Burning Down the House
By Paramore
Hayley Williams’ vocal performances never miss – and Paramore’s cover of Talking Heads’ Burning Down the House proves it further. The band has covered the track it as part of a tribute album to the live set which came with the recently re-released Heads’ 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense. Other big names on it include the National, Miley Cyrus, and our very own Lorde. The sound of the Paramore rendition is pretty spot on to the original, just revamped with 21st-century tech. It’s fun, empowering and addictive. – Alana Rae
Sleep and/or Rest
by Thomas Powers
Thomas Powers of electro-pop band The Naked and Famous steadily works his way towards his solo debut album A Tyrant Crying in Private with this fourth single, a laidback electro-dreampop landscape of synths, backward tapes and busy beats. And although the lyrics are repetitious the mood established with “oh be patient” early up complements that of previous singles like the equally languid Half Pirouette and Falling Down the Stairs of last year. A song that sneaks up. — Graham Reid
What Now
By Brittany Howard
A little late to this one – it’s the thrillingly, scorchingly funky first of three singles from onetime Alabama Shakes frontwoman Howard’s forthcoming second solo album. And by the sound of this and new dancefloor-aimed track Prove It To You, we’d better start dusting off “the New Prince” headlines in preparation for the rest of it. – Russell Baillie
Murder on the Dancefloor – triple j Like A Version
by Royel Otis
The Sydney guitar pop duo Royel Otis – those are their first names – have covered the resurgence for the ages that is Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder on the Dancefloor. Even Ellis-Baxtor herself has capitalised on the comeback, announcing an upcoming performance of the hit at the Bafta awards in front of Barry Keoghan, whose iconic dance in Saltburn helped in the revival. A true pop culture match made in heaven. Royel Otis’ Like A Version rendition brings some Australian surfie flavour to the early 2000s British dance anthem – but manages to maintain the spark of the original. My favourite part is the word “dancefloor” sung in what is very clearly an Aussie accent. – Alana Rae
My Golden Years
by The Lemon Twigs
Last year, New York brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario came perilously close to being among our album picks of 2023 for their fourth album Everything Harmony where they finally distilled the spirits of the Beach Boys, Harry Nilsson, the Bee Gees and folk-pop into something that sounded like their own. With glistening jangle-guitars, big harmonies and tapping the spirit of mid-60s Beatles/Beach Boys and the power pop of bands like the Raspberries and Gin Blossoms, this summer-fresh single is nostalgic (in lyrics and sound) but also as bright as the best day at the beach. This once would have cluttered up pop radio, but today is it too retro? Find out. — Graham Reid
Take What’s Given
by BADBADNOTGOOD
And this week’s prize for Flight of the Conchords soundalike goes to the jazzy Canadian hip-hop production crew with Texan singer-rapper Reggie and their Dr Hook-ish ambling country-soul number. Jemaine, by another name. – Russell Baillie
Strozzi, ‘Amor dormiglione’
By Suzie LeBlanc (soprano) and Constantinople
It didn’t last long, but for a period in the 17th century, Italian women composers flourished. Francesca Caccini, Isabella Leonardo, and others wrote music that was performed and admired, before the church slammed the door shut in the late 1600s. Before that happened, Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677) managed to have more music in print during her lifetime than any other composer, female or male. Partly, that’s because most of her music was secular, and not hidden away in churches. And partly it’s because her music was so good. This playful song urges lazy Cupid to wake up so that he can fire his arrows of love. – Richard Betts
