[Weekly Listening, Week 13 – 18]
I may have underestimated the extra workload a new term of Year 11 would bring, but finally here is the second installment of “Songs of the Summer”, albeit posted in autumn. Prepare yourself for my favourite ten songs from summer 2018, featuring fantastic tracks from Billie Eilish, Opia and James Arthur. Many of these songs broke Undertone records throughout the summer, and whilst their ranking may have changed by now, they are all still extremely listen-worthy tracks.
Here’s a quick recap of ranks 20 – 11, which you can read about in Part 1:
20. Forget to Forget by Shy Martin
19. you should see me in a crown by Billie Eilish
18. Aftertaste by Whethan, featuring Opia
17. idontwannabeyouanymore by Billie Eilish
16. Toothpaste Kisses by The Maccabees
15. Move by Pretty Vicious
14. Go Quietly by Marian Hill
13. Cave Song by Pretty Vicious
12. First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes
11. 3am by Parker Lane
10. Running With the Wild Things
by Against the Current from In Our Bones (2016)
18 plays (1:06:54)
The opener from New York pop-punk band Against the Current’s 2016 debut album sees them arrive on the world stage in style. Rock’s most talked-about new frontwoman Chrissy Costanza leads the charge in an electric performance full of vigour. Combine the on-beat snare drumming with rebellious, self-empowered lyrics and you have a track that’s difficult not to fall for. The lyrics can feel a little derivative and obvious at times (“Standardisation of the masses, give us a number, fail or pass us”), and the chorus groove may not be to everyone’s tastes, but all it’s faults are made up for in a hugely effective breakdown. A classic guitar slide sees Against the Current plunging into a final chorus – a vital addition, without which Running With the Wild Things may not have made it to spot number 10 on my list.
9. Nothing Gets Me High
by Bad Bad Hats from Lightning Round (2018)
18 plays (1:10:30)
Sometimes even songs with depressing lyrics can become confusingly positive through the power of the accompanying music. Such is true for The Beths’ Happy Unhappy, as well as Bad Bad Hats’ Nothing Gets Me High. In many ways an experimental pop tune, with plenty of sweeping synths and a slightly aimless bridge and outro, Nothing Gets Me High seems to add some optimism to Kerry Alexander’s realisation that there’s little that can be done to make her happy. A stellar hook and chorus carries the song, but the verse groove is nice and catchy too. I must say I’m not into the rather bizarre guitar outro, but perhaps there’s a deeper meaning that the band was going for with that. However, when you have a chorus like the one in Nothing Gets Me High, great outros don’t seem to matter anymore.
8. YDU (pluko remix)
by Opia from The Remixes – EP (2016)
19 plays (1:09:40)
The art of remixing can oftentimes seem harder than just writing an original song for electronic music producers. Rarely, if ever, do I find a remix better than the original, and often the increased tempos and extra-splicing on the vocals feel more like a gimmick than a valuable edit to a track. That is why Sam Martinsen, professionally known as pluko, appears to achieved the impossible on this edit of a lesser known Opia track. In an EP featuring four YDU remixes, pluko’s offering is easily the best of the lot, and in my opinion far surpasses the slightly slumbering original. Unlike the original, a sense of foreboding is created right from the off – the sound of rain and a distant bass synth can only mean one thing: thunder is about to strike. Sure enough it does, with one of the most awesome drops I’ve heard all year. The pounding kick drum will leave you breathless, along with a catchy new chorus melody. Interestingly, pluko goes for a second chorus that’s far more like like original, but worth sitting through for a second listening of the first chorus immediately afterwards. Here, I must say the drop is far less effective. Like a rollercoaster reaching it’s peak, the EDM-style climax slows almost to stop, before at last releasing the brakes for another thrilling chorus. The problem is that drops are all about the listener’s anticipation, and if blindingly obvious indicators of exactly when a drop is coming aren’t offered, the key moment is ruined. Even after 19 listens, I still struggle to get the timing for the final drop perfect every time. That said, the first drop is a perfect example of a great drop, whilst not being too cliché. With this one, there’s no doubt I’ll be jumping and landing bang on the beat of the chorus every single time. In that moment alone, YDU has established itself as an unforgettable song.
7. You Deserve Better
by James Arthur (Single) (2018)
20 plays (1:09:00)
After winning The X Factor in 2012, I had since written James Arthur off as another samey pop star, destined to slip into obscurity like so many other talent show winners. A fall from grace did indeed come quick dramatically for Arthur, but he returned triumphantly with his successful 2016 album, aptly titled Back From the Edge. He still didn’t make it into my headphones until I heard some of You Deserve Better on the radio earlier this year. Despite the tinny radio speakers, I could tell the bass on this thing would blow my mind when listened to on suitable headphones. Indeed, it did. One year on from the summer that brought funk-pop behemoth Attention, You Deserve Better sees Arthur follow in Puth’s footsteps in a quest to re-establish himself as an A-list pop star. Taking lessons from Charlie Puth who executed the formula so faultlessly in 2017, Arthur lays down a bassy, stripped back first chorus, with a gradual song progression towards a more filled out (and arguably worse) final chorus. Whilst a blissfully funky rhythm guitar is a welcome addition to this structure, the final chorus ends up feeling overproduced and slightly muddy, with unnecessary synth pads and backing ambiance adding nothing to the feel of the track. James Arthur’s constant freestyle warbling in the final chorus can also get annoying. Without these slip-ups, perhaps You Deserve Better would have been just as popular as its American predecessor.
6. Avant que je m’ennuie
by Mathieu Boogaerts from Mathieu Boogaerts (2012)
20 plays (1:11:00)
It’s time for a track very different from the rest of the list, courtesy of French pop and jazz singer Mathieu Boogaerts. A musician well-known in the genres of afro-pop and modern reggae, Boogaerts offers more of the latter in Avant que je m’ennuie (“Before I get bored”, to save you from heading to Google Translate like I did). A swing feel and occasional lazy horn adds extra jazz, and the unique sound of the French language offers a more pleasant, smoother feel than I’m used to. Indeed, Avant que je m’ennuie is at it’s essence a song for lazy days, never bothering for a build-up or showstopping final chorus, which is a refreshing change to the norm. The limited musical development may incite boredom for the listener (perhaps what Boogaerts wanted), but Avant seems quite happy poodling away at it’s own pace, and I’m all for it.
5. Still Feel.
by half•alive (Single) (2018)
33 plays (2:15:57)
I must admit, when I worked out that Still Feel. would only end up fifth in this list my initial reaction was a mixture of disbelief and disappointment. (In truth, Still Feel. only narrowly missed out against Strings Attached and Tieduprightnow through a tiebreaker, with each song having been played 33 times. Ranks were then decided based on time spent listening to each song.) After summer’s conclusion, Still Feel. became easily the most played song on this list, currently 8th place out of all songs featured on Undertone. So what makes me so desperate to show Still Feel. is a track worthy of much more than fifth place? Because it’s one hell of a pop song, that’s why. Initially labelled as “Song #11” in Josh Taylor’s effort to write 50 songs back in 2015 in order to sharpen his songwriting skills, Still Feel. proved to be the pick of the bunch, and despite being one of the bands’ first ever releases, it’s already wracking up millions of views on YouTube and sending waves across the indie pop world. It’s a song that specialises in perfection, with a wonderfully retro-yet-fresh feel throughout. From the melodic bassline to the intricate drum fills and choral backing harmonies, Still Feel. is packed with interest, with each finely polished component fitting into place with ease. The first two choruses deliver a pile-driving electro bass to please electronica fans (myself included), which helps to define the song as not just an eighties spin-off, but something very original. All that being said, it’s the final breakdown and chorus that really blows the listener away. Developed yet not overproduced (a feat James Arthur failed to pull off in You Deserve Better), it’s an almighty climax, topped off with blissful brass lines, by which point you’ll have probably lost your ability to speak. To put it simply, Still Feel. is a masterful 4 minutes of music, and without a doubt up there with Rex Orange County’s Never Enough and Royal Blood’s Figure It Out as a contender for my personal song of the year.
4. Tieduprightnow
by Parcels (Single) (2018)
33 plays (2:17:30), Song of the Week (Week 17)
Whilst Still Feel. may take the bulk of the praise now, it was Parcel’s Tieduprightnow that broke the records when the two songs faced each other in the momentous Week 17 battle. Achieving the most plays in a week ever (24 – more than 3 plays per day), there’s no doubting that Tieduprightnow is about as addictive as it gets. An ultra slick bass slide hits and all of a sudden you’re knee-deep in a glorious funk track, complete with rhythm guitar and electro synth. The main hook is arguably even better than the one in Still Feel., yet it lacks a killer climax or development. A contrasting bridge and breakdown really spices things up, before tension is released upon the entry of that unforgettable hook. It may not have the fancy tricks of Still Feel., but Tieduprightnow is still a song a absolutely adore.
3. Strings Attached
by Opia (Single) (2018)
33 plays (2:26:18), Song of the Week (Week 16)
Coming out on top of the three-way tiebreaker for third place is Opia’s Strings Attached, the third time the Californians’ have appeared in the top 20. With songwriting skills on display in Strings Attached, it’s not difficult to see why I love them so much. Formed after combining their talents at Yale University, Opia are an indie-electronic band, often taking inspiration from R&B. Strings Attached is less electro and more soothing pop, lead by fluttering guitars and soaring vocals. It makes for a heartfelt break from reality and is a classic example of a song able to invoke indescribable emotions. Much unlike YDU, this song keeps its humility with pleasant, delicate choruses starring a stunning lead melody. Electro-tinged interludes offer originality, despite the common use of stock chord progressions throughout. It takes a lot of courage to lay down a final chorus that is quieter, even less dramatic than the earlier ones, but here Opia pulls it off to great effect. Strings Attached doesn’t just end up being a staggeringly beautiful track, but something to get lost in.
2. my boy
by Billie Eilish from dont smile at me (2017)
36 plays (1:42:36), Song of the Week (Week 13)
Billie Eilish, the only artist to have had their songs played at least once for every week of summer (with idontwannabeyouanymore and my boy) is back at it again with another golden nugget of edgy electropop. If you should see me in a crown showed the very darkest side of Eilish, and idontwannabeyouanymore showed her sad side, then my boy is all about wittiness, yet of course it’s not all happy-clappy. The jarring and unexpected kick into the first chorus tells it all – “My boy likes his friends like I like my split ends / And by that I mean he cuts them off”. As per usual, Eilish comes up with some of the best lyrics you’re likely to hear in pop, made all the more remarkable by her age; it’s possible to take virtually any lyric from my boy and remark at it’s brilliance. The music is good too of course, with the unlikely pairing of a monstrous synth bass and tinkling piano in the chorus being among the highlights. With tracks like my boy, I just can’t wait to hear what’s next from the Californian electronica superstar of the future.
1. bellyache
by Billie Eilish from dont smile at me (2017)
36 plays (1:47:24), Song of the Week (Week 14), Song of the Summer 2018
It shouldn’t be a surprise to me that Billie Eilish would eventually rule supreme in this mini competition, having had my Eilish craze early on in the summer, compared to the other three best songs that were all discovered in the second half of the holiday. At the time bellyache narrowly topped my boy, yet now their positions have flipped. bellyache, opening with a set of lines first improvised in a genius songwriting session with older brother and fellow musician Finneas O’Connell, is one of those tracks best served live with Eilish’s infectiously enthusiastic performance style. The acoustic version is well worth a listen too. Sure, bellyache and my boy may not be my current favourites from this list, but through Eilish’s consistent excellence in electronica she earns the right to finish victor of what has turned out to be a much longer than anticipated review of the summer’s best tracks.
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