This week, play a politically inspired song about “impending doom” and new moody hits from both the hip hop and indie pop genres.
Bad Moves – “Shitty Tomorrow”
After ending the decade-long project “Spoonboy” in 2015, D.C.-native David Combs, who performs as Bad Moves, has not slowed down. A few months after “Spoonboy” was complete, he released his first album since 2008 with The Max Levine Ensemble. Most recently he released a four track self-titled EP in December.
In what some may hear as another fun indie-pop track, “Shitty Tomorrow,” is what the artists describe as an “upbeat pop song about impending doom.” The lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek take on the current state of world affairs, packaged as one of the best power-pop releases in recent memory. The track is one of Combs’ strongest, most exciting releases to date. It’s fitting that politically charged music like this would come from the District.
Bad Moves will perform at the MLK Library’s final basement show Feb. 2, before the venue closes for renovations until 2020. “Shitty Tomorrow” was released Dec. 2.
The xx – “Dangerous”
The xx’s newest is a turning point for the band. The new release, “Dangerous,” beautifully weaves together each member’s strengths to create a varied sound, and on first listen, is noticeably different that the group’s last work.
The booming and funky “Dangerous” serves as the opener to the album and is a stark contrast to the airy, mellow tracks that introduced the band’s previous albums. In their past work, most of the emphasis was placed on Romy Madley Croft’s and Oliver Sim’s vocals, but “Dangerous” is proof of a deep talent through the group and especially highlights producer Jamie xx’s work.
The xx will perform at Merriweather Post Pavillion May 6. “Dangerous” was released Jan. 12.
Childish Gambino – “Me and Your Mama”
“Awaken, My Love!” is regarded by many as Gambino’s strongest release to date. Childish Gambino is the stage name of Donald Glover who is a recognizable face with a Hollywood resume that includes a starring role in cult hit Community and wildly popular Netflix series “Atlanta.” His musical endeavors are some of his most impressive work, and this album served as a grand finale to a year of excellent releases with perhaps the strongest one in the last week of 2016.
The track is, at its simplest, a love song. Clocking in at almost six minutes, it flips between a glittery, sweet melody into a roar of emotion, unlike anything Gambino has recorded previously. The video for “Me and Your Mama” dropped on YouTube before the full album, and true to the artist’s ingenuity, the video allowed viewers to become fully immersed in the experienced with a 360 degree panoramic view of the song performed live. With such an outstanding opening, it will come as no surprise that the rest of the album is just as superb.
Childish Gambino will perform at Governor’s Ball Music Festival this June. “Awaken, My Love!” was released Dec. 2.
