Bop Shop: Songs From Maggie Rogers, Lauv, eaJ, Jewel, And More

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  Banks: “Holding Back”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=1TO9-ujYh7A
  
  
  
  Banks has long melded the constraints of pop music to suit her sonic vision where she sees fit, giving us bops as daring as they are dark. She continues this effort with “Holding Back” from her new album Serpentina, out today. The thumping track starts with a high-pitched hook, a unexpected flourish from a singer known for living in her lower register that rings triumphant each time it comes around. It’s fitting for a song about taking fault for a misunderstanding, and the lyrics find her coming from a new place of maturity and wisdom: “Baby, don’t be afraid / Not every conversation is a new grenade / All I'd like to do is get you loved and laid / I wrote you a melody, can’t you visualize that?” With her fourth album, and her first as an independent artist, it’s clear this alt-pop songster understands what she’s got to provide, both in a relationship and musically, like never before. —Carson Mlnarik
  
  
  
  
  



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  Joesef: “It’s Been A little bit Heavy Lately”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=waLP8FYgfIA
  
  
  
  The despair of pining for someone, of wanting so badly it feels as if your survival depends on them, seeps by means of the easy disco groove of “It’s Been A little bit Heavy Lately.” Singer Joesef is “fucked up, crazy” with lusting need. A queer narrative underscores its music video, where Joesef’s lover is a gentleman harboring his feelings while dating a girl, nevertheless it’s the desperate, universal feeling of longing that sticks. “You’re the only one who can save me,” he softly pleads. “I know that isn’t fair.” —Terron Moore
  
  
  
  
  



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  Lauv: “All 4 Nothing (I’m So In Love)”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=AH8b7EynJ60
  
  
  
  If Lauv is happy, we’re happy. The singer-songwriter’s new bop “All 4 Nothing (I’m So In Love)” dropped today and tells the story of a love so strong you wish to spend every waking moment in it. The upbeat sultry-pop melody provides the ideal soundtrack to lose yourself in with your significant other. We visualize the singer do just that in the accompanying music video, which features his real-life girlfriend and co-writer, Sophie Cates. This is the most content we’ve seen Lauv as he sings, “Did you know that you’re my whole heart / did you realize that I’ll never stop / Giving you everything I got.” —Alissa Godwin
  
  
  
  
  



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  eaJ: “Car Crash”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=c3KOZ2iw8Hk
  
  
  
  Korean-American singer-songwriter eaJ, known for his vocal and guitar stylings in the musical group Day6, kicked off his solo career today with the release of “Car Crash.” And if early streaming numbers and music video views are any indication, the artist is on a collision course for success. “There’s been so much that's happened in my life the past few years, however the fans have really stayed strong and stuck by my side,” eaJ mentioned in an accompanying statement. He showcases his versatility with the breezy new track, pairing an airy vibe with heavier lyrics about a tumultuous relationship. It’s the ideal addition to your summer playlist. —Farah Zermane
  
  
  
  
  



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  Anees: “Sun and Moon”
  
  
  https://youtu.Be/4zmSJhrYLXo
  
  
  
  I'm a sucker for most songs that begin with a raw guitar chord, however add a number of snaps and also a gritty, melodic voice, and I'm hooked. My latest obsession riding the wave of social success is Anees's "Sun and Moon," a romantic track that praises the object of his affection because the life-sustaining force that keeps our planet in accord with the solar system. Anees accounts a gargantuan love: "Baby, baby, you're my sun and moon / Girl, you're everything between / A lot of pretty faces could waste my time / However you're my dream girl." Physicality takes center stage in love songs these days, however Anees's ballad peels back the layers of love and affection, championing the sort of intimacy that makes “the stars collide,” beckons to be protected, warrants a commitment for life, and makes you feel lucky to have noticed. —Virginia Lowman
  
  
  
  
  



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  Jewel: “The Story”
  
  
  
  
  
  Once the American Song Contest was reported, pop fans feared it would not contain the same over-the-top flair that is so prevalent at Eurovision. Yet national treasure Jewel naturally did not get the memo. On the latest episode, the “Intuition” singer represented her residence state of Alaska and debuted a new song, “The Story.” However alternatively opposed to a folky track that would fit in on Pieces of You or Spirit, Jewel unleashed a power anthem that is 2022’s answer to Katy Perry’s “Firework.” The song is about chasing your dreams, and any time “The Story” finally swells with an euphoric key change, you’ll swear you’re listening to a lost ABBA B-side. Jewel releasing the camp banger of the year? Talk about a plot twist. —Chris Rudolph
  
  
  
  
  



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  Peter McPoland: “Come Around”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=lK8fa501N_M
  
  
  
  “Don’t you know you’re wonderful?” Peter McPoland asks with such pure earnestness against plucky, gleeful guitars that it seems as if he's posing the question for the opening time. “Come Around” is the sort of rushing, audacious, Bleachers-esque indie anthem that feels so flawlessly youthful that you can’t help although put it on repeat. By the song’s peak, falling in love becomes a matter of life and death. ”If I perish tonight, I’d perish loving you for the rest of my life,” he screams joyously. And maybe it should feel that terrifying. Maybe it should feel that good. —Terron Moore
  
  
  
  
  



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  BabyAngel69: “Candy”
  
  
  
  
  
  April showers bring May ferns, and this 2019 cover of a classic Mandy Moore hit is exactly what you must bathe yourself with before we all bloom in the spring. It’s futuristic, sultry, sexy, queer, and crisp. As a follow-up, add BabyAngel69's 2021 single "Cruel Intentions," the music video for which he described as “George Michael by way of the lens of Britney Spears,” to your queue. This electric pop smash will leave you absolutely glowing under the disco ball; I’ll visualize you there. —Zach O’Connor
  
  
  
  
  



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  Maggie Rogers: “That’s Where I Am”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=WdrNXRdkuG4
  
  
  
  Maggie Rogers is back! Bedroom pop's resident witchy queen has got a new cropped cut, a new record dropping on July 29, plus a new sense of self. Rogers took her time crafting her follow-up to her 2019 debut Heard It In a Past Life, and lead single "That's Where I Am" shows it was more than worth the wait. With pounding drums, a glitchy synthesizer, and the same haunting breathy vocals, Maggie is much less concerned with the could-have-beens; she's focused on the facts. "I told you I loved you any time we were just companions / You kept me waiting and I hated you then," she confesses, before launching into a sticky chorus twisting life decisions into something more meaningful. "It all works out in the end / Wherever you go, that's where I am / Boulders turn into sand." While it's lyrically a love song, the efficiency and production take it somewhere higher. It's a powerful reminder that things work out the way they're supposed to, and we never truly leave the ones we've cared for. —Carson Mlnarik