Coldplay - Adventure of a Lifetime
★★★
"You make me feel like I'm alive again," sings Chris Martin on his band's latest comeback single, sparking immediate speculation as to who the "you" in question may be. ("The New Coldplay Song is Definitely About Banging Jennifer Lawrence," is how Gawker reported the story.) I'm not so sure. Personally, I assume this song, like every Coldplay song ever recorded, is about selecting and purchasing patio furniture.
Aurora - Half The World Away
★★
Now in its sixth year, John Lewis' annual Christmas ad always delights and enchants viewers, without offering us the slightest hint as to what their stores actually sell. This year's offering, performed by 19-year-old Norwegian singer Aurora, is no different. In the ad, a child looks into a telescope and spies a nice old man sitting alone on the moon. All very cutesy, except the nab is a dead ringer for Hyman Roth, the creepy mob boss from The Godfather II. So much for keeping your enemies close.
Grimes ft. Janelle Monae - Venus Fly
★★★★
In an interview with Fader last summer, Clare Boucher mentioned a track on her forthcoming album that was about being "too scary to be objectified." It's seems likely this was that track. Venus Fly is a ferocious floor-filler about being leered at on the dance floor, and the steps both singers will take to fight back.
Lana Del Rey - Some Things Last a Long Time
★★★★
Two years ago, Lana Del Rey donated $10,000 to a Kickstarter campaign to make a short film about cult musician Daniel Johnston. Now that director Gabriel Sunday's Hi, How Are You Daniel Johnston? is completed, the singer has covered one of Johnston's songs for its soundtrack. For once, she ditches the damsel in distress routine and delivers a straight, moving rendition of the song over a sparse acoustic accompaniment.
