THIS UPDATE: FRIDAY 13TH MAY 2022
From the return of the mighty My Chemical Romance to the brilliantly bratty punk attitude of Pale Waves, this week hasn't been shy of great new tracks. In order to help you cut through the noise, we've sifted through the pile and plucked out a few of the best. If you want more, subscribe to our weekly New Music Friday edit The Cut on Spotify, and never miss out again.
My Chemical Romance are back. My Chemical Romance are back! MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE! ARE! BACK! Yes, Dear Reader, at 11pm BST last night, Gerard, Mikey, Frank and Ray chose chaos, dropping a brand new track for the first time in eight years without any real warning. With their comeback UK dates due to kick off early next week, whispers of new material had circulated without ever being properly confirmed for months, years even now. 'The Foundations of Decay' is a first suggestion of just what the MCR of 2022 would sound like. Six minutes in length, epic and - when it decides to be - absolutely massive, it's so much of what they've always done best. Undeniably them, but also different enough to feel fresh and exciting, it only begs the question - is there more? Can we have it? Please?
Between their first and second albums, Pale Waves went on a musical journey. Starting the drift towards late-90s influenced pop rock, it worked for them; all attitude and bubblegrunge cool. ‘Lies’ - the first taster of a new album coming this summer - takes that switch up and kicks it into overdrive. Bratty, immediate and taking no prisoners, it’s a million miles away from the goth-popsters who set the buzz machine rattling with ‘There’s A Honey’. Never knowingly behind the curve, the third iteration of Pale Waves have teeth.
Written alongside the likes of Charlie Puth and Alexander 23, 'what would you do?' is born of certified talent - and doesn't it show it? Riding a wave of pop-punk revival, it takes Tate's trademark delivery and shoves it through a filter of fizzing possibilities, like smooth honey dripped over-sharpened razorblades. Yet another intriguing taste of that debut album soon to follow.
Remi Wolf is The Best - so much, long-established. If proof was needed, though, 'Michael' provides amply. Woozy and wonderful, it's got all the trademark Remi touchpoints. Packed with attitude, casually chucking in swears and a scream, it's 100% a vibe, 100% of the time. If only everyone could be like her, huh?
Måneskin know how to play the game. A year on since their arrival on the world stage, the reigning Eurovision winners mark this weekend's competition with a brand new single. 'Supermodel' knows what it's doing, and does it directly. Soaked in the raw sweat of the Italian's live sets, they're a riot. Exactly what the whole game is about, really.
