As we get closer to the holidays of Christmas and New Year’s, I hope these next highlighted picks bring you some joy this week! There are new songs from 18x Grammy Award winner Paul McCartney, Grammy winning alt-pop solo singer/Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams, rock band Good Charlotte, 2x Grammy winner LeAnn Rimes & multi Grammy-nominated recording artist Jon Batiste. All that and more in this week’s New Music Friday for December 18, 2020!
“Find My Way” by Paul McCartney
Sir Paul McCartney is back with the release of his 18th solo studio album, McCartney III. It follows his previous eponymous albums, McCartney and McCartney II released back in 1970 and 1980 respectively. It’s now officially a trilogy set if you think about it.
Once again, the legendary singer-songwriter/producer created this entire album by himself. The only difference this time is that this was made during the quarantine lockdown earlier this year.
It’s cool to see the 78-year-old musician playing all the instruments in the music video seen above. You can tell this was a passion project for him from start to finish. Everything from the vocals to the guitar playing to the drums and even the harpsichord, all of it, it’s a visual and aural delight! It’s a very joyous song that needs to be played for those seeking to relieve the stresses of the week or after a long and hard day’s work.
According to the video’s description the video was directed by Francis Ford Coppola’s son Roman Coppola and “the shoot utilized no less than 46 cameras to capture Paul on every instrument and from every angle, resulting in an unprecedented and intimate glimpse into Paul creating and performing a McCartney III highlight.”
There are 10 additional songs on the new record, so feel free to go check that out this weekend! I enjoyed listening to this experimental album, and I feel Beatles fans and Sir Paul fans alike will do so too!
“Find Me Here” by Hayley Williams
Reflecting on the year that it’s been thus far, we could all use a song like this one from Miss Hayley Williams! This song is part of her latest EP, Petals For Armor: Self Serenades.
It’s soothing to hear this new song where she reminds us all that “long as I’m lovin’ you you’ll never be alone/Long as you keep wanting me around.” It’s true because even though we can’t see all our friends, family members and favorite artists on tour like we use to, the love is still there. The love we have for them will help carry us all through this dark and scary time.
I applaud Williams for putting out one more body of work before the year’s end. It’s like a warm and cozy hug and a very intimate experience for our ears. I’m looking forward to more new music from her in 2021 and from her band Paramore later down the road. How about you?
“Last December” by Good Charlotte
Rock band, Good Charlotte returns to the music scene with a brand new song called “Last December.” It’s been two years since their last release, Generation Rx (2018). A bittersweet music video accompanies the song which deals with the craziness that is 2020 as well as a hint of some hope and joy to carry us into the new year!
Images of closed venues due to the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year are seen. There’s also broken and or boarded up storefronts due to the protests against police brutality and the unjust murder of George Floyd, plus billboards advertising climate change is real and COVID-19 testing sites. It’s very surreal looking back upon those powerful moments. It really seemed like this year would go on and on, seemingly never-ending, but alas we’re in the homestretch part now. Christmas lights are up practically everywhere, and that sliver of normalcy is definitely craved by many. With the vaccines being rolled out across the country as we speak, here’s hoping 2021 will be a better year for everyone. Light is definitely at the end of the tunnel!!
Sonically speaking, this is a very well crafted song from the band whom wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first album with this release. The lyrics flow seamlessly along the upbeat track. The drumming is simply impeccable.
According to an ALTPRESS interview, lead guitarist Benji Madden said, “The holidays can be a rough time of year. Thinking of the ones we’ve lost and longing for moments that have passed us by is definitely a part of the joy and melancholy.” He added that “for us [it] speaks to both sides of those holiday feelings and we hope it brings some solace to anyone who needs it.”
Overall, it’s great to hear a new GC song before the new year starts. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments below.
“Throw My Arms Around The World” by LeAnn Rimes
38-year-old singer-songwriter and 2x Grammy winner, LeAnn Rimes is back with a passionate new song, “Throw My Arms Around The World.” She expressed in a recent tweet that her new single, “is full of passion, hope and sacred rage. I simultaneously dance and cry every time I listen to it. It’s a plea for the world to join me in healing this planet, ourselves and each other.”
Sonically, there’s a lot going on here. It’s such a big production undertaken by a small crew plus Rimes. Props to everyone who worked on this single. Watching the video seen above will make you appreciate the recording process and number of takes it took to put it all together smoothly.
Please put your headphones or earbuds on to get the maximum aural experience! I got a lot of international vibes from this worldwide appealing track such as African and Egyptian sounds. The background vocalists enhances the flow of it all as well. What do you all think? Share your opinions in the comments box down below.
“It’s All Right” by Jon Batiste
The amazing Jon Batiste (3x Grammy-nominated) offers his voice on the upcoming Disney/PIXAR soundtrack, Soul. This track titled, “It’s All Right” is very uplifting and encouraging to listen to. Play this track if you’re feeling sad because it will definitely perk your heart and soul up. Play it also if you want to get an idea of the film’s vibes ahead of time.
The smooth jazzy number is just one of the brilliantly composed tracks off the soundtrack, so you should definitely check out the rest of the album which features tracks from Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as actor Daveed Diggs and neo-soul musician Cody Chesnutt.
Soul will be available to stream on Disney+ on Christmas Day!
That does it for this week’s post! Thank you all for reading another edition of New Music Friday here at Philip’s Music Corner. If you liked what you read, kindly click on the follow button down below. Also if you like, please support my work by donating to my Paypal. I truly appreciate it!
Feel free to share your thoughts and feelings about any of these picks in the comments box down below! You can also give the songs featured this week a thumbs up or a thumbs down using the buttons under each pick. As always, stay safe and happy listening! See you again next Friday!
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