Weekend Track Review 10-06-2022

The latest new music!

Jacob Banks - By Design [Evel Knievel]

What isn't there to love about this classic soul/R&B style song with a touch of a modern vibe. Jacob Banks delivers again on a soulful expression of love with his outstanding voice over a vintage backing vibe that immediately drags you in and keeps you engrosed through the whole track. I know the production is stylistically vintage but the slight drive on the wurlitzer and vocals at points had me wondering if my speakers had started to fail. It felt too clean otherwise for it to be a part of the recording and more like a stylistic choice in post and just took me out for long enough for it to impact the listening experience.

8 / 10

Halsey - So Good

Hasley's So Good is a Halsey song at the end of the day. It is a solid pop song with another strong vocal performance and while I don't think this is a single I will be humming in the shower tomorrow morning I can't fault it at all for what it is. It has a bit of a weird stylistic shift into the chorus that is jarring but that is about the worst thing I can say.

Unfortunately it isn't an amazing look for the artist after what looks like a fake viral TikTok campaign about not having a viral TikTok campaign. Matched up with a music video so clearly brought to you by Samsung, it doesn't come across as organic as some of Halseys other work despite this being a personal song about her relationship with Alev Aydin.

7 / 10

Jack White - If I Die Tomorrow

Jack White comes back with a new single not long after the release of Fear Of The Dawn and in all the best and worst ways this fits in the same pattern. Solid and interesting songwriting in sections mixed with interesting production choices which I am not sure if they benefit or hinder the song. Here the interesting parts are slightly mistimed double tracked acoustic guitars and DI electric guitar tones that just make this sound like a demo track that never got finished. I get that there is a stylistic choice here but it does feel a bit like it was just missing a final stage of production.

7 / 10

Pharrell Williams - Cash In Cash Out

We all know that a Pharrell beat is hard to best and combining that with two of the most popular rappers today should be a perfect combination right? Pretty much! This simple saturated 808 beat with vocal chirps delivers a great platform for 21 Savage and Tyler. The Creator to release solid long form raps with no distractions. While 21 isn't a personal favourite of mine I recognise the skills but Tyler is an artist that only gets better with time and right now putting him on your track seems like one of the best ways to make it instantly pop.

8 / 10

Created with love by Ben Greener