• Dasha, Austin (Country)- Your reigning champion from the March 24, 2024 playlist reappears.  

  Dasha is an unlikely new country artist, hailing from San Luis Obispo, California and being of Eastern European descent.  While “Austin” was released in late 2023, it has recently gone viral on TikTok as a line dance and is now moving rapidly up both the US and European charts; very unusual for a country song.  “Austin” is Dasha’s first single and is a boot-stomping ode to a noncommittal lover.

• Beyonce & Miley Cyrus, II Most Wanted (Country/Pop)- Co-written by Beyonce and Miley, “II Most Wanted” is an ode to their commitment to their partners, Jay-Z and Maxx Morando.  While Cyrus is pop star, she can stake a claim to being Country royalty adjacent as the goddaughter of Dolly Parton (I’ll consciously omit any reference to Billy Ray….).  For the SoCal-er Neuphorians, you may be inspired by the “flying down the 405” reference.

  
  

                                                            

• Vampire Weekend, Capricorn (Alternative)- While Vampire Weekend’s “Only God Was Above Us” was overshadowed by “Country Carter”, it is also a mega-release, with the Weekend’s previous 3 albums each reaching #1 in the US.  Featuring Ezra Koenig’s melodic and abstruse songwriting, eclectic sounds such as glockenspiels and choirs and exquisite production and mastering, “Only God Was Above Us” has already received rave reviews from Pitchfork and MetaCritic.  

  
  
  
  

  With so many good songs on the album, it was hard to pick just one, but I was inspired by “Capricorn’s” video which features amazing early 80’s footage from a gritty, but vibrant NYC.

• Conan Gray, Fainted Love (Alternative)- Gray released his 3rd LP “Found Heaven” this week, which promises to be his biggest. Like the rest of “Found Heaven”, “Fainted Love” (not Tainted Love…) loyally adheres to the 1980’s, down to Gray’s wavering voice when he sings “ni-ight” or “dese-erve”.  Already a Neuphorian winner with “Alley Rose”, Meg and I can’t wait to see the mega-runway model and UCLA dropout, Gray live in SF this October!

• Olivia Rodrigo, So American (Pop/Alternative)- Like “Obsessed”, “So American” is a new track from Rodrigo’s expanded “Guts (spilled)” LP.  With a classic power pop melody and driving bass, the lyric “And he says I’m so American, Oh God, I’m gonna marry him” conjures up a vision of a young Aussie Michael Waters’ courtship of Laura Waters……..

• Artemas, I like the way you kiss me (Alternative)- Presently the Global #1 most streamed song on Spotify, “i like the way you kiss me” is a huge surprise hit for the unknown 24-year-old Brit, Artemas.  With a taut and economical Darkwave/Gothic instrumentation, “I like the way…..” still retains its Gen Z cred with an understated vocal, an all lower case title font and Artemas’ savvy pre-promotion of the song on TikTok, which vaulted it to its present viral status.

• J. Cole, 7 Minute Drill (Rap)- Songs from Cole’s new album “Might Delete Later” currently hold 7 of the Top 10 Apple Music global streamed songs.  “7 Minute Drill” is Cole’s response to Kendrick Lamar’s dis of Drake and Cole- and since both are thinking man’s rappers, Cole’s dis lyric reviews Lamar’s music catalog; “your 2nd shit put n****s to sleep”.  To the Neuphorian Breadheads, Cole’s reference to “PWC” is not PricewaterhouseCoopers, but instead the Public Works Commission.

Post script- This song has been removed from Spotify and Apple Music, despite debuting at #6 on the Billboard 100 charts- cue the conspiracy theorists.........

• SiR & Anderson.Paak, Poetry in Motion (R&B)- It could be said that Inglewood’s Sir Darryl Farris’ talent comes from his bloodlines, with family members in Prince’s and Michael Jackson’s supporting bands and his brother D Smoke being a Grammy nominated rapper.  After being nominated for two Grammys himself in 2020, Covid took SiR to a dark place of isolation, addiction and depression.  Last week’s LP release “HEAVY” is SiR’s comeback and an honest assessment of that dark period- and features “Poetry in Motion” an old school R&B groove, with an incredibly smooth rap flow from Farris and Anderson.Paak. 

• Beyonce, Bodyguard (R&B)- While the cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is the 3rd most played song off of “Cowboy Carter”, I’m going with “Bodyguard” on this playlist. Bey’s version of Jolene switches up the lyrics- and I figure Neuphorians would probably wonder- why mess with Parton’s lyric perfection?  However, cred is established by Dolly Parton giving an intro to the song citing “Becky with the good hair” which is a reference to the woman in Jay-Z’s alleged cheating.

  
  
  
  

  “Bodyguard” is the non-Country exception on “Cowboy Carter” in that it is a more conventional Beyonce R&B song, with a sexy saunter and a lyric of (Sasha) fierce loyalty and protectiveness. 

• Kizz Daniel, Showa (AfroBeats)- Presently the #2 streamed song in Africa, “Showa” is the Nigerian Kizz's follow up to his #1 African hit, “Cough”, which he performed at the World Cup in Qatar.  The lyrics are in Daniel’s native Yoruban tongue, in which he is trying to convince his girl to be with him long term.  Note that Kizz is no relation to Neuphorians Jeff and Kristen Daniel…

• Bizarrap & Natanael Cano, Entre las de 20 (Latin)- Newly released and currently the #1 most streamed song in Mexico, “Entre las de 20” is a collaboration between The Argentine DJ and producer Bizarrap and Natanael Cano. This is a departure for the 2023 3-time Latin Grammy winner Bizarrap, who usually teams up with Latin pop, rap or reggaeton artists, but on “Entre…” he instead teams up with the “Father of Corridos Tumbados” the 23-year-old Mexican guitarist and singer Cano, who has inspired Xavi and Peso Pluma (featured on the cover of this month's Rolling Stone) to follow in his footsteps.

• Justin Timberlake (feat. Fireboy DML), Liar (AfroBeats)- With an effortlessly seductive beat and vocal, JT’s take on AfroBeats in “Liar” is convincing.  However, much of that success may be attributed to JT’s Nigerian collaborator Fireboy, who not only sings, but gets the primary songwriting credit in “Liar”.  Past collaborators with Fireboy have commented that they are amazed at the frequency of which catchy melodies and unique beats come into his head- as evidenced by his 2021 #2 global hit, “Peru” which included Ed Sheeran as a guest.

• Doja Cat, Disrespectful (R&B)- On Friday, Doja released an expanded version of her Top 5 LP, “Scarlet”, entitled “Scarlet 2 CLAUDE” featuring 7 new songs.  Given that “Scarlet” featured a #1 and #2 global single, there is great anticipation for “Scarlet 2 CLAUDE”.  While “Disrespectful’s” retro jazz/soul sound is reminiscent of 70’s acts like Roy Ayers, Ms. Cat’s versatile rap/singing alternates between that jazz/soul aesthetic and her trademark sassy rap flow.  

• Lizzy McAlpine, Drunk, Running (Alternative/Folk)- “Drunk, Running” is from last Friday’s LP release “Older” by the 24-year-old Philly native McAlpine.  “Older” is McAlpine’s reflection on a recently broken up relationship, and in “Drunk, Running” she comes to terms with her ex-partner’s alcohol abuse and her vulnerability in questioning of whether she enabled that behavior.

• Khruangbin, May Ninth (Alternative/World)- To me “May Ninth”, seems the perfect way to end a playlist. The song's sound comes from a different time and place, with its French whisper-style vocals (think Air, Claudine Longet or Jane Birkin) and Easy Listening atmospheric guitar....... but the unexpected is expected from the Houston-based trio who eclectically combine psychedelic rock with Middle and Far Eastern sounds.  Despite their unique sound, they’ve gathered more than a cult following with their 2020 LP “Mordechai” charting in the Top 5 in many countries.

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Happy listening!  

  D