Final Track: 7 Must-Hear Songs Of The Week


It’s impossible to cover each bit of new music that comes out during the week, so every Friday, we’ll be doing an end of the week music roundup. It’s called Final Track, and we’ll count off a few songs released during the week that are worth giving a listen to.

Today, we’ve got songs from Wavves, Bob Mould, Aaliyah feat. Drake, and more.

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“Hippies Is Punks” by Wavves

Bratty, crisply produced pop-punk in the vein of Green Album-era Weezer.

“Chained” by the xx

The song’s lyrics, about a couple who used “to be closer than this,” match the song’s stuttering feel — even when Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim are singing on top of each other, they sound like they’re communicating through a dense, presumably poster-covered wall. It’s a tricky vibe to maintain, let alone perfect, but the xx has made a career of trickery, whether it be of the lyrical or production variety.

“The Descent” by Bob Mould

The Bob Mould of old is back, and that’s a wonderful thing. You know, the guy who played cathartically loud, melody-based, near-perfect, no bullsh*t buzzy rock songs, whether with Husker Du, Sugar, or by himself. You may have “started out so starry-eyed/Full of hope and wonder,” Bob, but after a few bumps, the middle-part of your career is going pretty damn strong, too.

“Enough Said” by Aaliyah feat. Drake

It just sounds good to hear Aaliyah’s soothing voice again, and if Drake has his way, he’ll be producing an entire posthumous album of hers. It’s more than a little off-putting having to side with Drake on, well, anything, but we’ll make an exception here.

“Hookers” by Metabeats f/ Action Bronson

An old-school headbanger from a big fan of hookers, evidently.

“Flood’s New Light” by Thee Oh Sees

Since forming in 1997, San Francisco-based psych-poppers Thee Oh Sees have released 13 albums (to say nothing of their countless singles and EPs), and Putrifiers II, due out September 11th, will be #14. “Flood’s New Light” is a peppy, scrappy track that doesn’t overstay its uptempo welcome, yet with the “ba ba ba” chorus, it’ll stay on your mind for awhile.

“Street Spirit (Fade Out)” by the Darkness

The Darkness, in all their falsetto-loving, cocaine-devouring glory, covering an underappreciated Radiohead song? Yes, please.

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