Staff Pix 10/27: October New Releases

The Milk Crate staff’s favorite releases from the month of October, presented with blurbs worthy of a promotional sticker on a jewel case. Tune in Fridays from 3-4PM EST to the Staff Pix radio show.

Bennett Himmel

“Video” by Jane Remover

Jane Remover made her name on chirpy hyperpop, but her new record Census Designated is so far removed that it feels like the work of a different artist. The record is a behemoth of experimental shoegaze. The highlight is the sprawling, eight minute “Video.” The song prods along slowly, telling the story of a toxic, psychosexual relationship, with the hook being sung at barely a whimper. Suddenly, around six minutes in, the song erupts with Jane screeching “‘Cause I saw us in the videOOOOOOO!!!!!” It’s heart wrenching and exhilarating at the same time. It’s easily my favorite song of the month, and could even be my song of the year. Not to be missed!

Izzy Desmarais

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” by Green Day

Green Day is no stranger to politically infused lyricism. They of course did it best with their seventh studio album, American Idiot (2005). Born out of the disillusionment synonymous with the Bush administration, American Idiot is an impeccable example of using music as narrative. I could genuinely go on about it for pages, but that’s not what this blurb is about. It’s about the band’s newest release, “The American Dream Is Killing Me.” The lead single off their upcoming record, ‘SAVIORS’, this track is…fine. It’s catchy, it’s easy to bop your head along to, but it’s also painfully on the nose. However, I don’t think there’s anything actually wrong with that. We’re at a point where we need to sort of break down these fundamental, 101 concepts of different political ideologies. Take Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (2023) for example. Did that movie say anything groundbreaking about feminism and the American woman experience? No, but some people don’t understand why feminism is still important today, so to have meaningful (albeit a little basic) and highly visible media that can explain the foundations of these ideas is vital. Is “The American Dream Is Killing Me” especially thought-provoking? No, but it does very blatantly critique systems that should be reexamined.

Lia Klug

“Headcase” by Elle Coves

“Are you with that girl back in your hometown? / If we never kissed does it even count? / I STILL CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH.” I mean come onnnnnn. Elle Coves is an Irish singer/songwriter she has four songs out each and every one amazing. Coves tends to put the both euphoria and gut wrenching pain that fills teenage years into words with her songs and “Headcase” is no exception. This song is about the tenuous relationship you have to heartbreak when you weren’t ever really even together. Despite her, at this point, small catalog as far as i'm concerned the build up and dissipation of the bridge in this song cemented her as an up and coming popstar. Beyond excited to see what’s next!

Lily Suckow Ziemer

“yellow tape” by REI AMI

Singer REI AMI released her newest single “yellow tape” this month. She always delivers and this song is no different. “yellow tape” wastes no time getting started and quickly explodes into an electronic pop song. The lyrics are full of allusions to murder like the title suggests, such as “Red lights and yellow tape” and “Runaway murder case.” But the underlying message is that of heartbreak and revenge. REI AMI sings, “​​Broke hearts, you left me bleeding,” then delves into her response with the line, “I'll leave you barely breathing.” The song satisfies something you may not have known you were looking for and should definitely be added to your queue.

Stephanie Weber

“Silver” by Say She She

After seeing Say She She in concert the other week for free, I started listening to their music. “Silver” is one of my favorite songs in their discography, part of their most recent album release Silver. It’s the final song and is just under nine minutes. Although it’s long, the song is worth every second. The three vocalists, all women, harmonize and create angelic music together. It’s absolutely beautiful, slow, and melodic. Inspired by disco and soul, falsetto notes fill the space with unexpected distorted guitar breaks in between. There is also the addition of chimes, both metal and digitally created. Although the song is mostly instrumental, it does have some dreamy lyrics like “Who will line the sky / looking through the lens of the night.” The album represents everything filled with wonder and mystique, like water, a forest, or walking through a trail basked only with the moonlight.

Ellie Abbey

“Away!Away!Away!” by Levi White

I have been anticipating Levi White’s new album Whitenoise for months, and I have to say, it completely lives up to the hype I was preemptively giving it. Granted, I’ve known him since I was five or six, and I’m featured on a different song on this project, but I’m saying this as objectively as I can. This album is fresh, funky, and one of the most cohesive albums that I’ve seen in quite a while. “Away!Away!Away!” is one of my personal highlights. The whole song has this certain vibe that just makes you wanna move. I was lucky enough to hear this song a couple months ago before it was finished, but I think that the song as it is now is such a solid piece of work. It flows nicely, it opens and ends well, and the hook is catchy. What more could you ask for? If you get the time to listen, “Away!Away!Away!” will take you away, away, away.

Payton Cavanaugh

“green Bottle” by Margot Liotta

Margot Liotta is such a beautiful artist, musician, and lyricist. This song is one I was eagerly anticipating, and it’s the perfect ode to heartbreak in the city. “Breaking down is so easy when you’re on the green line.” A genius line. Everything can feel so out of control and all consuming in young adulthood. Especially navigating all the experiences, growth, and change that comes with coming of age. The relatability of this piece when you too are in your 20s and living in Boston is unmatched.

Malia Welham

“Misty Town” by Lamp

After three years Lamp is back with their new album, Dusk to Dawn. With a total of twenty tracks, it is their longest record to date. They stay true to their shibuya-kei and city pop sound with bossa nova, jazz, and funk influences. Their unique sound allows their music to send you into a new universe filled with flowing water, swaying trees, and soaring birds. Personally, I imagine the album cover as a portal to this new world, where all my worries dissipate and I can stroll along the beach from dusk to dawn. In the  track “Misty Town,” the breathy and gentle vocals of lead singer Taiyo, create a nostalgic atmosphere. When the vocals blend with the masterful groove of the piano, drum, and guitar, the listener is sent to this misty town. A place of the past, where the listener can revel in both comfort and intrigue.

Serenity Holland

“One Of Your Girls” by Troye Sivan

One of my friends forced me to listen to this song, and I was reluctant at first as I wasn’t really anticipating the release. However, I collapsed at her feet the first time the chorus hit. “One of Your Girls” sounds like careless joy, allowing me to get lost in the groovy bass line and funky synths. All I wanna do is close my eyes and sway in a sweaty room surrounded by torn up walls, with the flash of strobe lights bouncing off of them. In the music video, Troye Sivan dresses in drag and seduces Ross Lynch, singing that he’ll be one of his girls if he ever gets desperate. The message of essentially not belonging to anybody but yourself, leaves me feeling empowered every single time.

Matt Kugel

“Tomorrow’s Winter” by Fm Forest

“Tomorrow’s Winter” is the title track of ambient producer Fm Forest’s newest album. Its title is a little misleading, since the album leans more into a late autumn vibe than a winter one, but I’m not complaining! The song utilizes bright synths and nature recordings to masterfully evoke feelings of fall, a season of relaxation and coziness. Fall is my favorite season, but it can be easy to lose focus on those more lowkey feelings in the midst of an overwhelmingly stressful semester. I’ve been struggling recently to slow down and enjoy all the things I love about autumn, but when I put on Fm Forest’s newest project I can’t help but take a deep breath. Deep in the mix, they layer sounds that are literally lifted right out of Oregon’s forests, placing listeners below the colossal canopies of the state’s firs and maples. But the electronic elements of the song make sure things stay lively. Recurring twinkles keeps it interesting and, as funny as it sounds, feel almost fantastical. With some of the sounds on this track, I can’t help but imagine little fairies and sprites dancing around, having a good time, just generally being jovial. Bursting with texture, “Tomorrow’s Winter” may not be the most explosive or exciting song, but it’s a great fit for anyone who, like me, feels like they still haven’t gotten in touch with their autumnal side as much as they’d like to.

Everly Orfanedes

“Is iT Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” by Taylor Swift

At midnight on October 27, 2023, Taylor Swift released 1989 (Taylor’s Version). With every re-recording Swift does, she includes a number of never-heard-before tracks which she wrote before the original albums were released many years ago, but ended up tossing to the side in the process. Thus, these “vault” tracks did not make the original records. All I can say is, why did Miss Swift scrap this absolute pop banger “Is It Over Now?” ten years ago? Make it make sense. The introduction of the song at first listen reminds me of her song “Labyrinth” from her recent 2022 album Midnights. The verses follow this comparison as well, however, the chorus is what defines this song. Even the pre-chorus packs a Swift certified punch, as she squeezes clever lyrics into this anticipatory lead up: “Let's fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later / I see your profile and your smile on unsuspecting waiters / You dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor…” This is definitely my favorite song from 1989 (Taylor’s Version), and everyone should give the album, and especially the vault tracks a listen today.

Julia Norkus

“Good God” by Daffo

Some of my favorite artists have a tendency to lean into lyrical dissonance—they just love to camouflage soul crushing lyrics with bright instrumentals that make my brain feel warm when I should actually be vomiting my entrails up. “Good God,” from the band Daffo’s newest EP Pest (2023), takes the typical Daffo acoustic melancholy in a new direction. Upon first listen, it really made me think of “Circle the Drain” by Soccer Mommy and that’s probably why it drew me in in the way that it has. Not only that, but lyrically, I feel pretty understood. Maybe it’s my Catholic upbringing, but when lead singer Gabi Gamberg (they/them) said, “My belief in a good god is ruined / 'Cause how come I don't get what I want,” it put me right back in Sunday school. I remember being eight years old and I think I’m still waiting for “God” to answer any/all of my prayers. Gamberg’s words remind me of the way I felt about God—why would someone or something like that who is supposed to protect all things, allow bad things to happen? I think this realization allowed me to live a little freer, a little lighter, without the fear of disappointing someone who wouldn’t help me in the first place.

Gabriella Collin

“Bodys - Live At Brooklyn Steel” by Car Seat Headrest

“This is an older one. You might recognize it.” Old is new, new is old. This iteration of “Bodys'' is plucked right from Car Seat Headrest’s live show in Brooklyn. In its original form, “Bodys” is noisy, grainy and heavily layered with overlapping parts. The song is part of the album Twin Fantasy (2018), Car Seat Headrest’s recent claim to fame. The song is very personal, very inward, about holding and dancing and sharing fleeting moments of life with someone you care about. “Don’t you realize / our bodies could fall apart at any second?” Will Toledo, I think you know the answer. This live recording of “Bodys” is more stripped-back than the original, but calling it an acoustic version wouldn’t be true. As is true for most of their live shows, lead singer Will Toledo is much clearer, often prompting the comment, “I didn’t know these guys could sing.” Their vocals hold up, and for anyone who was listening to Teens of Denial (2015) at 14, it’s almost like being there.

Charlie Deitchman

“Voyager” by boygenius

As an avid boygenius listener, I obviously stayed up until midnight on Friday the 13th to listen to their new EP, the rest. I loved all four of the new songs but my favorite had to be Voyager. As a freshman in college in a new city, I find this song very relatable. I have found myself on a number of occasions “walking alone in the city” (usually to get a cup of coffee from the South End), as well as dealing with the idea of battling emotions that is present in the song. Overall, I have found Phoebe’s mellow voice mixed with the soft plucking of the guitar and Lucy and Julien’s harmonized humming to be a great comfort throughout October.

Sage Liebowitz

“Live It Up (High Tide)” by Surfaces

Songs by Surfaces never fail to remind me of a good time in my life. I think it’s special to listen to a summer song during the fall, seeing as it reminds me of home. They always set the perfect beach scene and make me feel like I’m driving along the California coast with the windows down and my hair dancing in the wind (I know it sounds super cliche but it’s true!) Moral of the story: listen to this song if you’re missing the sun or your home in California.

Isabelle Pan

“She Calls Me Back (With Kacey Musgraves)” by Noah Kahan

Noah Kahan’s album Stick Season came out earlier this year, and recently he’s been releasing new versions of his songs with other artists. He released “She Calls Me Back” with Kacey Musgraves earlier this month. I wasn’t super into Noah Kahan until he started making songs with artists that I really enjoy, like Musgraves, and now I’m starting to understand why everyone loves him so much. Their two voices go really well together, with Musgraves’ country twang, and Kahan’s folk voice, the two pair really well together. I also love the brutal honesty in all of Noah Kahan’s songs. He really captures the essence of New England perfectly, and it’s been really fun discovering his music while living in Boston.