October has been overloaded with albums to listen to, but there are still some songs we need to talk about that don't fit that schedule. So, let's see what fun-sized packages we have this time around.
Adele - Easy On Me
In some respects, Adele is almost her own genre. Whatever label you want to apply, no one else sounds like her. She exists in her own world, which is the sort of thing that makes an artist absolutely vital. You can't replicate the feeling or the sound, so the craving can only be satisfied one way. This first piece of the puzzle that will be "30" is unlike most of her other singles. It isn't as massive, as thunderous, as... Adele. This song is relaxed, easy, and maybe just what we need right now. Do we have it in us for too many more heart-wrenching songs? This song is perhaps more inviting than "Hello" was, putting to heavy use one of the few falsettos that really sounds good. Adele has changed since the last time we heard her in many ways, but not in the ways that count.
Leauxx - Short Of You
I was quite fond of her first solo single, having been missing her voice. That song was a more pained ballad, while this one leans a bit more into electronic and pop sounds. What ties them together is her voice, and her ear for melody, which are what elevate this song into an alluring little number. The production gives us a dark syrupy sound, which stands in contrast with Leauxx's sharp vocal. The song is a bit more subdued and hypnotic than I would usually go for, but it works here. I find myself liking this, and hopefully the wait won't be too long before it gets reinforced.
Guns N Roses - Hard Skool
After putting out the terrible song, "Absurd", Guns N Roses tries again. On the one hand, they pulled out an old song that at least sounds like Guns N Roses, so this is a lot easier to swallow. On the other hand, it's a predestrian song with lazy Axl lyrics, so it's far from being a notable number. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this one, since it's another "Chinese Democracy" era song, features a twenty year old vocal, and might only have been released because an old version had leaked a while back. But if this is what Guns N Roses thinks is worth being among their first new music in so long, I'm about ready to write them off. Sometimes being silent is better than saying the wrong thing.
Soen - Virtue
The final of the unreleased songs from "Lotus" to be put out this year, "Virtue" is a stirring track that focuses on Soen's more emotional side. The strings are beautiful, the melody swells in just the right way, and Joel's voice fits this tone like a glove. As each of these songs has been unveiled, it amazes me that a record that I awarded Album Of The Year honors had these songs left off which, in some ways, are even better than some of the material that was included. It's been a good year to be a Soen fan, with "Imperial" being another great album, and these three songs making up for the short running time by leaving us occasional reminders there is still more to come.
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