This week was a banner week for artists I love dropping new singles. I expect this year is going to have a glut of new music between people releasing albums they sat on last year until they could tour behind them and all the quarantine albums that were recorded while bands couldn’t tour.

He Said, She Said by Chvrches

It’s been three long years since Chvrches last put out a new album. I hadn’t really seen much out of them in recent years. They weren’t touring and I hadn’t heard anything about new music being worked on, so I was a little worried that we wouldn’t hear from them again. But now they’re back with the single “He Said, She Said” about a manipulative relationship. It was apparently recorded on opposite sides of the Atlantic during lockdown. It’s kind of crazy how music can be produced these days with everyone in different locations. Anyway, it sounds exactly like a Chvrches song, which is all I really wanted from it because I love me some Chvrches. I’m hoping this means a new album and a new tour are imminent, though not until after I feel comfortable going to concerts again. Please go get vaccinated.

Diamond Studded Shoes by Yola

UK country soul singer Yola is back with the first single off her forthcoming new album, Stand For Myself, due out July 30. “Diamond Studded Shoes” co-written with Aaron Lee Tasjan, Natalie Hemby, and Dan Auerbach is one of those great tunes that makes you just want to jump up out of your chair and start boogeying until you actually listen to the terribly depressing lyrics. The song was written in response to former UK Prime Minister talking about how they needed to cut all these social safety net programs while literally wearing shoes with diamonds in them. Again I say I can’t wait for the new album and I really hope I get to see Yola tour with it. Go get your vaccine.

Die to Know by Christopher Paul Stelling

Christopher Paul Stelling released the first single, “Die to Know”, from his new album Forgiving It All due out on September 24. He funded and I backed the album on Kickstarter. After losing out on most of his tour backing his previous album due to COVID, which was released on a label, he talked about the importance of actually owning your own music. So he decided to try and fund the new album himself. This song, and I believe the whole album, is going back to his roots as just a guy and a guitar. I absolutely know I’ve said it on this blog before, but I’ve never seen one person with a guitar capture an audience the way I saw him at the Newport Folk Festival. It’s my example of why I always tell people at Newport to go see the people you don’t know because you may be missing something amazing. Watching an audience full of people, most of whom like me didn’t know who he was prior to that set, just become absolutely rapt was one of those moments I will never forget. I’d love to be able to see him live again too. Go get your vaccine.