Britney Spears ~ Make Me (Ooh) Feat G-Eazy (Lyrics)
Welcome back to The Verges weekly musical roundup. Im Jamieson, Im still your host, and if this weeks picks are a little off its because every song I heard this week was distorted by the air conditioner whining right next to my desk. Summer finally rolled up and socked me on the chin after a few weeks of tolerable weather, and Im sure its affecting my listening habits in ways I cant quite understand. Please consider the selection of these jams an act of heroism, because it felt too hot to do just about anything.
There are a bunch of pop stars and near-pop stars gobbling up space in this weeks column. Britneys back with a trendy new single; Katys putting an end to her musical silence with an inspirational Olympic anthem for NBC; M.I.A. put out her catchiest single this decade with help from Skrillex and Blaqstarr. If you thought Taylor Swifts secret songwriting side hustle was going to be this weeks biggest news, it should give you a little bit of hope. And if you hate the sound of the Top 40, theres still plenty to enjoy I promise.
Remember to subscribe to our Spotify playlist if you havent already its updated weekly! Lets go:
Banks, "f**k with Myself"
Jillian Banks earned plenty of buzz for her 2014 debut LP Goddess, a moody collection of alt-R&B that felt equally inspired by The Weeknd and FKA Twigs. Her new single "f**k with Myself" revisits those influences, and it adds in a few more for good measure: Selena Gomez "Hands to Myself," Arcas skin-melting body horror. The result is a song thats both catchy and discomfiting, if a little derivative.
Beach Slang, "Punks in a Disco Bar"
It hasnt even been a year since Philly punks Beach Slang released their solid The Things We Do to Find People to Feel Like Us, and yet the band has somehow found time to lose and gain a drummer, tiptoe toward breaking up, and record a new LP thats coming out in September. "Punks in a Disco Bar" (great title) is the first single from A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings (EVEN BETTER TITLE), and its an absolute ripper thatll make you feel good about guitars and getting older.
Britney Spears ft. G-Eazy, "Make Me"
Britney Spears has her hands full with her children and her insanely popular Instagram account these days, but she still needs to release an album every once in a while to keep the well-oiled Spears machine Vegas shows, merchandise, a mobile game running smoothly. "Make Me" is the first single from her as-yet-undetailed new LP, and its the best thing shes released since her Femme Fatale days: low-key, largely unadorned pop-R&B. Its a far cry from her late-career EDM-cyborg heights, but thats alright with me.
Crystal Castles, "Char"
Crystal Castles are releasing their first post-Alice Glass album shes been replaced by Edith Frances on August 19th, and "Char" is the best of the singles the band has made available in recent weeks. (Amnesty (I) is also the first Crystal Castles album since 2012.) If youve spent any time listening to the bands old music, you know what youre getting here: lead vocals that are tough to discern, hollow drum machines, synth melodies that corrode and turn menacing in real time.
Flock of Dimes, "Semaphore"
When Jenn Wasner isnt cracking skulls as part of Wye Oak, she makes dreamy pop on her own as Flock of Dimes. Shes releasing her debut LP under that name in September, and "Semaphore" is the first single. Its rich, rumbling, and surprisingly funky, and Wasner sounds a little like Neko Case thats a huge compliment in this neck of the woods.
Itasca, "Buddy"
This new single from LA-based musician Kayla Cohen is gorgeous, intricately layered folk, complete with pedal steel and what sounds like the judicious use of a triangle. (Shes releasing a new album, Open to Chance, at the end of September.) Send this one to all the Joni Mitchell fans in your life.
Jamie Lidell, "Walk Right Back"
Ive always got time to spare for Jamie Lidells warped take on soul, and "Walk Right Back" finds the British veteran in vintage form: hes wailing about a love thats gone sour, trying to turn back time over a skittering beat. Lidells new album Building a Beginning isnt coming out until October 14th, so you have plenty of time to dive into his fascinating back catalog if "Walk Right Back" is your first taste of his work.
Justice, "Safe and Sound"
Can you believe its been almost a decade since "D.A.N.C.E.?" French dance godheads Justice have been working on new music for most of the 10s, and the release of "Safe and Sound" this week suggests theyre ready to make another play for club floors around the world. That means leaning heavily on the same tricks that made them stars in 2007: giddy group vocals, funky basslines, and the goopiest disco strings this side of the 70s. Its a perfect piece of Saturday night fromage.
Katy Perry, "Rise"
Is Katy Perry jumping into this years crowded pop picture with a new LP? I wouldnt read that much into "Rise," her first new song since 2013: its attached to NBCs coverage of the Summer Olympics, not some new album sitting just around the corner. Its a thundering electro-pop ballad set to footage of Olympic athletes training and competing, and the chorus is enormous. In short, its "Roar" on steroids. (Actually, scratch that the Olympics are troubled enough without a doping scandal involving their new theme song.)
M.I.A., "Go Off"
M.I.A.s last few albums have leaned toward abrasiveness and inaccessibility, so "Go Off" co-produced by Skrillex and Blaqstarr is a welcome reminder of what she can do within the confines of a relatively traditional, catchy pop song. (This might be the most immediate thing shes released since "Bad Girls.") She makes jokes about Neymar and a "German called Sven." Its a fun time! Heres hoping the rest of A.I.M. which might be her final traditional album finds her working in this vein.
Heres the running This Is Your Next Jam playlist have a great weekend!
EXCLUSIVE: Watch Britney Spears" Steamy New "Private Show" Commercial - Featuring Her New Song!
"Can you tell you want me by the way I see you staring across the room," Britney Spears tells a lover on her new single, "Make Me," a slinky ballad featuring a guest verse from emerging rapper G-Eazy. The BURNS-produced track previews Spears" upcoming, as-yet-untitled ninth LP.
"I just want you to make me move like it ain"t a choice for you, like you got a job to do," Spears sings over raw guitar riffs and bubbling synths. In his brief verse, G-Eazy raps that he"s "always wanted what was off-limits" and cautions, "I can tell that you"re a dangerous woman."
On Wednesdsay, Spears teased a sample of another new track, "Private Show," in an ad for her new fragrance of the same name. Her last official single was 2015"s "Pretty Girls," featuring Iggy Azalea.
Late last year, Spears began referencing sessions for her next LP. "Working hard and hardly working ... new album wheeeee!" she tweeted in November, along with a studio picture. Her last studio album, 2013"s Britney Jean, featured singles like "Work b***h," "Alien" and "Perfume."
Watch Britney Spears" career-spanning performance at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
"Can you tell you want me by the way I see you staring across the room," Britney Spears tells a lover on her new single, "Make Me," a slinky ballad featuring a guest verse from emerging rapper G-Eazy. The BURNS-produced track previews Spears" upcoming, as-yet-untitled ninth LP.
"I just want you to make me move like it ain"t a choice for you, like you got a job to do," Spears sings over raw guitar riffs and bubbling synths. In his brief verse, G-Eazy raps that he"s "always wanted what was off-limits" and cautions, "I can tell that you"re a dangerous woman."
On Wednesdsay, Spears teased a sample of another new track, "Private Show," in an ad for her new fragrance of the same name. Her last official single was 2015"s "Pretty Girls," featuring Iggy Azalea.
Late last year, Spears began referencing sessions for her next LP. "Working hard and hardly working ... new album wheeeee!" she tweeted in November, along with a studio picture. Her last studio album, 2013"s Britney Jean, featured singles like "Work b***h," "Alien" and "Perfume."
Watch Britney Spears" career-spanning performance at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
"Can you tell you want me by the way I see you staring across the room," Britney Spears tells a lover on her new single, "Make Me," a slinky ballad featuring a guest verse from emerging rapper G-Eazy. The BURNS-produced track previews Spears" upcoming, as-yet-untitled ninth LP.
"I just want you to make me move like it ain"t a choice for you, like you got a job to do," Spears sings over raw guitar riffs and bubbling synths. In his brief verse, G-Eazy raps that he"s "always wanted what was off-limits" and cautions, "I can tell that you"re a dangerous woman."
On Wednesdsay, Spears teased a sample of another new track, "Private Show," in an ad for her new fragrance of the same name. Her last official single was 2015"s "Pretty Girls," featuring Iggy Azalea.
Late last year, Spears began referencing sessions for her next LP. "Working hard and hardly working ... new album wheeeee!" she tweeted in November, along with a studio picture. Her last studio album, 2013"s Britney Jean, featured singles like "Work b***h," "Alien" and "Perfume."
Watch Britney Spears" career-spanning performance at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
Britney Spears shared a photo from her spread in Women"s Health magazine on Instagram Monday, and jaws dropped everywhere. For the cover, the 33-year-old slipped into a teeny pink two-piece swimsuit that unveiled her toned abs:
Back in January, Spears reportedly revealed that her workout plan consists of hour-long cardio three times a week. (Like Britney always says, "[You wanna] look hot in a bikini? You better work b***h.") The mother of two is also an avid yoga fan and has credited the workout for getting her body toned. It looks like her dad has joined in on the yoga fun, as the "Toxic" singer shared a photo of her dad taking his exercises to um, new heights on Sunday:
For more with Britney Spears, head over to Women"s Health.
