The Singles Jukebox

“I love cheesy poofs, you love cheesy poofs…”

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[6.71]

Katherine St Asaph: It’s July, I’ve done little more lately than sit in newly discovered bars-in-parks drinking beer and looking out at the river for no particular reason at all that’s right none, and songs like this (here’s another that comes to mind) suit the mood like little else. Could use a little more sun or a little more crunch, though. Or even more Sheryl.
[6]

Alfred Soto: Boy, do I have a weakness for electric rhythm strumming this relentless, and because she’s giving side eye to a “shitty Indianapolis band” the sound carries additional resonance.
[7]

Katie Gill: It’s the instrumentation that saves the day here. That mix of classic country with punk rock guitars and a little bit of synth is downright brilliant. Her mish-mash of a style never fully settles into a blend — and all the better, in my opinion. Those bits where the song sounds honky-tonk as hell and then the guitar just noisily plows in? Beautiful.
[8]

Will Adams: The chorus is slightly heavy on the downbeat, which prevents the song from cruising like, say, Jewel’s “Standing Still.” Still, the sun flare guitars provide some of that easygoing, mid-summer feel.
[6]

Tim de Reuse: This song does not reach for the sublime, nor does it carry the pretense of some grand emotional revelation; no, it’s a refreshingly humble celebration of the mundane. It’s fascinating how this absolute ordinariness has been targeted with laser precision, in the lyrics, in the structure, in the mix, and in the composition itself. What could be more feel-good and circular than the age-old I – IV – I – IV progression? What better way to signal “This is the wistful part” than to sprinkle it with major sevenths? The sighed vocal harmonies of the bridge evoke a lonely Sunday afternoon’s boredom. Perhaps “perfectly serviceable” may not sound like a mark of approval — to be sure, appeal and ambition are not mutually exclusive goals — but when you’re writing what is essentially comfort food I don’t think you need to do much better.
[7]

Brad Shoup: I smiled when the staticky synth reared up at the end. She sounds a lot like Neko Case: in her enunciation, the way she summons the winds on the bridge, and the way she marshals her muscular alt-rock backing.
[7]

Ryo Miyauchi: Lydia Loveless hits back with her hook — “give me just a little bit longer to get over you” — like a writer asking for an extension, like she’s expected to snap out of it after a certain deadline. “Longer” was written in response to a death, though there’s a lot in  common in terms of language between this and  post-breakup life. And she doesn’t sound hurt than she does tired and lost. If the music feels a little numb, it’s because she’s over it too.
[6]