Last week, multihyphenate artist Willow released her fifth studio album, ‘<COPINGMECHANISM>’. As with its predecessor ‘lately i feel everything’, the fearless pop punk record sees the 21-year-old brandishing distorted guitars and heart-on-sleeve angst, solidifying her growing status as a rock revivalist for Gen Z.
In NME’s review, we spotlighted Willow’s impressive artistic growth, noting that “in the poetic and thoughtful nature of it, as well as the odd glimpse of where she could go next, WILLOW’s fifth record should be noted as her breaking sonically mature new ground”.
Album highlight ‘ur a <stranger>’ leads this week’s NME Radio A List, joined by Say Sue Me’s excellent Yo La Tengo cover, the latest preview to Fred Again..’s upcoming release, and fresh tracks from Carly Rae Jepsen, ENNY, and more.
Check out the newest additions to NME Radio 1 and 2 below:
On the A List:
Willow
‘ur a <stranger>’
Willow bites back for more space on ‘ur a <stranger>’, a stellar cut off her latest album ‘<COPINGMECHANISM>’. In two pummelling minutes, the pop-punk hero employs palm-muted guitars and a propulsive beat to channel resentment towards a controlling lover. In its last 30 seconds, she turns up the heat, screaming with unbridled rage and exasperation: “You’re a stranger / When I see you, I can’t speak / See you, I can’t breathe” – Eli Ordonez
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Say Sue Me
‘Season Of The Shark’
South Korean indie rock veterans Say Sue Me celebrate their 10th anniversary with ‘Season Of The Shark’, off their latest EP ‘10’. The track sees the quartet delivering a vivacious take on the Yo La Tengo classic, kick-starting a release which pays homage to the American indie icons who inspired them. Whereas the original opted for lo-fi introspection, Say Sue Me rework the song as an upbeat slice of ‘90s alternative. – EO
