Its almost Christmas and we’ve been given a few musical gifts early! With another surprise Taylor Swift album, a remix to Troye Sivan’s “Easy” and a new pop offering from Madison Beer. Let’s not waste any time and get straight stuck in!
Taylor Swift – Evermore
After dropping Folklore out-of-the-blue earlier this year, no-one expected a second Taylor Swift to surprise fans with another new album before the year bows out – but hey, that’s exactly what she’s done. Evermore, the ‘sister album’ to Folklore is a continuation of Swift’s journey into alternative/indie/folk music that she ‘wasn’t ready to end’. Sonically identical to its predecessor, Evermore acts as a perfect protraction for the megastar’s latest era. Some standout tracks include the heart-wrenching “Tolerate It”, album-opener “Willow” and team-up with sister-act Haim, “No Body, No Crime”. Swift’s mature musical evolution is overtly prominent upon completion of Evermore; it feels like she’s in control and this is exactly where she should be – making the best music of her career.
Troye Sivan, Kacey Musgraves, Mark Ronson – Easy
“Easy” was already one of the best songs of 2020 (and possibly Troye Sivan’s greatest) but the remix with Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson is pure magic. The added 80’s-style production and synths plus the new bridge with Troye and Kacey harmonising add to the song in a way you’d never have thought possible, giving it a different feel than the original but keeping the essence that made it so special in the first place. Kacey is a perfect addition to the track, adding her own verse and matching the song’s energy precisely. It’s the type of tune that could fit on both your chill or party playlist (basically, we just want it on repeat).
Madison Beer – BOYSH*T
Madison Beer’s latest track “BOYSH*T” serves as the latest offering prior to the release of her long-awaited (and long-delayed) debut album Life Support, scheduled to release early next year. Driven by a cool riff based on a simple yet effective harmony, the song delves a little into the unconventional, but not enough to make it lose its commercial value. It’s minimal but powerful chorus is an earworm that borders on being cheesy, but luckily manages to avoid the cringe-zone with its impressive production and vocal delivery by Beer. The final chorus is enriched with a tasteful, cinematic string session that ends the song perfectly. This is unorthodox, radio-friendly pop music the way it should be.
Which of this weeks releases did you enjoy? Let us know!
Featured Image credit: Beth Garrabrant
This article was published on HotShot, available here.
Ben Wilkinson 