New Music Sunday: The Best 5 Songs Released This Past Week Pt. 4

In case you missed it – we revamped our New Music Sunday posts to feature the best five songs of the week! But the playlist still exists on Spotify and will always feature as many songs as we want. 

parallel universe pt. 1, Alaina Castillo
The Difference, Daya
hurt is boring, fanclubwallet
Be Right Back, Jorja Smith
the girlhouse EP, girlhouse
Lionel Boy, Lionel Boy
Why No Why, Mob Rich
Boy Anonymous, Paris Texas
Daddy’s Home, St. Vincent

Below are the best five songs of the week (in chronological order).

“Down” – St. Vincent
Release date – May 10

For an album that has caused a bit of internet controversy leading up to its release, I have to say that I was personally a bit let down by Daddy’s Home, St. Vincent’s sixth studio album. However, it does have it standout tracks: one being “Down,” the third and final single that was released before the album. The song feels more similar to the body of her previous album, Masseduction, but elaborates on the ’70s feel that exists on the rest of Daddy’s Home. Keep an eye out for our full review coming soon.

“barcelona” – Winnetka Bowling League, Sasha Sloan
Release date – May 12

After a bizarre collaboration with Sam Hunt (did anyone else hear that?), Sasha Sloan is back with a new, more fitting duet partner in Winnetka Bowling League. The track is a more refreshing breakup song than the usual attempt, a song about “still being able to have love for the person that it didn’t work out with,” Winnetka lead singer Matthew Koma said. “Sometimes there was a lot of good worth recognizing and the ending doesn’t have to bet this big dramatic ‘delete all.'”

“Harshest Critic” – Allison Ponthier
Release date – May 13

Kacey Musgraves: WATCH OUT! Country/pop newcomer Allison Ponthier’s third single, “Harshest Critic,” is an ode to self-criticism that feels all too poignant for the current world we live in. According to Dork, the song is about the moment when Ponthier started getting record label offers, and her coming to terms with the idea of big label executives judging her work. “Harshest Critic” comes after a collaboration with Lord Huron (“I Lied“) and a tour supporting the band. I hadn’t heard Ponthier’s music prior to this song, and it’s safe to say she’ll be on my radar moving forward.

“Bite Marks” – Au/Ra
Release date – May 14

19-year-old Antiguan-German artist Jamie Lou Stenzel, AKA Au/Ra (Au stands for gold, Ra stands for radium)’s new single “Bite Marks” takes mukbang and ASMR to an entirely new level. The track explores the idea of a heartbreak that continuously feels like someone taking bites out of your heart (I’m sure you could have guessed that) while featuring the deliciously satisfying yet somewhat nausea-inducing crunching sounds over the chorus. Sonically interesting yet universally relatable, “Bite Marks” is arguably the most unique song from her discography to date.

“good 4 u” – Olivia Rodrigo
Release date – May 14

While I have a lot of feelings on the rise of Olivia Rodrigo and surely will elaborate more on them when I review her debut album next week, I can’t deny the deliciously satisfying simplicity of “good 4 u,” a song that sounds like a mash up of Taylor Swift’s recent from the vault track “Mr. Perfectly Fine” and Paramore’s “Misery Business.” 18-year-old Rodrigo has certainly made a splash with her first three tracks, but I am hoping to see a shift in subject matter on Sour that doesn’t revolve around her ex-boyfriend: cause I believe she certainly has the chops to give us a different angle.