As the first review in this series, I feel obligated to explain "Save, Shuffle, Skip", so here it goes. Whenever I listen to a new song, usually one of three things happens: I save it because it's a BOP, I add it to a playlist and eventually start hitting shuffle when it comes on because it's just okay, or I skip it because... well... not all songs are pleasing to the ear. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on a few singles I thought were worth highlighting from the past month.
1. "Neon Moon" - Cigarettes After Sex
Release date: 12/17/18
I absolutely love this cover. Originally by Brooks & Dunn, Cigarettes After Sex puts their own depressingly beautiful spin on the country classic that I just want to slow dance to. The faint synth bells and slowed down tempo are both very nice touches. Verdict: an instant save!
2. "Wow." - Post Malone
Release date: 12/24/18
"Wow." feels like a lazy spin off of "Congratulations", and the reference to the Stoney hit in the second verse isn't helping. We've heard this beat before and the production feels surprisingly empty for an artist like Post Malone. Sadly, not what I wanted for Christmas. Verdict: Unless you're a die hard Post Malone fan, skip.
3. "medicine" - Bring Me The Horizon
Release date: 1/3/19
Apparently generic has a new spelling. Bring Me The Horizon's latest release, "medicine", feels like a cheap effort to sound more mainstream, and the lyrics sound like lame retorts to a schoolyard bully. The song leaves me missing the edgy darkness they had on their 2013 album Sempiternal. Verdict: skip.
4. "Steady" - Mark Diamond
Release date: 1/4/19
Need a feel-good song to keep you going through those long study nights? Check out "Steady" by Mark Diamond - featuring ambient indie guitars and with a dash of RnB. His voice is a little forgettable, but it's not a bad track. Verdict: shuffle.
5. "Juice" - Lizzo
Release date: 1/4/19
Queen Lizzo returns again with another disco/soul/pop banger. "Juice" sounds similar to 2016's record of the year, "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars, but with a 2019 mentality. I love the line "No, I'm not a snack at all / Look, baby, I'm the whole damn meal". I will definitely be adding this to a "Saturdays are for the girls" playlist. Verdict: save!
6. "Startender" - A Boogie wit da Hoodie ft. Offset and Tyga
Release date: 12/14/18
Unfortunately for the iconic "Starlets" club it was named after, "Startender" feels like a pretty meh trap single. A Boogie wit da Hoodie's vocal performance is average at best, and I would've rather heard him actually rap than listen to Offset and Tyga's forgettable cameos. The song's beat is its saving grace. Verdict: the lower end of shuffle.
7. "People Are Different" - Florida Georgia Line
Release date: 12/21/18
Now listen, I'm not a country hater. Sure, it might not be my favorite genre to listen to, but there are plenty of lovely country songs out there - such as the original version of "Neon Moon" on this list. This, however, is not one of them. I appreciate the sentiment behind the song, but it just comes off as corny and ignorant. The tawdy instrumentation isn't nearly enough to save the song's message of... nothing. Verdict: skip. SKIP.
8. "imagine" - Ariana Grande
Release date: 12/14/18
While "imagine" is a sweet homage to her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, the song leaves a little to be desired. While for the most part her voice sounds incredible as usual, the choruses lack the catchiness her songs usually have, even the most emotional ones. Regardless, it's a solid track, I'm personally just not crazy about it. Verdict: shuffle.
9. "Watch Me Fall" - Lil Xan
Release date: 1/3/19
This song is pretty awful. I seriously feel like my ears need a shower after listening to Lil Xan somehow still managing to sound like a cat getting run over by a moving vehicle despite the heavy autotune. I could have sworn the lyrics were taken straight out of one of my angsty-emo middle school diaries. Verdict: for the love of God, skip.
10. "Bleed it" - Blueface
Release date: 12/19/18
I admit, when I first heard Blueface rap I was skeptical. But after receiving criticism for "being behind the beat", he seems to have definitely stepped it up, giving it his all on "Bleed It". The real highlight of the track, however, is Mike Crook's production. That beat could probably turn anyone into a viral sensation. Verdict: save!
