Quick Hits, Vol. 340 (PILE O' SINGLES!)

 We are probably about a month out from the ACL announcement, and so I am doing my darndest to clean out the queue on my Spotify so that I don't have ancient stuff still left in the hopper by October.  I need to do another guess post or two, but man, the Lolla lineup has me shook.

• Balming Tiger (and a bunch of other people) - SEXY NUKIM.  I'm guessing Rolling Stone told me to check this band out, since it feels like all they wrie about anymore are foreign bands and singers.  It is not great.  Kind of a whisper-mumbled vibe track.  Don't need it.
• Guns N Roses - Perhaps.  Not too bad!  A little plodding, and Axl is very restrained (but still hits a few higher notes like the old days), and Slash never really tears the roof off.  But overall, good enough to feel like they can still hang.
• Noah Kahan with Kacey Musgraves - She Calls Me Back.  Kahan is just killing it right now - doing collaborations with Kacey, Zach, Mumford, Hozier.  He's the flavor of the month.  And this one sounds great - driving groove and imminently sing-a-longable.  They sound awesome together.
• Earthgang - Die Today.  Meh.  I like some of their older stuff a lot, but this one is a little too pop forward.
• Kevin Abstract - Blanket.  Weird tune.  Heavy guitar and some singalong "woo!"s to open it up like its an indie pop dude instead of the Brockhampton guy.  Nah.
• U2 - Atomic City.  What a weird way to blatantly rip off Blondie's "Call Me."  It starts out with banging drums and a fun little riff, and shows off some of the usual tasty Edge theatrics, but the chorus just fucks it all up.  Why did they do this?

• Gnome - Wenceslas.  Hilarious.  Not quite cookie monster singing over the top of a heavy chunk of riffage, but close.
• Noah Kahan with Hozier - Northern Attitude. Another badass song.  Even better than the Musgraves one.  These dudes sound magical together.
• MEUTE - Hey Hey.  I saw the video for this somehow, and it is unhinged band nerd fun in the best way - xylophones and horns and the singer all just launching it into the sky.
• Dave - Sprinter.  One of those UK rap styles, can't recall what it is called, but this has a cool sound and feel.
• Central Cee - LET GO.  Another UK rap guy, but with an annoying interpolation of that Passenger song.  Don't love it, innit.
• Hovvdy - Jean.  Local dudes making a good tune, although I still have so much trouble getting past how goofy their name is.  This is a nice little nugget of indie pop.
• The Beatles - Now and Then.  Meh.  I know people got all excited for a new Beatles song, and this is just fine, but its not going to replace any of their canon.
• Kylesa - Scapegoat.  Like some tasty Red Fang rock and roll action.  Dig.
• Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven.  I want to like this more than I actually do.  The backing music is great, but the vocals grate on me.
• Guns N' Roses - The General.  Oh no.  Should have stopped with that last one, because the vocals on this one sound just awful.  Even through whatever effects machine he is using, Axl's caterwaul ain't it.
• Lana Del Rey - Take Me Home Country Roads.  Good version of a great song.  Her ghostly voice nails it.
• Taylor Swift - You're Losing Me.  This is one of those tracks from the vault - always amazing that she has so many good songs that she can just leave some off the album.  This one isn't revelatory by any means, but it is a pretty little tune that easily could have been big.
• Black Keys - Beautiful People (Stay High).  I really think that they might be the best rock band making music.  I know that its likely not the jam for the young listeners, but these guys just regularly reach back into the past for fresh jams.  I've already heard this one in a commercial too.
• Tame Impala/Justice - One Night/ All Night | Generator.  Speaking of GOAT musicians, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala is untouchable.  So freaking good.  This one has a little more Euro-sleaze/Daft Punkiness from the Justice guys slathered onto it, but generally fun.
• Megan Thee Stallion - HISS.  Perfect subtweet diss track.  Just destroying all the haters who try to get famous of mentioning her name.
• Cage the Elephant - Neon Pill.  Good one.  These guys have done it for me for a long time, and this track just fits right into the slip of their prior efforts.  Sounds good and sticks in my brain afterwards.
• Mumford & Sons with Pharrell - Good People.  Weird song.  Feels like a Jon Batiste southern protest track.
• Khruangbin - A Love International.  Love how singular these dudes are.  When their track kicks in, you immeiately know you are jamming with the 'bin.  Nice groove here.
• Billy Joel - Turn the Lights Back On.  His voice is still pretty solid, although I don't know that this one really gets us anywhere.  A little schmaltzy, with a good piano solo in the middle, but good enough to enjoy.
• Del Water Gap and Holly Humberstone - Cigarettes & Wine.  Pretty solid Harry Styles copy.
• Logic - Fear.  Logic's flow freaking rules.  This beat isn't my favorite, but his dexterity is infectiously fun.
• Nothing but Thieves - Oh No :: He Said What?  Terrible song title.  And the song ain't much better.  Like some Panic at the Disco type thing.  You guys are supposed to slay with rock, brah.
• Earthless - Uluru Rock.  TAP IT INTO MY VEINS.  Like a psych rock classic unearthed from the halls of Valhalla.  14 minutes of pure guitar-loaded freakout and I dig it.
• Pearl Jam - Dark Matter.  Fuck yeah.  The drums in this are so fucking brawny and badass.  I played this about 5 times in a row the other day in the car and it made me feel like a God.  My wife hates it too, so just perfect.
• Caroline Polachek - Butterfly Net.  Who let Sarah McLaughlin in here?  Super pretty tune also has some Fiona Apple and Florence Welch flavor to it.  Her voice on the chorus is amazing.
• Iron & Wine - You Never Know.  This is going to be shocking, but this is a pretty little indie tune!  It builds in a very satisfying way.
• T.F. feat. ScHoolboy Q - Hooty.  Nothing terribly exciting.  I was wanting some more Q before his new album came out, and I spotted this out there.  Too much skirt skirt here for me.
• St. Vincent - Broken Man.  Starts out goofy with the little plinking beat, and then the riffage piles on.  Fine.
• Catfish & the Bottlemen - Showtime.  Still not a great band name, but still an excellent band.  Another driving rock and roll nugget that could be at home in the Kings of Leon catalog.
• Kings of Leon - Mustang.  Did someone say Kings of Leon?  hey-o!  I generally dig the tune, but what is up with the lyrics?  ARE YOU A MUSTANG OR A KITTY? is a really weird thing to yell, but also: "There's a golden globe in my office space, A muscle magazine next to the toilet, I'm getting big and strong just thinking about it, And I can feel the heat of the water rise."  Wha?  Don't love it.