Mariah Carey Brings Glamour to the NYC Subway, Louis Tomlinson Mourns, and New Maren Morris

By Maria Sherman  |  March 8, 2019 | 8:30pm
EntertainmentMusic

Y: Mariah Carey, “A No No” (video) – This video looks like a giant bag of cotton candy exploded in a subway car and everybody just proceeded to have a good time dancing while Mariah Carey stood by singing and looking glamorous. Note her use of air quotes when she sings “irregardless.” Obviously, it’s showtiiime! —Clover Hope

I kinda like it, which is in and of itself unsettling: Louis Tomlinson, “Two of Us” – It was only a matter of time before One Direction’s resident emo kid released a piano ballad; I only hoped it would be arena-sized instead of the over-produced singer/songwriter offering he’s laid forth in “Two of Us.” That said: the song is about his late mother, arguably the most direct he’s been about her passing, and if you can get past cheesy lyrics like, “Tattooed on my heart are the lyrics to your favorite song,” you might enjoy it. It’s not great, but it’s schmaltzy-good. —Maria Sherman

Nah: Rita Ora, “Only Want You” feat. 6LACK – Someone has got to tell Rita Ora to stop accepting hella forgettable songs to record under her name. She’s actually much too talented for that. I will say this: I would love the song if it included images from her upcoming role in Detective Pikachu and not, like, glamour shots of Ora in a jazz club, but I digress. I’ve got $5 on this track being somewhat related to her fresh breakup with Spider-Man Andrew Garfield. —MS

Ethically, no, but sonically, sure: Billie Eilish, “wish you were gay” – On its surface, what appears to be a sweet song about desiring someone who doesn’t desire you because they aren’t queer is actually much more deceitful than that. Consider “wish you were gay” to be Katy Perry’s “Yr So Gay” for a 2019 audience. (Hint: It didn’t work then, it won’t now.) Eilish has stated that the song is actually about wishing a male crush wasn’t interested in her because he’s gay, and not being he’s uninterested her in general. It’s unfortunate, because musically, “wish you were gay” is a bop. —MS

Yes: Azar Swan, “Empire Grave” – Azar Swan, the industrial clash-dark wave-rhythmic duo of Zohra Atash and Joshua Strawn released their last album, Savage Exile, in 2017, so it’s been a minute since I’ve heard from them. But like the whole of their discography, “Empire Grave,” their latest pulsating track, teeters a line between the familiar and innovative, nightmarish and romantic, haunting and familial. It is a late night turned early morning with your most vampiric buds, the kind of goth brilliance best described as evocative of some lingering, attractive danger. —MS

Yeeeee-haw: Maren Morris, “All My Favorite People” feat. the Brothers Osbourne – Maren Morris’s album GIRL is out today, and this track shows off her rooting-tooting-est country music side. “All My Favorite People” is a love song to your dearest friends—the ones who will drink alcohol out of repurposed plastic water bottles with you. The Brothers Osbourne are fine on this, but Morris’s vocals are the real star as she belts on the chorus. Kacey Musgraves is shaking! —Frida Garza

Y: Sigrid, “Basic” – Sigrid’s debut Sucker Punch is chockfull of the kind high-energy electro-pop she’s been teasing since “Don’t Kill My Vibe” came out more than two years ago. “Basic” mines the same vein of effervescent sentimentality, as the 22-year-old Norwegian singer and songwriter asks a distant romantic partner if she “be basic with you?” I like that such an anthemic song could be written around such a shameless and trivial question. It feels very specific to this day and age—not that that’s a bad thing. —FG

Y: MOÜGLI, “Tú Me Llevas” – This is what I call the sonic equivalent of café con leche. The glimmering vocals and melodies make this my ambient weekend music of choice. Plus, make out sessions aside, the splashes of color pair nicely with the song here. —Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo

Sip: Fuego and Greeicy, “Bien Fancy” – A good move for smooth singer Fuego after a flatline and easy to block from memory “Bloqueo.” The catchy beat in this one, paired with more natural acting/chemistry between the Colombian singer and Dominican reggaetonero, makes this an easy song to enjoy and add to your party playlist. “Eres la dura de tu ganga… tienes el glamour, tienes la magia” said Fuego and I to you on IWD. —ELC

 
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