprightly single ‘Hard Times.’
Despite the calypso beat and pop art video, this is song was inspired by a bout of depression suffered by lead singer Hayley Williams. The juxtaposition of music and lyrics makes for a pleasantly disorienting experience.
I’ve noticed a trend in the top Billboard songs, especially as we move into summer.
The big hits tend to either be hedonistic party anthems or touchy-feely motivational songs that could come right out of a self-help book.
As recent examples of the latter, think Pharell’s ‘Happy’ and Nico & Vinz’s ‘Am I Wrong?’ (both in the top ten) as well as today’s SOTD, Paramore’s ‘Ain’t It Fun.’
Meet Me In Montauk 