Quick Hits, Vol. 346 (Bleachers, The Black Keys, Khruangbin, Future x Metro Boomin (again))

Bleachers - Bleachers.  You know how everyone thinks that "Blinded by the Light" is a Springsteen song because it sounds so much like the Boss?  Well, you can welcome "Modern Girl" on this album into that club of songs that so shamelessly rips off the Springsteen schtick that it is overwhelming.  Saxophone and guitar riffs!  Even steals the little xylophone hits.  It's for sure the most popular track, so just check it out for yourself.  17.1 million streams.

I say all of that, and yet its a blast of a song.  Rip off or not, but its a pure party locked into there.  There are some other good rock bops on here as well.  But some of this album veers into the boring Taylor Swiftian world that Jack Antonoff has been foisting on the world for a while now, and I don't need any of that anymore.  Like, the one with, I think, Lana Del Rey on it, is like a mopey ripoff of "My Hometown" that I definitely don't need.  The Vampire Weekend-ish autotuned "The Waiter" is also unneeded.  It's too bad, this album has some good bits, but also some misses for sure.

The Black Keys - Ohio Players.  Speaking of a weird trip of an album - this thing starts off like a classic BK album - the first three songs are classic rock and roll swirled with a little funky soul and they rule.  The top track is that third one, and it's a funky groove.  "Beautiful People (Stay High)" has 10 million streams.

The hand claps, the horns, the guitar licks - this feels destined to be a classic for play at their live shows.  I need to go learn some sweet dance moves like those folks.  Love it.  But as the album continues, things morph - there are two rap verses lodged in here, which is deeply strange.  Beck pops up.  Even the first track with a rap verse in it - "Candy and Her Friends" spends two minutes sounding like a normal BK rock tune, until the beats shifts and something called Lil Noid starts laconically spitting over a super basic beat.  It honestly works, feels cool, but also is just a strange detour.  Overall, entirely solid album though - mostly more of the usual bashing rock jams.

Khruangbin - A LA SALA.  You'd never know that this wasn't the same album they put out a few years ago.  Not that I know the hustle, they found a lane and they are sticking to it, but it is exactly more of the same.  Maybe a little more chill, if that is possible, with less of the upbeat numbers as last time.  great vibe music - although if I am being honest, a few times through this one and my brain has wandered and wished I could put some music on.  Which is not a great sign.  3 songs crack 5 million, with "May Ninth" being top of the pile at 12.4 million.

Not sure if I like the singing ones or the pure instrumentals, but either way, they really use the smeary little vocals like they were just another instrument in the quiver.  Yeah, good vibe here, something nice to hear at a restaurant while you chat.  Otherwise a little less than exciting.

Future x Metro Boomin - We Still Don't Trust You.  Weird to release this like 2 weeks after the We Don't Trust You disc, and in my opinion, a significantly less good collection here.  Beats are definitely weaker.  Is this the B-Sides?  The album opener is the top track, with a J. Cole-assisted track in distant second place.  "We Still Don't Trust You" with 35.4 million streams.

Having the Weeknd on there works really well, because that sounds like a boring beat that the Weeknd would have on his schtick.  Doesn't do a thing for me.  I have slogged through this hour and a half several times by now, and there is nothing remarkable in here at all.  Which is a bummer since I think they'll be at ACL.  [sound of sad balloon deflating]