Friday Music Drops, 8/7/26
Introducing a new series of posts that I'll likely abandon after just this NINTH entry: it's Friday Music Drops! The idea is that every Friday I will listen to the handful of new release songs my Spotify account recommends to me based upon my previous listens and write my quick, off the cuff thoughts on each, without really doing any research, so that these posts are as pure as possible. Here we go!
Weezer -- "C.E.O."
I've been coming to the realization over the last few years that Weezer may be my all-time favorite band. According to Spotify, I've listened to them far more than I have any other band. I get more emotional listening to some of their stuff in a unique way than I do any other band. I feel the most disappointed when Weezer put out bad music. I feel the most elated when Weezer put out something good. I am looking forward to their upcoming album, Gold, which is releasing in less than two weeks. Part of the tension of Weezer is whether they'll do what Weezer does best ("sounding like Weezer") or try something different. Like most Weezer fans, I prefer when they do the former, and "C.E.O." is a lament to that, played in the style Weezer does best.
Linkin Park -- "Somewhere I Belong (Unshatter Film Soundtrack (Live in São Paulo)
On one hand, I wish Linkin Park had hung it up after Chester Bennington's death. On the other, I'm not in Linkin Park, and the four members who have forged ahead (the drummer dipped) can do whatever they want. They have replaced the dearly departed Bennington with a woman who sounds very similar to him, and I think the purpose of this live album is to showcase that, but it still just sounds wrong to me. I much rather them combing through previous demos from old albums, and polishing up and releasing those, which feel like musically bringing Chester back from the dead.
Ellie Goulding -- "Ravers"
A long time ago, more than 15 years, I discovered a small artist named Ellie Goulding. She had a unique voice, played acoustic guitar, and sometimes combined that sound with electronics. I even bought her first couple of albums. But then she did the usual "I'll be a big pop star" thing and sold her soul to Dagon or whoever these people sell their soul too and I don't think I've listened to one of her generic sounding songs since. I listened to this one for this piece, but it was even more of an AI-sounding, generic slopfest than I was fearing, and I'll likely never listen to it again.
With Brevity -- "Baby Blue Eyes"
I've never heard of With Brevity. They appear to be a newer band and they only average 3000 listens a month. Their biography says the band "makes shoegaze sometimes and at other times does not" and from their pictures, I doubt we'd be friends in real life. The dreamy "Baby Blue Eyes" is by far the best song on this week's music drop, and from this point on, I'll be following With Brevity's career with great interest.
Finally, apropos of nothing, here's Stephen Wilson Jr. performing the song, "Gary," live in Columbus, Ohio.
Weezer -- "C.E.O."
I've been coming to the realization over the last few years that Weezer may be my all-time favorite band. According to Spotify, I've listened to them far more than I have any other band. I get more emotional listening to some of their stuff in a unique way than I do any other band. I feel the most disappointed when Weezer put out bad music. I feel the most elated when Weezer put out something good. I am looking forward to their upcoming album, Gold, which is releasing in less than two weeks. Part of the tension of Weezer is whether they'll do what Weezer does best ("sounding like Weezer") or try something different. Like most Weezer fans, I prefer when they do the former, and "C.E.O." is a lament to that, played in the style Weezer does best.
Linkin Park -- "Somewhere I Belong (Unshatter Film Soundtrack (Live in São Paulo)
On one hand, I wish Linkin Park had hung it up after Chester Bennington's death. On the other, I'm not in Linkin Park, and the four members who have forged ahead (the drummer dipped) can do whatever they want. They have replaced the dearly departed Bennington with a woman who sounds very similar to him, and I think the purpose of this live album is to showcase that, but it still just sounds wrong to me. I much rather them combing through previous demos from old albums, and polishing up and releasing those, which feel like musically bringing Chester back from the dead.
Ellie Goulding -- "Ravers"
A long time ago, more than 15 years, I discovered a small artist named Ellie Goulding. She had a unique voice, played acoustic guitar, and sometimes combined that sound with electronics. I even bought her first couple of albums. But then she did the usual "I'll be a big pop star" thing and sold her soul to Dagon or whoever these people sell their soul too and I don't think I've listened to one of her generic sounding songs since. I listened to this one for this piece, but it was even more of an AI-sounding, generic slopfest than I was fearing, and I'll likely never listen to it again.
With Brevity -- "Baby Blue Eyes"
I've never heard of With Brevity. They appear to be a newer band and they only average 3000 listens a month. Their biography says the band "makes shoegaze sometimes and at other times does not" and from their pictures, I doubt we'd be friends in real life. The dreamy "Baby Blue Eyes" is by far the best song on this week's music drop, and from this point on, I'll be following With Brevity's career with great interest.
Finally, apropos of nothing, here's Stephen Wilson Jr. performing the song, "Gary," live in Columbus, Ohio.
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