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. (Banner via)

Today, we’ve got selections from Rivers & Scott, The-Dream & Jay-Z, Mikal Cronin, and more.


“Homely Girl” by Rivers Cuomo and Scott Murphy

Weezer’s The Blue Album came out 19 years ago today, and now you feel old. Rivers Cuomo is still going, well, I’m not sure if I’d say strong, but he’s still going; earlier this week, he lived out his Pinkerton fantasies by releasing an album with Alister’s Scott Murphy that’s almost entirely in Japanese. No clue what he’s singing on “Homely Girl,” but at least his still-perfect melodies weren’t lost in translation.

“High Art” by The-Dream and Jay-Z

The-Dream is set to release his fifth album, IV Play, at the end of month. It features guest appearances from Beyoncé, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Pusha T, Mary J. Blige, Fabolous, Kelly Rowland, and Jay-Z, who reteams with his “No Church in the Wild” collaborator on “High Art.”

“Darker” by Gucci Mane ft. Chief Keef

For more, check out the Smoking Section.

“Oh Shiet It’s X” by Thundercat

When you’ve got Flying Lotus as your prouder, it’s probably tougher to make a bad song than it is a great one, and the groovy “Oh Shiet It’s X” is definitely the latter. Oh shiet, indeed.

“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Eric Burdon and Jenny Lewis

HBO’s True Blood may no longer be as good as it was during its perfect-mix-of-camp-and-horror first season, but the show’s music is still top notch. The Animals’ Eric Burdon and Jenny Lewis’s eerie cover of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” is no exception.

“The Railroad” by Isaac Brock

Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock is one of many artists who contributed to the Lee Hazlewood tribute album, Thriftstore Masterpiece: Trouble Is a Lonesome Town, including Frank Black and Pete Yorn. Here’s Brock’s cover of “The Railroad.” Now get to working on that next Modest Mouse record, please.

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by Mikal Cronin

BUT.

I.

WOULD.

WALK.

FIVE.

HUNDRED.

MILES.

AND.

I.

WOULD.

WALK.

FIVE.

HUNDRED.

MORE.

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