Staff Pix: 12/2

The Milk Crate staff’s favorite tracks of the week, presented with blurbs worthy of a promotional sticker on a jewel case. Tune in Fridays from 2-3 EST to the Staff Pix radio show.

Lauren Larking

After Midnight BY Phoenix

Phoenix returns to the indie pop scene with their seventh album Alpha Zulu that dropped on November 4th. “After Midnight” was the last single dropped from the album and its synthy, upbeat instrumentals perfectly fit the adrenaline of an illicit, late night meet up that the lyrics describe. The guitar riffs under the chorus build-up are Stroke’s adjacent, almost as if a snippet of the bridge from “The Adults are Talking” was dropped right in. Lead singer Thomas Mars croons “When the sun is almost gone/it's not enough,” which immerses the listener in Phoenix's world, where daytime is never enough and all too much. Glad to see we all feel the same about daylight savings.

Parker Bennett

American Lawn BY Blake Rouse

Indie Colorado-based folkster Blake Rouse is back with his latest single, “American Lawn,” and it’s a beautiful development of the sounds he’s flirted with up to this point. Initially burgeoning from TikTok, the release of Rouse’s EP For Myself, and You in 2021 saw the 19 year-old artist releasing his first substantial body of work, and it was an incredible showcasing of cheekily poetic lyricism, folk-driven instrumentation, and an overall production quality that greatly exceeded his relative obscurity. “American Lawn” takes everything that made that EP great and refines it, resulting in an anthemic track that sets Rouse and his guitar center stage with a charmingly demure magnetism. The song sticks strictly to this acoustic aesthetic, and the entire performance is mixed in a way that mimics a live recording, even going so far as to include the faint roars of a nameless audience’s applause. The result feels incredibly intimate and meticulously unpolished, and Rouse’s gentle musings are made all the more impactful because of it. Lyrically, Rouse personifies himself as an “American Lawn,” which he paints as the setting for the deterioration of domestic bliss, the crushing weight of materialistic rat-races, and the hypocrisies of futile personal development. It’s certainly heavy, but the messages are delivered with a biting wit that makes the blow feel entirely welcome, and the audience is hand-in-hand on the crescendo that Rouse has orchestrated here, resulting in a cathartic build that feels entirely earned by its conclusion. For folk fans of any sort, this song is an absolute must-have for your favorite sing-along playlist, and hopefully cements Blake Rouse’s spot as an artist you’re definitely going to want to keep your eyes on.

Shreya Partha

Endless Return by Elder

Released Nov. 25, Elder shares their newest album “Innate Passage” featuring five new songs. Out of the five, my personal favorite was “Endless Return” because of its fast tempo and impressive guitar riffs. It’s clear the song is meant to shed more fan appreciation on the instrumentals themselves rather than the vocals and Elder delivers flawlessly. They are able to switch from a more upbeat tone to a solemn instrumental by just switching out the instruments they use seamlessly. As is customary with Elder, “Endless Return”clocks in at around nine minutes, but it feels both much longer and much shorter than that. The song isn’t simply a song; it’s an endeavor. The highs and lows are eerily conveyed through the music. Yet, by the time you are fully able to grasp the full extent of the song, it’s over and you are left a melting pot of emotions. 

Farah Rincon

Rebels Without Applause BY Morrissey

Despite the fact that "Rebels Without Applause" was released just last Friday, the song evokes vivid memories of Morrissey's former sound as The Smiths' frontman. The new single is all too familiar with the upbeat guitar chords, fast-paced strums, and percussions that build tension up to the catchy chorus. It is somewhat similar to The Smiths’ “This Charming Man,” as both produce a lighthearted, playful melody to dance to in the sunshine. Nevertheless, while Morrissey’s sound has remained persistent since the 80s, it is clear that his voice has evolved into a more mature tone, yet is still recognizable. “Rebels Without Applause” is a clear sign that Morrissey shows no signs of stopping and will provide for his longing fanbase with songs about romance, friendship, and emotions, just like in the old days.

Nathan Hilyard

Boy’s a Liar BY PinkPanthress

After emerging from tik tok stardom, PinkPanthress has proved to be one of the most consistent internet music stars in recent memory. She grew in popularity after her viral hits “Pain” and “Break if Off,” which were both featured on her 2021 mixtape “to hell with it.” Since the mixtape, she has released several singles for an upcoming project, “Boy’s a Liar” being the most recent. PinkPanthress has mastered the drum and bass sound and perfectly blends it with other aspects of dance, bed-room pop, and 2-step garage. Most of her songs are short, with quick builds and satisfying, danceable breaks. “Boy’s a Liar” is no exception to this formula, bursting with quick melodies and shareable lyrics. PinkPanthress is the internet’s perfect pop star, keeping things simple and incredibly clean in her microscopic club hits. 

Stephanie Weber

christopher street BY Kevin Atwater

New York based singer/songwriter Kevin Atwater has released another heart wrenching song poignantly titled “christopher street.” Released along with October song “star tripping,” “christopher street” is emotionally charged, dealing with love and loss in a beautifully corrupted way. Like much of his other music, “christopher street” is acoustic, similar to Phoebe Bridgers and other artists who deal with queerness in tender ways. The song opens with Atwater setting the scene of loving someone who doesn’t have a clue about those feelings, with the lines “I've never wanted to take my clothes off so much/We almost did but you fell asleep watching Roma,” after a walk on Christopher Street. The chorus only repeats once, yet it’s powerful in its ephemeral lines. My favorite section of the chorus is “If you kiss me now/You can kill me later,” describing the longing that so many queer folks have about short-term satisfaction and gratification versus the possibility of long-term relationships.  The outro concludes the song with the lyric “I can never walk that street again” repeating seven times. The outro is accompanied with the voices of small children, possibly rejoicing at a playground, a space of community and forgiveness. I know “christopher street” will be on repeat until the next release from Atwater.

Patrick McGill

Last ChristmaS (Cover) by Remi Wolf

Covers are a little tricky sometimes, especially when the song has been so steeped in popular culture around a particular time. How can an artist handle it? Remi Wolf not only manages but does so with flying colors on her cover of Wham’s “Last Christmas”. Does it particularly alter the song in any major way? No, but it has enough flourishes and charm that makes it its own. Starting with a bossa nova inspired beat that gives the song a lo-fi flavor indicative of Remi’s previous work, smaller guitar swells slide throughout giving a spacey, ambient, sound that sets it apart from the original while not being too dark to ruin the traditional pop structure from the original. On top of everything is the true star of the track: Remi’s performance. It's so smiley and playful that, despite hearing this song so many times before, it feels as if you’re listening to it for the first time. This is a perfect way to start off December and will make a solid addition to 2022’s holiday playlist.

Everly Orfanedes 

silver second by quinnie

Snow season is upon us, and indie-folk artist, quinnie, has served us a sad song for the up and coming time of year. Quinnie’s most recent release, thank you wisdom angel i love you, contains two singles, “silver second,” and her cover of the Christmas classic “silver bells”. Quinnie gives her personal take on a holiday song in “silver second,” which sets the tone of a bitterly cold, lonesome winter through beautiful, poetic lyrics. Quinnie encapsulates the loneliness and coziness throughout the song, both with the verses and chorus’. Her subtle, specific details such as “sweating through your coat,” describe the feelings of quiet discomfort around the holidays, especially your first holiday living away from home. Silver second shines light on the importance of those few chances holidays give to spend with your family, all together again, every year. She ends the song, singing “Ring around the year, end up right back here.” 

Lily Suckow Ziemer

Paralyzed by Big Time Rush

The early 2000s boy band, Big Time Rush’s newest single “Paralyzed” was released November 25, 2022. The band first rose to fame in 2009 on their self-titled Nickelodeon show. “Paralyzed” debuted on this show in the 2011 episode “Big Time Rocker,” but it was never released. After a long hiatus, Big Time Rush began to release music again in 2021, even going on tour. After great demand from fans, the group re-recorded “Paralyzed,” performing it a day before its release on streaming platforms at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s an upbeat pop tune, reminiscent of the era in which it was first created. The lyrics are a sweet reflection of someone afraid to talk to the person they like. Logan Henderson and Kendall Schmidt begin the first verse: “you walked into the room / On a Friday afternoon / That's when I saw you for the first time / And I was paralyzed.” Even after so many years and the landscape of music shifting, “Paralyzed” will still have you smiling and singing along.

Anne O’Leary

On My Way BY Emotional Oranges 

The mysterious RnB duo Emotional Oranges are back with their upcoming album E04*. The second track “On My Way” is a sensual tropical sound with hints of Caribbean and Latin influences. The lyrics describe a lover traveling from a distance and rekindle their romance. The chorus reads: “Distance between us, a thousand miles away/Temperature rising, ooh girl I'm on the way/This house without you, a really lonely place/This house without you, a really lonely place.” Emotional Oranges are a really underrated RnB group who have been putting bop after bop since 2019. The LA duo who go by “A” and “V” are known for their privacy and don’t even show their faces in photographs. But the stripped down slow jams are very intimate and personal. I first fell in love with Emotional Oranges when I listened to their most popular (and best) track “West Coast Love” a bouncy upbeat track that still emulates the coolness. If you like artists like Daniel Caesar, Kali Uchis, The Internet, and Free Nationals, then you’ll like Emotional Oranges. 

Will Ingman

Vivien by ✝✝✝ (Crosses)

Described by frontman Chino Moreno (one of his four non-Deftones projects) as “minimal and soothing…the stuff [he] likes to listen to when not screaming”, and steeped in Moreno’s interest in mystique and religion, Crosses’ glitchy, multi-layered production bears the hallmarks of the classic Deftones sound, but adds an extra je ne sais quoi. While “Vivien” is not a minimal track by any definition, with cascading sawtooth synths and punchy electronic drum samples, there is a soothing quality to Moreno’s lackadaisical vocal style, a world apart from his pterodactyl screeches on White Pony. It’s easy to lose yourself in the layers, a hallmark of any good electronica, but Moreno’s voice pulls the listener back to reality, pointed enough to drive the track forward but never overbearing. Put this one on, close your eyes, and get lost in it.

Karenna Umscheid

So Much Wine by Phoebe Bridgers

The queen of seasonal depression soundtracks, Phoebe Bridgers emerged with a new cover of “So Much Wine,” accompanied with intensely attractive background vocals by her fiance and Normal People star Paul Mescal. The cover, all the proceeds of which are going to the Los Angeles LGBT Center, is comforting as a glass of mulled wine on a winter’s night. Her voice turns every track into a sensational lullaby, and “So Much Wine” is the perfect song to accompany deep breathing, slowing down, and taking care of yourself. If I make it through December, it will only be because of Phoebe and her melancholic, comforting wintertime tracks.

Harry Bates

Angel (cover) by ZAYN

Jimi Hendrix’s “Angel” was originally released with The Cry of Love in early ‘71 — only a few months after the music legend’s sudden death. This song has the heart and soul of a person letting go only to find a new sense of sunlight; like dead-heading Marigolds to spark new growth. Hendrix began drafting the song in the late sixties after an impactful dream where he had to say goodbye to his beloved mother. It’s a departure song, exploring the bittersweet phases of life, making it one that all hearts can rhythm to. ZAYN’s voice in this updated recording, released last week on the Hendrix estate’s record label, brings this classic to new ears with a newfound sense of raw pain, love, and ultimate acceptance of the present. It’s really a beautiful collaboration between Jimi’s heavenly guitar playing and ZAYN’s angelic vocals.

Sarah Fournell

One Night with The Valet by Tennis

“One Night With The Valet” is the latest from the husband-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. It’s the first single from their upcoming album, Pollen, set to be released in February 2023. It’s as dreamy as the rest of their discography, with a glitzy drum beat driving Moore’s effervescent vocals. Each glamorous lyric is as tantalizing and lazy as the last, emanating the feeling of having your “head in the clouds.” The last line, “I feel it coming like a flood” ends the song, abruptly inviting in anticipation for the rest of their album.