Staff Pixx 10/22
Looking for new tunes? The Music Staff submits their favorite songs of each week for the Staff Pixx radio show. If you can’t tune in Tuesdays at 6pm, check in to the Milk Crate home page for a full playlist, along with notes from each of our writers!
Erin Christie
Letter by Dehd
A somber addition to the band’s otherwise punchy discography, “Letter” is a slow burn, spanning out in simplistic, steady riffs. In describing the feelings following some kind of change, the band delves deep and isn’t afraid to get vulnerable. I can imagine this song soundtracking an 80s montage, the lead protagonist engaged in a slow dance with their fleeting first love.
Lily Hartenstein
Häagen Dasz by Ghetto Sage
Chicago legends Smino, Noname, and Saba figured they work together so often they might as well form a group together, and thus Ghetto Sage was born. This first and only single so far, Häagen Dazs, sets the tone for what we can expect from this Midwest supergroup in the future, and it certainly has me hooked and ready for more. The song nails the type of sound each artist is able to thrive in, which is the sweet spot between vibey and catchy. Each individual artist is given the space to nail their own bars with their distinct sound, pleasing the fans of each of them, but it all blends together in a cohesive and infectious way that is sure to bring in more listeners.
Faith Malicdem
Honey Do List by Lonely Benson and Low Talker
A thumping bass and delayed syncopated drum beat lead listeners through the five stages of grief in “Honey Do List,” which is a collaborative and groovy take on heartbreak. With Lonely Benson’s Bossa Nova repertoire and Low Talker’s electro-psychedelic vibe, the tune resolves the effervescent honeymoon stages of a relationship exhibited in their first collaborative single “Rosaline.”
Owen Murray
Yr Throat (Live) by Jeff Rosenstock
Yr Throat is a standout song from Jeff Rosenstock’s new live album Death Rosenstock. Originally, from his 2018 album -POST, the song takes on a new life live. Jeff’s strained vocal cords and the band’s messy but passionate playing come together to create an even greater sense of urgency. You almost feel the emotional moshing as Jeff screams “What's the point of having a voice when it gets stuck inside your throat,” adding an “F the police” for good measure, making the target of the song crystal clear.
Annie Wojnarowski
Hit Me Where It Hurts by Caroline Polachek
A stand out from her debut solo album, Pang, Caroline Polachek comes strong with this ballad about lack of control. The song starts with Caroline’s voice in a muffled tone with minimal instruments, however as the song progresses, it gets more and more textured and passionate. Declaring that she’s “feeling like a butterfly trapped inside a plane”, Caroline realizes that she has no control over something that she wants to dearly to dominate.
Simone Tranfaglia
Joshua Snakes by Common Holly
Joshua Snakes, a highlight of Common Holly's sophomore record, When I Say to You Black Lightning. While the song starts with a glitchy textural noise it slowly fuses into a hushed funky groove. The Montreal-based artist, Brigitte Naggar, who performs under the name Common Holly, expressed the purpose of her album when she told Northern Transmissions, “While it’s obviously personal and based off of my own experience, I want this album to feel familiar— life gets complicated as we grow, people form relationships to each other, they lose things, they discover pain, fear, self-delusion; sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s weird, often it sucks—and we have to navigate our way through all of that.” She also released new tour dates around the United States along with the album.
Kenneth Cox
Pop Song by Perfume Genius
In the midst of touring his new dance production, The Sun Still Burns Here, Perfume Genius has shared a new track from the project, “Pop Song”. Much like the best work of Mike Hadreas, “Pop Song” is gorgeously produced, filled with warm synths and harmonic touches that make the song feel simultaneously intimate and panoramic. With more songs on the way and Hadreas’ dance performance continuing to tour the US, “Pop Song” shows there are even more great things on the way from Perfume Genius.
Isaiah Anthony
Puppets (Succession Remix) by Pusha T
Coinciding with the season 2 finale of HBO’s hit drama, ‘Succession,’ this track by Virginia rapper Pusha samples the show’s extraordinary theme song, composed by Nicholas Britell. Pusha T’s lyrics perfectly encapsulate the show’s themes of manipulation, intrigue, and betrayal.
Simon Luedtke
Clear by Abe Luedtke
Call me biased, but my 17-year-old brother’s debut album is graceful, fluid, and objectively the best project to be released this year. His masterful eight-song record Wild Iris Ridge is a transportive jazz experience centered around one of Oregon’s finest public parks. With Ryan Helms on sax, Ryan Hirth on keyboard, and Abe Luedtke on keys, every song is an unstoppable jam. But enough of my thoughts. Check out Milk Crate later this week for a comprehensive review from our own Mateo Rispoli!
That’s it for this week! Be sure to tune in to Staff Pixx on Saturdays 5-7pm for our weekly Music News show!