The Archive’s Songs of the Week: 6/17/2024

Each week the Archive will shine a spotlight on our (my, I’m the only one on staff here) favorite songs. All songs are welcome, from swooning ballads and plucking folk ditties to pounding club bangers and sugary pop confections.

Genre(s): Dance, indie folk, R&B, Indie pop

1. “Sympathy is a knife,” by Charli xcx: I’m a longtime angel, and I go up for Charli xcx like a house on fire. Her recent release, BRAT, has become one of the highest rated albums of all time, as well as one of the most zeitgeist-busting releases of the year alongside Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter. Though I consider BRAT to be a skipless album, a few tracks stick out as planets do among stars. One such track, “Sympathy is a knife,” sees Charli do what she does best: grapple with big emotions against a backdrop of even bigger electronic production. Charli xcx confronts her inherent anxiety in the party space, especially amidst the presence of a girl that taps her insecurities. This subject matter is not strange to xcx, who has explored such topics on previous albums; in fact, I liken “Sympathy is a knife” to the third single off her self-titled 2019 album, “Gone,” with Christine and the Queens, at least in terms of lyrical content and themes. Sonically akin to Kate Bush’s song “Hounds of Love,” Charli sings against striking, cinematic strings that slice through the air over a crunchy beat. Charli confronts her relationships with many women across BRAT, but “Sympathy’s” arresting candor is what earns it a top spot in my personal ranking. The killer hook is enough to sell the track, but her dedication to relaying her emotions with complete honesty proves Charli’s ability to balance conflicting topics: how does one enjoy the party when the party suppresses as much as it uplifts? The least we can do is dance, even if we still want to “buy a gun and shoot ourselves” at the same time.
2. “Busy Girl,” by Tove Lo and SG Lewis: I’m a casual Tove Lo fan, and I’ve enjoyed her collborations with SG Lewis in the past, so it comes as no shock that their recently released EP, HEAT, has dominated my headphones over the past few days since it hit the platforms. Though many are entranced by the sweaty passion and cheeky bratiness of the title track, “Busy Girl” proves an equal contender. “I’ve got skills, I’ve got power, every second, minute, hour/ I am good at what I do/ Bitch, I’m better than you,” Tove Lo sings over a spacey beat. It’s so refreshing to see Tove Lo claim her power and icon status, at least for fans of her particular brand of horny dance-pop. The track also plays as some sort of meditative affirmation, perfect for a workout or to simply get out of bed. Evoking dance classics such as “Work Bitch,” by Britney Spears and Marie Davidson’s “Work It,” “Busy Girl” is another jewel in the crown for all those hustling hot girls out there. We get what we deserve!
3. “Red Cloud,” by Marina Allen: Marina Allen is a new addition to my music library. After listening to her recent album Eight Pointed Star, I’m questioning how she’s been absent for so long. Through much of the album, Allen balances whimsy and seriousness through her lyricism and vocal delivery. With a clear voice, she warbles through “Red Cloud,” painting melancholy summery scenes like watercolors, misty and layered. “In Red Cloud…,” she draws out as a pseudo-chorus, her voice dancing as she calls to mind fantastical images of blistered skin, stews of rain water and frozen meat, and baby teeth, and likens herself to a spirit that haunts the dead. It’s hard to pinpoint exact metaphors, with Allen putting the task on the audience to deduce the messages. As with much of Eight Pointed Star, half the fun is in the analysis. So be warned, like with “Red Cloud,” you’ll be busting out the metaphorical yellow highlighter and googling Genius lyric transcriptions to get to the bottom of her work, but the jounrey is worth it.
4. “Kissing Someone Else,” by Caroline Kingsbury: I’m a sucker for an ’80s throwback. Caroline Kingsbury delievered with her 2021 album Heaven’s Just a Flight and its standout track “Kissing Someone Else.” Similar in sonics to Chappel Roan and in lyrics to “Somebody Else” by The 1975, Kingsbury delivers a burning song about missing her ex-lover, and knowing that they’re kissing someone new in a dive bar; she can literally feel their heartbeat. With an expressive voice alike to the Wilson sisters of Heart, Kingsbury’s anguish is palpable. The bright synths channel the neon lights of the very bar where the transgression occurred, and her voice cracks at points as though she’s been chainsmoking through the night, mind racing at the revelation that soon she will be history. One can only hope she finds someone else too, no matter how long that might take.
5. “Please Please Please,” by Sabrina Carpenter: I’m turning into a Sabrina Carpenter-truther, something I never thought would occur. “Espresso” hooked me, and “Please Please Please” is the line and sinker. I can even forgive the Jack Antonoff production (trust me, I’m just as tired of his influence as anyone else right now). Playing off her recent dive into Italo disco sounds, Carpenter now brings ABBA into the mix (I don’t think it’s a coincidence the title reminds me of “Gimme Gimme Gimme”). With layered vocals and a cutesy “motherf*cker” thrown in for good measure, Carpenter begs her rowdy boyfriend to tone it down and not embarrass her. It’s a fun and refreshingly goofy premise to match the saccharine production that perfectly highlights her feathery voice. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I’ve heard a premise like this for a song before, at least not in such clear and corny terms. Though I could always go for a great bridge and banging final chorus, especially after being spoiled by Chappell Roan and her 2024 juggernaut track “Good Luck, Babe!,” I can look past how “Please Please Please” seems to deflate in its last minute. This bright track is tailor-made for a poolside romp with your closest friends, whip cracks and double-claps in all.