Megan Thee Stallion Just Dropped the Hot Vax Summer Anthem
Mariah Carey, Doja Cat, Stevie Nicks, and more new music examined in our highly accurate rating system
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Meg is the shit, “per the recording academy”: Megan Thee Stallion, “Thot Shit” – If I were not decrepit and walking on knees that click every few miles, then this song would inspire me to put my hands on my knees and get on my thot shit. However, all I can manage is some enthusiastic head nods to Meg’s absolute banger that is all the good things about Vax/Hot Girl Summer rolled into a single music video that has a very weird ending. —Shannon Melero
Stevie Knicks can’t fix everything: Maroon 5 ft. Stevie Knicks, “Remedy” – There are a lot of things the soothing voice of Stevie Knicks can heal: bad credit, back pain, gout, indigestion. However, not even her vast witch powers can make Maroon 5 good again, or make this garbled hot mess of a song worth listening to. Maybe Adam Levine can get the rest of his bandmates jobs on The Voice. – Shannon Melero
Somewhat yes: Jam & Lewis x Mariah Carey, “Somewhat Loved” – Even when Mariah Carey doesn’t have much to say, you can count on her complicating her way of saying it. In this fine-like-a-drink-that-needs-another-ice-cube, fine-like-an-overcast-day-in-June collab, we’re treated to the mouthful of, “Those unspoken words conjure fixation.” Elsewhere, an angel “turned his back and where wings once were they were no longer intact.” Also, she uses the word “corridor” in the first verse. “Somewhat Loved” contains a strong set of melodies dressed in a virtually anonymous production that’s giving me, like, rhythmic hotel commercial. I can’t decide if it’s better for everyone involved—once-visionary production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Carey—to release middle-aged bops like this, or whether they should be trying harder. At least they’re content to keep it cute. —Rich Juzwiak
Stevie Knicks can’t fix everything: Maroon 5 ft. Stevie Knicks, “Remedy” – There are a lot of things the soothing voice of Stevie Knicks can heal: bad credit, back pain, gout, indigestion. However, not even her vast witch powers can make Maroon 5 good again, or make this garbled hot mess of a song worth listening to. Maybe Adam Levine can get the rest of his bandmates jobs on The Voice. – Shannon Melero
Somewhat yes: Jam & Lewis x Mariah Carey, “Somewhat Loved” – Even when Mariah Carey doesn’t have much to say, you can count on her complicating her way of saying it. In this fine-like-a-drink-that-needs-another-ice-cube, fine-like-an-overcast-day-in-June collab, we’re treated to the mouthful of, “Those unspoken words conjure fixation.” Elsewhere, an angel “turned his back and where wings once were they were no longer intact.” Also, she uses the word “corridor” in the first verse. “Somewhat Loved” contains a strong set of melodies dressed in a virtually anonymous production that’s giving me, like, rhythmic hotel commercial. I can’t decide if it’s better for everyone involved—once-visionary production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Carey—to release middle-aged bops like this, or whether they should be trying harder. At least they’re content to keep it cute. —Rich Juzwiak
Hmmm, Intrigued: The Goon Sax, “Psychic” – Synth-y, dance-y, and brooding, this new track and video by Australian band The Goon Sax is a pretty pleasant surprise. I found out about this band a couple of years ago and thought their lovelorn punky sound was fun and deliciously earnest (check out their song “She Knows” to see what I mean). But “Psychic” is a whole different animal: It’s darker and moodier, and… a little sexier? I don’t know, but I can dig it. —Ashley Reese
OK: Doja Cat, “Need to Know” — Doja Cat’s rollout strategy for Planet Her has been genius, with a stream of delectable, high-concept, and likely very expensive videos steeped in techno-futurism. It’s a good gig if you can afford it, and it helps shape the tenor of her latest nasty pop-rap singles, which sound burnished with fondant and a cherry on top. (The gleaming pink motifs of the videos don’t hurt.) I love the music and videos despite myself (and Dr. Luke, the shitbag who produced), but also the concept of Doja and Grimes—who is in this video as an extra and notoriously thinks that um, A.I. can accelerate communism—hanging out is like the worst thing I can possibly imagine. I feel extremely complicated about all this so I’m only going to watch it two to three times in total. —Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
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