This week’s selections include a bedroom project, an album outtake, and a song Shazamed so much that it had to be put out as a single.
1. Billie Joe Armstrong, That Thing You Do
Single (Warner)
Recommended If You Like: The offspring of Green Day and Fountains of Wayne
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong has been spending his time in quarantine working on various recordings. Among them are That Thing You Do, the song performed by the fictional band The Wonders in the Tom Hanks movie of the same name. It was written by the late Adam Schlesinger, leader of Fountains of Wayne, who died of COVID-19 earlier this month.
2. Florence + The Machine, Light of Love
Single (Republic)
RIYL: Well, it’s Florence, innit?
Originally recorded for Florence’s last album, High as Hope, but not released, Light of Love is being used to raise awareness for the British Intensive Care Society COVID-19 Fund. And an all income from this song will be donated to that organization.
3. CHVRCHES, Forever
Single (Glassnote)
RIYL: Shazaming
It’s been a while since an alt-rock song has broken through as the result of an appearance on a TV show, but that’s exactly what we have here. CHVRCHES contributed this track to the Netflix series Elite and it just kinda took off after people started Shazaming it.
4. REZZ x Grabbitz, Someone Else
Single (RCA)
RIYL: Marcy Playground crossed with Daft Punk
REZZ is a Ukrainian-born DJ now working as a producer out of Niagara Falls and a signee to Deadmau5’s Mau5trap records. (Skrillex is a fan, too.) She’s released a couple of albums, a bunch of EPs and a number of standalone single, winning a Juno Award for Electronic Album of the Year in 2019. This single is a collaboration with DJ/producer Grabbitz, who is from across the river in Buffalo.