The Useless Critic 2.0

Uffie is back and I am too! One of my favorite "electroclash" artists ever is releasing her first album in a 12-year absence. It's been too long Uffie! I missed you! I love her new, slicker, and matured sound, plus this song is a lot of poptastic fun. Something about how she says "Italian espresso" I adore. Sorry I will try not to fangirl too hard, but please remember I fished a bottle out of a crowd she threw into her 2016/2017 Phoenix concert and I still have it in my storage. This is probably the weirdest fact I will admit about myself; don't worry, that's the extent of my weirdness in this respect (this respect, but I prefer the term "eccentric.") Also Toro y Moi helped on this album - which is a terrific asset; you know anything he's involved with is definitely a banger! "Sunshine Factory" will be out May 20th, the best birthday gift I could ever have and the perfect way to welcome 2022's Gemini season.

If there's anything people take away from my piss-poor legacy, I hope it's what a huge, unabashed fan of "Emily in Paris" I am and will continue to be. People love "90 Day Fiancee," "The Bachelor," and other garbage - allow me "Emily," which is at least harmless, kind of goofy fluff (which does, unfortunately, lean into some stereotypes, as the country of Ukraine knows ). I have already watched Season 2 twice. And honestly my favorite part of this show (despite my crush on Camille Razart and Lily Collins channeling Audrey Hepburn hardcore ) is Ashley Park. This woman has superstar written all over her. She's a bona fide Broadway star, and "Emily in Paris" has served as her pivot into the zeitgeist.  "Emily in Paris" is also showcasing her vocal prowess front and center this season, with her covering BTS, "All By Myself," "Sympathtique," and Marilyn Monroe. But the real standout performance is th...

There's no way to start the New Year like some extremely upbeat music about the New Year! That's where this new synthpop-heavy single from the British duo Let's Eat Grandma comes into play. It's a delightful song, and it helps increase any excitement about their third album, "Two Ribbons," which will be out this April. I personally am looking forward to hearing more from Let's Eat Grandma, who deserve way more attention than they currently get. Hopefully, 2022 will be a big year for them. Here's one of their older tracks I quite like:

Apparently, UK band The Cribs (who have an impressive track record behind them, with their first album released in 2004) has been releasing new singles each month as part of their "Sonic Brew Singles Club." This month brings with it "Things Could Be Better," a mellow track from the band that feels a little hazy and like a throwback to a different time - the 1970s or the early 2000s (take your pick!)  The band revealed this song has actually been shelved for about a decade, and that they recently made the decision to revisit the track. Vocalist/bassist Gary Jarman (the 3 members are actually all brothers) shared: "Then, Ryan stepped in and took responsibility for writing the lyrics and singing the lead - and turned it into something way better than I ever could’ve imagined. So, despite spending over a decade gathering dust, I am really proud of how this song eventually came into being. It’s pretty special.” The Cribs are expected to tour the USA and the UK early...

Hi everyone, I updated my best of 2021 playlist with some new developments! You can find it on Apple Music as well as Spotify. Updates include: - Tori Amos - White Lies - Avril Lavigne (that song is stupid catchy!) - Beach House Listen below; happy nearly 2022! Stay safe out there:

I finally found my favorite song of 2021, and just about as the year comes to its end. It's the first new song in three years from LA-based band Lo Moon, called "Dream Never Dies." As you might be able to glean from that title, it's a hopeful, expansive, majestic song that deserves to be played over the closing credits of a movie.  Lo Moon acknowledges Britpop as an influence - this song reminds me in places of Elbow and even The Killers at times. But it's uniquely their own. Honestly, if this song doesn't get huge ... or at least some serious recognition ... I will be sorely disappointed. 

"I Refuse to Die" by Sydney Sprague - off her relatively recently released album "Maybe I'll See You at the End of the World" (appropriate for pandemic times!) - is one of my favorite songs of 2021, hands down, bar none. The "feel bad" indie singer-songwriter hailing from Phoenix enlisted the help of Sam Rossner, who had previously partnered with Mac Miller and Pedro the Lion among others.  "i refuse to die" is the empowering, kickass starter to "Maybe I'll See You at the End of the World," and what a starter it is! Listen below: Sidenote: I saw Sydney perform at the Yucca Tap Room a few years ago, and I thought she was an excellent, incredibly talented musician. Excited to see what's next for her! Sydney will be playing at Tempe's 2022 Innings Festival alongside the likes of St. Vincent, Tame Impala, Foo Fighters, and Black Pumas.