Valentine’s Day was ten days ago, and while some people were celebrating love with their significant other or moping over their single status, some of us were waiting for new music. 12:01 am EST, Lizzo Dropped “Cuz I Love You,” the title track of her upcoming album. 12:01 am PST brought us “Whorey Heart” by TeaMarrr. While not all these songs came out on February 14th, they all were released within a week or so of the Hallmark holiday. If you haven’t yet realized you have new tunes to celebrate your next date or heartbreak, here’s a list to get you started:
Cuz I Love You by Lizzo
“I’m crying, cuz I love you…”
“Cuz I Love You” is Lizzo’s most vulnerable single to date. Make no mistake – she’s still operating with the unashamed self-confidence found on “Juice” and “Truth Hurts,” but with every self affirmation comes small confessions not previously displayed. “Trying to open up a little more, sorry if my heart a little slow,” she explains in the first verse. “I thought that I didn’t care, I thought I was loved impaired,” she follows up as she transfers into the second chorus. Yet she shows these perceived moments of weakness are her biggest strength – she’s most powerful when belting out how she’s crying due to this love. It also helps that the track is just as catchy and fun to listen to as its predecessors.
Whorey Heart by TeaMarrr
“You say you want to love me, but you can’t control your whorey heart…”
TeaMarrr has let loose another single about men that can’t deliver on what they promise and the lack of commitment found in a boy that still wants to play pretend without a relationship. Just like her previous single “One Job,” this song isn’t afraid of being explicit overtop an echoey series of repeated, high pitched notes. It’s not a call out song, but a voiced inner debate of the toll it would take to be one of many hookups. “Should I pull up in the trench and finesse this attraction? If I hit reply, sister-wife with all them,” TeaMarrr muses just before her voice grows increasingly panicky. It’s a great, if somewhat NSFW, addition to her album coming later in 2019.
Stay Young by Maisie Peters
“I want to say it like Simon would, cause I was on my own this morning…”
In a little over a week, 18 year old singer-songwriter Maisie Peters begins her mostly sold out UK tour, and it’s usually around right now where artists release a new single, something to maybe play at the end of their show with enough energy for the crowd to dance but also calm enough to communicate a sense of conclusion. “Stay Young” fulfills this role perfectly. It’s a beautifully phrased way to communicate the age old idea of not letting time pass, and Maisie’s soft lilting voice only contributes to the wistful fantasy of holding onto a moment forever. I can’t imagine any of expressed longing is exaggerated, especially on lines like “I promise I care / I know it’s hard, know that I’m never there.” This might be a romantic love song, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this is her way of wanting to press pause on hometown life as she starts what is sure to be a very successful international career.
NONE of this has been about you by Spencer Sutherland
“I’m still in love, but I’m going through a lot lately…”
This is the first single Spencer Sutherland’s released since finishing his first headlining tour, and it’s not what I expected. In a surprising change of pace, this is the first of Spencer’s singles where he’s only supported by his backing vocals and a piano in the first verse, only allowing the “stomp-clap” beat come in once he’s reached the chorus. “I’m afraid you would hate me if you know that I’ve become insensitive to truth / but even if you do, none of this has been about you,” he sings, bringing to mind a vaguer version of “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon. It doesn’t feel like he’s accusing an ex of listening in; rather he’s almost confessing a truth about a past relationship but backing out at the last second. It’s a love song those in turmoil might appreciate, but for everyone else I’d highly recommend “Sweater,” which was just released a month ago.
Other Drugs by Brick + Mortar
“Love helps too. They say that I’ll never get closer to the sun…”
Disclaimer: This song is technically a Valentine’s day release of a an old 2012 b-side. Onto the review: This song is a cacophony of sound and I adore it. This song is full of repeating lyrics over an ever present drum beat, and nowhere is the phrase “Other Drugs” even mentioned. I’m going to be honest – I’m not 100% sure what this song is about, and with Brick + Mortar I don’t mind that fact. It definitely feels like an older song – it’s more like the chorus from 2013’s “Terrible Things” than 2018’s “Saturday Nights,” but it makes me excited to see if they’re going to head back towards the chaos of their older releases or continue on the calmer waters of last year’s album.
[…] I’ve previously written that the title track is one of my least favorite songs from Spencer, I’m excited to see what […]