Singles Roundup: Elvis Costello, Creeper, Amaranthe, & Yours Truly

Elvis Costello – No Flag/Hetty O'Hara Confidential

Artists flit in and out of our own mindsets, and Elvis is now on a different side of the world from me. Despite how much of his music I have loved, these new songs follow a lengthy period of time where he hasn't interested me, and do nothing to buck the trend. Recorded by himself, Elvis is back in exprimental mode, which means he's trying to tell stories in his songs over a mess of noises. These songs lack his flair for melody, and his formerly sharp wordplay. It's so watered-down from what he's capable of that I don't even know what I'm supposed to feel; anger, disappointment, or outright sadness.

Creeper – Be My End

The last(?) single before the record drops, "Be My End" continues to fill in the picture of what the greater work is going to be like. In a way, it is the anchor point everything else will revolve around, taking their previous sound and dialing down the emo just a hair. That leaves us with a song that is half pop/punk and half classic rock, a perfect blend for a rollicking hook that has just the right amount of 'camp' to it. A review of the album is coming soon.

Amaranthe – Viral

After "Helix", Amaranthe was clearly established as the best of all the hyper-modern pop metal bands. There have been several trying to do the same thing, but none have done it as well, and this first single for their upcoming album shows the gap hasn't narrowed. Amaranthe write the slickest earworms in all of metal right now, and they have the vocal prowess few could hope to match. Their blend of voices, along with the sharp writing, create unforgettable songs that burrow into your head. At least with this song, they are still the standard.

Yours Truly - Together

With Creeper's album close enough at hand, there is nothing I'm looking forward to more in the second half of 2020 than Yours Truly's first full-length. Their "Afterglow" EP was the best EP of last year, and the two songs they've released for this album continue marching to the top of the mountain. Yours Truly are everything I think pop music should be, and this song embodies that with its heavy enough guitars, bouncing energy, and sticky chorus. Mikaela can sell a hook with her bright vocal tone, and the production makes this sound arena-ready. If this is an indicator, we might be looking at an Album Of The Year contender. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to share my thoughts on the full record in September.