Best New Songs of 2023 (So Far): Song of the Year Contenders (vulture.com)

BEST OF 2023?MAR. 7, 2023

The Best Songs of 2023 (So Far)

By?Justin Curto?and?Alex Suskind

省流：有拉拉打雷的《A&W》

Yes, we?know, it’s not even spring. But that won’t stop us from celebrating?the best songs?(so far, of course) from this young year. For the first round of selections, there was, surprisingly, a lot to choose from. Our initial crop includes a Lana Del Rey epic, a “cloud rap meets psych rock” experiment, a disco anthem, and some supergroup harmonies. Make sure to check back throughout the rest of 2023 as this list will be continually updated.

機(jī)翻：是的，我們知道，現(xiàn)在甚至不是春天。但這不會(huì)阻止我們慶祝這個(gè)年輕年份的最佳歌曲（當(dāng)然是迄今為止）。對于第一輪選擇，令人驚訝的是，有很多選擇。我們最初的收獲包括Lana Del Rey史詩，“云說唱遇上心理搖滾”實(shí)驗(yàn)，迪斯科國歌和一些超級團(tuán)體和聲。請務(wù)必在 2023 年剩余時(shí)間內(nèi)回來查看，因?yàn)榇肆斜韺⒉粩喔隆?/p>

• “A&W,” Lana Del Rey

The first half of?“A&W” is Lana Del Rey at her purest: a chronicler of dark Americana, eight albums distilled. The singer-songwriter goes inside the mind of a sex-addled California girl, murmuring and mumbling in the sweet spot of ’70s soft pop she’s found since working with super producer Jack Antonoff. A line like “This is the experience of being an American whore” could veer toward caricature if Del Rey weren’t as committed as she is here. “A&W” then takes an unpredictable turn: The bass begins to wobble, the drums kick in, and before you know it, she’s flipped “Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop” into a rap about a manipulative man named Jimmy. She’s closer to self-parody at this point, but as Del Rey — and the character she’s singing about — knows, there’s no excitement without a little risk. —?Justin Curto

機(jī)翻：《A&W》的前半部分是Lana Del Rey最純粹的：黑暗美國編年史家，八張專輯提煉。這位創(chuàng)作歌手進(jìn)入了一個(gè)性感的加州女孩的內(nèi)心，在她與超級制作人杰克·安東諾夫合作以來發(fā)現(xiàn)的 70 年代柔和流行音樂的最佳點(diǎn)喃喃自語和喃喃自語。像“這是成為美國妓女的經(jīng)歷”這樣的臺(tái)詞可能會(huì)轉(zhuǎn)向漫畫，如果德爾雷不像她在這里那樣堅(jiān)定的話。然后，“A&W”發(fā)生了一個(gè)不可預(yù)測的轉(zhuǎn)折：貝斯開始搖晃，鼓聲開始，在你意識到之前，她把“Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop”變成了一個(gè)名叫吉米的操縱男人的說唱。在這一點(diǎn)上，她更接近自我模仿，但正如德爾雷——以及她所唱的角色——所知道的那樣，沒有一點(diǎn)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)就沒有興奮。—?賈斯汀·庫托

• “Free!,” Maxo

On “Free!,” the second single off Maxo’s?Even God Has a Sense of Humor, the Los Angeles rapper yearns for a moment untethered from daily anxieties. He worries about providing for his family, about not being able to rely on his friends, about not screwing up “everything I touch.” “Them dark thoughts gon’ pick at my brain / Sometimes it’s hard to run when yo foot in the chains,” he raps over a jazzy sample. Maxo tries to get out of it (“My bones always pick me up”)?before landing on a hook that feels like a question, plea, and mantra wrapped in one: “I’m just trying / Aye, I’m just tryna be free.” —?Alex Suskind

機(jī)翻：在Maxo的第二首單曲“Free！”甚至上帝都有幽默感“中，這位洛杉磯說唱歌手渴望擺脫日常焦慮的束縛。他擔(dān)心養(yǎng)家糊口，擔(dān)心不能依靠朋友，擔(dān)心不要搞砸“我接觸的一切”。“他們黑暗的想法會(huì)'挑我的大腦/有時(shí)當(dāng)你腳在鎖鏈上時(shí)很難跑，”他在爵士樂樣本上說唱。馬克索試圖擺脫它（“我的骨頭總是把我抱起來”），然后落在一個(gè)鉤子上，感覺就像一個(gè)問題、請求和口頭禪：“我只是在努力/是的，我只是嘗試自由。

• “Raven,” Kelela

“Raven” envelops you like a slow-moving cloud. Here, the titular bird (a?possible stand in?for Kelela herself) is freshly resurrected after a painful episode: “Through all the labor / A raven is reborn / They tried to break her / There’s nothing here to mourn.” Kelela puts that last line into literal practice as co-production from her, AceMo, Fauzia, and Asmara mutates from a lone drone-bending effect into a four-on-the-floor club thumper drowned in jumbled vocals and muddy tones. After a long absence — the song is off Kelela’s first album in nearly six years — “Raven” feels like a defiant mission statement: She’s back in the fold and ready to take what’s hers.?— A.S.

機(jī)翻：“烏鴉”像緩慢移動(dòng)的云一樣籠罩著你。在這里，這只名義上的鳥（凱萊拉本人的可能替身）在經(jīng)歷了痛苦的插曲后剛剛復(fù)活：“通過所有的勞動(dòng)/一只烏鴉重生/他們試圖打破她/這里沒有什么可哀悼的。凱萊拉將最后一句臺(tái)詞付諸實(shí)踐，因?yàn)樗?、AceMo、Fauzia 和 Asmara 的聯(lián)合制作從一個(gè)孤獨(dú)的無人機(jī)彎曲效果變成了一個(gè)四樓上的俱樂部重?fù)羝?，淹沒在混亂的人聲和泥濘的音調(diào)中。在久違之后——這首歌是凱萊拉近六年來的第一張專輯——“烏鴉”感覺就像一個(gè)挑釁的使命宣言：她回到了折疊中，準(zhǔn)備接受屬于她的東西?！?A.S.

• “Ain’t No Harmin’ Me,” the War and Treaty

Tanya and Michael Trotter, who perform as the War and Treaty, have a knack for turning the smallest amount of time into a moment. At the 2021 ACM Awards, for instance, the couple stole the show with just a few lines during Dierks Bentley’s?bluegrass cover?of U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love).” That sort of raw passion doesn’t always translate to an original song recorded in a studio, but it does on “Ain’t No Harmin’ Me.” The single leans closer to the country side of their southern soul blend with Michael’s rugged opening cry recalling Chris Stapleton. The song quickly builds to a vocal face-off between Michael and Tanya with each belt more impressive than the last. It’s a show of vocal strength that can’t be touched, let alone harmed.?— J.C.

機(jī)翻：譚雅（這個(gè)翻譯是認(rèn)真的么）和邁克爾·特羅特飾演戰(zhàn)爭和條約，他們有一個(gè)訣竅，就是把最小的時(shí)間變成一個(gè)瞬間。例如，在 2021 年 ACM 獎(jiǎng)上，這對夫婦在 Dierks Bentley 的藍(lán)草封面?U2 的“驕傲（以愛的名義）”中只用了幾句臺(tái)詞就搶走了節(jié)目。這種原始的激情并不總是轉(zhuǎn)化為在錄音室錄制的原創(chuàng)歌曲，但它在“Ain't No Harmin' Me”中確實(shí)如此。這首單曲更接近他們南方靈魂的鄉(xiāng)村一側(cè)，與邁克爾粗獷的開場吶喊讓人想起克里斯·斯臺(tái)普吞。這首歌很快就形成了邁克爾和坦尼婭之間的人聲對峙，每條腰帶都比上一條更令人印象深刻。這是一種聲音力量的表現(xiàn)，不能被觸摸，更不用說傷害了。- J.C.

• “Pearls,” Jessie Ware

Before her metamorphosis into, as she sings on “Pearls,” “a perfect prima donna,” Jessie Ware was a soul singer with a voice that could go toe to toe with British peers like Adele and Amy Winehouse. Well, Ware still has the voice. “Pearls” is her most impressive vocal workout since 2017’s “Midnight” — this time delivered with the breezy touch of a self-assured star. Like last year’s “Free Yourself,” it’s clear that Ware’s turn toward the dance floor has given her new freedom as a performer. Here, she’s more fun, playful, and sexy — on a song about having just that sort of night. “I’m a lady, I’m a lover, a freak and a mother,” Ware sings, now able to show all those sides through this music. —?J.C.

機(jī)翻：在她蛻變成之前，正如她在“珍珠”中唱的那樣，“一個(gè)完美的初代女”，杰西·韋爾是一位靈魂歌手，其聲音可以與阿黛爾和艾米懷恩豪斯等英國同齡人并駕齊驅(qū)。好吧，韋爾仍然有發(fā)言權(quán)?！罢渲椤笔撬?2017 年的“午夜”以來最令人印象深刻的聲樂鍛煉——這一次以自信明星的輕快觸感傳遞。就像去年的“釋放自己”一樣，很明顯，Ware轉(zhuǎn)向舞池給了她作為表演者的新自由。在這里，她更有趣、更俏皮、更性感——在一首關(guān)于擁有那種夜晚的歌曲中。“我是一個(gè)淑女，我是一個(gè)情人，一個(gè)怪胎和一個(gè)母親，”韋爾唱道，現(xiàn)在能夠通過這首音樂展示所有這些方面。-?J.C.

• “Radio,” Margo Price feat. Sharon Van Etten

On “Radio,” a short but sweet B-side from Margo Price’s 2023 album?Strays,?the “whatever genre you want to slot her in” singer collides with Sharon Van Etten’s pleading warble. “Don’t get confused about how I feel / Don’t let ’em fool you about what is real / I think thе whole world’s going crazy,” Price tells us. The track alternates between some minimal production in the verse?—?a pulsing synth tone, a few drum-machine bleep bloops?— and a big and bright full-band riff: “People try to push me around / Run my name straight in the ground I can’t hear them, I tuned them out,” the duo sings in unison; the hook is so good they don’t even bother with a bridge.?— A.S.

機(jī)翻：在瑪戈·普萊斯 2023 年專輯《流浪者》中簡短但甜美的 B 面“中，”你想把她放進(jìn)去的任何流派“歌手與莎朗·范埃滕的懇求鶯聲相撞。“不要對我的感受感到困惑/不要讓他們欺騙你什么是真實(shí)的/我認(rèn)為整個(gè)世界都在發(fā)瘋，”普萊斯告訴我們。這首歌在詩句中的一些最小制作之間交替——脈動(dòng)的合成器音調(diào)、一些鼓機(jī)嗶嗶聲——和一個(gè)大而明亮的全樂隊(duì)即興演奏：“人們試圖推我/把我的名字直接放在地上，我聽不到他們，我把它們調(diào)出來了，”二人齊聲唱道;鉤子非常好，他們甚至不打擾橋?！?A.S.

• “Running Out of Time,” Lil Yachty

You get put in music-writer jail for saying something is a?vibe?these days, but sorry: This song is a vibe. “Running Out of Time,” the lead single from Lil Yachty’s new quasi-left-turn psych-rock album, is a funk track with a slap-happy bass line and a synthy horn. On its own, it would feel a bit rote, but the rapper’s gift for quirky top-line melodies ties the whole thing together. “Stayyyy up all night / Stayyyy up and watch the sun” warble Boat and an uncredited Justine Skye like they’ve got a few of those industrial-size fans pointed at their faces. Call it cloud rap by way of?Maggot Brain.?— A.S.

機(jī)翻：你因?yàn)檎f一些東西是一種氛圍而被關(guān)進(jìn)音樂作家監(jiān)獄，但對不起：這首歌是一種氛圍。“Run Out of Time”是Lil Yachty新的準(zhǔn)左轉(zhuǎn)心理搖滾專輯中的主打單曲，是一首放克曲目，帶有快樂的低音線和合成號角。就其本身而言，它會(huì)感覺有點(diǎn)死記硬背，但說唱歌手對古怪的頂級旋律的天賦將整個(gè)事情聯(lián)系在一起?！癝tayyyy 整夜起床/Stayyyy 起床看太陽”鶯鶯燕燕的船和一個(gè)沒有信譽(yù)的賈斯汀斯凱就像他們有幾個(gè)工業(yè)大小的粉絲指著他們的臉。通過蛆腦稱之為云說唱?！?A.S.

• “$20,” boygenius

The appeal of a supergroup like boygenius is bringing together three artists who excel in the same mode: writing poignant and visceral lyrics set to delicate rock. But being among close friends also allows Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus to explore new sides of themselves. That’s clear on “$20,” one of three lead singles from their upcoming full length — and one of the most upbeat songs any of them has ever made. It’s a jaunty vignette of younger years, the sort of song that feels, in the best way, bound to soundtrack an indie coming-of-age movie. “$20” started as a solo write by Baker until she felt like it made more sense to bring it to the group. In its final moments, as the three sing a chaotically beautiful harmony, it’s hard to imagine it as anything but a boygenius track. —?J.C.

機(jī)翻：像boygenius這樣的超級組合的吸引力在于將三位在相同模式下表現(xiàn)出色的藝術(shù)家聚集在一起：寫出凄美而發(fā)自內(nèi)心的歌詞，設(shè)置為精致的搖滾。但與親密的朋友在一起也讓朱利安·貝克、菲比·布里杰斯和露西·達(dá)庫斯探索自己的新面。這在“$20”中很明顯，這是他們即將推出的全長中的三首主打單曲之一 - 也是他們有史以來最樂觀的歌曲之一。這是一首年輕時(shí)的俏皮小插曲，這種歌曲以最好的方式感覺必然會(huì)為一部獨(dú)立成長電影配樂。“20美元”最初是貝克的個(gè)人作品，直到她覺得把它帶到小組更有意義。在最后的時(shí)刻，當(dāng)三人唱出混亂美麗的和聲時(shí)，很難想象它只是一首男孩天才的曲目。-?J.C.

• “Find Out,” Liv.e

On “Find Out,” Liv.e’s internal monologue is rife with conflict. Over a sly flip of Red and Meth’s ferocious “Da Rockwilder” — along with a slight nod to Paul Simon — the singer delves into a moody examination of self. “I’m steady losing my cool / Can I go on go through / Being in love with you?” she asks over flecks of saxophone and what sounds like a reverbed woodpecker effect. Her description of the song gives a bit more insight into her thinking — in a statement, she called the track “having a realization of what it means to really love yourself” — without giving up the entire game. Liv.e doesn’t deal in absolutes here: “I hope you know I love you like no other / I guess you’ll find out find out baby / The hard way.” —?A.S.

機(jī)翻：在“找出來”中，Liv.e的內(nèi)心獨(dú)白充滿了沖突。在Red和Meth兇猛的“Da Rockwilder”的狡猾翻轉(zhuǎn)中 - 以及對Paul Simon的輕微點(diǎn)頭 - 這位歌手深入研究了對自我的喜怒無常的審視?！拔艺谥饾u失去冷靜/我可以繼續(xù)下去/愛上你嗎？”她問薩克斯管的斑點(diǎn)，聽起來像是啄木鳥的混響效果。她對這首歌的描述讓人們更深入地了解了她的想法——在一份聲明中，她稱這首歌“意識到真正愛自己意味著什么”——同時(shí)又沒有放棄整個(gè)游戲。Liv.e在這里沒有處理絕對：“我希望你知道我像其他人一樣愛你/我想你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)找到寶貝/艱難的方式。

• “Sea Lions,” Samia

“Sea Lions” is Samia in all her idiosyncratic glory. “Screaming porn kills love,” she coos, “outside your window with the Adventist.” It’s vivid yet odd, the mode where she best commands attention as a writer. The second half, which has no lyrics at all, sees the tempo pick up as Samia slides and stretches her voice around an LCD Soundsystem–like drop before it gives way to a clip of a word-association game. Like the breakup she had been singing about, it’s difficult to find meaning in it but equally hard not to try.?— J .C.

機(jī)翻：“海獅”是薩米亞所有獨(dú)特的榮耀?！凹饨猩闀?huì)扼殺愛情，”她嘀咕道，“在你窗外和基督復(fù)臨安息日會(huì)在一起。這是生動(dòng)而奇怪的，是她作為作家最能引起注意的模式。下半場完全沒有歌詞，當(dāng)薩米亞滑動(dòng)并在LCD音響系統(tǒng)周圍伸展她的聲音時(shí)，節(jié)奏加快了，然后讓位于單詞聯(lián)想游戲的剪輯。就像她一直在唱的分手一樣，很難在其中找到意義，但同樣很難不嘗試。- J.C.

第一次做這種專欄投稿，如有問題往多多指正。

maybe，maybe有時(shí)間把上述的歌曲做一個(gè)音樂合集視頻