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“11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in August 2019” features music by BROCKHAMPTON, Missy Elliott, Myylo, Slipknot, and Volbeat.

Ah, we continue to be ‘tickled’ monthly on The Musical Hype.  In July, I selected 11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in July 2019, including standouts from Alec Benjamin (“Jesus in LA”), Beyoncé (“Brown Skin Girl”), Bon Iver (“Faith”), Rich Brian (“Kids”), and Sam Smith (“How Do You Sleep?”).  Now, post-July 2019, we do the same with “11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in August 2019.” All of the songs on 11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in August 2019 were released as singles or as an album track in August 2019. Musicians that made our ears perk up in the month of August include BROCKHAMPTON (“If You Pray Right”), Missy Elliott (“Throw it Back”), Myylo (“Skinny Boys”) Slipknot (“Unsainted”), and Volbeat (“Cloud 9”) among others .Without further ado, here are 11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in August 2019.

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1. Slipknot, “Unsainted”

We Are Not Your Kind • Roadrunner • 2019

Fans had to wait five years for Grammy-winning Nü metal collective Slipknot to release their sixth studio album, We Are Not Your Kind (2019). Long hiatuses between studio albums have become the norm for the Des Moines, Iowa band, with the longest gaps occurring between All Hope is Gone (2008) and .5: The Gray Chapter (2014). Of course, sadly, bassist Paul Gray (“The Pig”) died of an overdose in between those two albums in 2010.  With ample background, “Unsainted,” is one of many epic records that appears on We Are Not Your Kind.

“Unsainted” is prefaced on We Are Not Your Kind by an enigmatic, intense, mostly instrumental intro, “Insert Coin.” Why mention “Insert Coin?” Well, it sets up the epic “Unsainted” perfectly.

“Oh, I’ll never kill myself to save my soul
I was gone, but how was I to know?
I didn’t come this far to sink so low
I’m finally holding on to letting go.”

The intro of the song (and eventual chorus) is incredibly tuneful. Who says metal can’t be possess a memorable melody?  Aside from the intro and chorus, this tunefulness is temporary, with shouted verses, chocked-full of angst and hellishness. “You gotta lie if you wanna believe / But your bibles don’t work on me” is pretty self-explanatory, courtesy of the ever-colorful Corey Taylor.  This is a superb, if utterly dark highlight to say the least, sure to tickle one’s fancy beyond August and for years and years to come.

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2. Missy Elliott, “Throw it Back”

Iconology (EP) • Goldmine / Atlantic • 2019

Following her sixth studio album, The Cookbook (2005), Grammy-winning rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer Missy Elliott essentially went missing in action.  Sure, the female hip-hop artist had done more than enough over the course of six albums to solidify her ‘iconic’ status, but for hardcore fans like myself, it was a loss not hearing female rap’s most prolific voice anymore.  There was one particular notable reason for the extended hiatus, a battle with Graves’ disease.  After receiving long overdue recognition with MTV’s VMAs Video Vanguard Award, Elliott sweetened the experience by dropping her first multi-song project in 14 years, Iconology (EP). Comprised of five songs, Iconology (EP) shows the different facets of Elliott’s iconic artistry over the years, with the key piece coming via opener, “Throw It Back.”

“Different kind of chick (Chick), we are not the same (The same) / I raised all these babies, call me Katherine Jackson (‘Son).” “Throw It Back” is a contemporary hip-hop record, particularly in regard to the sleek nature of the production work.  As far as the content, the repetitive chorus, is a perfect example how Missy Elliott ‘fits the bill of’ simplistic, flex-driven nature that rap employs.  Even with a simple approach, Elliott also reflects back, schooling a new group of listeners who may not be aware of her accomplishments, hence, throwing it back (“Watch me throw it back”).  Making “Throw It Back” even more alluring is the accompanying music video which is arguably better than the song itself.

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3. BROCKHAMPTON, “If You Pray Right”

GINGER • Question Everything / RCA • 2019

According to Kevin Abstract, “[iridescence] didn’t get the reaction we wanted”. After debuting at no. 1 on the Billboard 200 with respectable numbers, the fourth studio album by hip-hop collective BROCKHAMPTON took a free fall to no. 88. The good news is that return strong with their fifth studio album, GINGER, with brilliant single “If You Pray Right” leading the charge.  

“If You Pray Right” commences with a bang thanks to its unique, quirky production work, including ‘extraterrestrial’ synths.  The record samples the Three 6 Mafia joint, “Break Da Law ‘95’” from their 1995 album, Mystic Stylez.  Yeah, the production kicks total ass. Dom McLennon raps the first verse, over brassy synths, exhibiting his unique flow, including referencing religion (“Hallelujah, holy lion, word to Judas”). Kevin Abstract follows, rapping the chorus. Once again, he references his sexuality, though not as explicitly as usual, referencing his ‘partner’ (“Hiding at my partner house…”).  He follows up with the post-chorus, which uniquely uses pitch-shifted vocals.

Matt Champion spits the brief second verse, with Merlyn Wood segueing with the third verse, with great contrast between the two rapper’s voices. Joba drops the fourth verse, with some layered pitch-shifted vocals, keeping things interesting (“At the door, bruh, Jehovah, you ho bitch / Witness sadistic shit, well, come again”). There is an instrumental break before the bridge section, lifting off the sample (“Break the law, break the law…”), while Kevin Abstract performs the outro, a complete shift from everything else that precedes. ‘Trippy’ would be a great way to describe it.  “If You Pray Right” is nothing short of compelling to the nth degree.

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4. Taylor Swift, “Lover”

Lover • Republic • 2019

Grammy-winning pop superstar Taylor Swift saved her best ‘advance single’ from her highly anticipated seventh studio album, Lover for last.  That single would be the title track, “Lover”, itself. The rollout for the album received its fair share of criticism.  The promo single, “ME!”, featuring Brendon Urie, was considered to be cheesy and schmaltzy for some.  Follow-up single, “You Need to Calm Down” found many accusing the Grammy-winner of queer-baiting – ouch!  Third single, “The Archer”, was strong lyrically, though less exciting than “ME!” or “You Need to Calm Down.” So, yeah, “Lover” is the best of the bunch – the crème de la crème.

“Lover” reunites Swift to a certain extent with country music.  No, it isn’t explicitly country, but there are retro cues in place that remove it from the pop she’s served up since 1989 in 2014.  That said, “Lover” sounds nothing like some of her country records either.  Genius may not be far off giving “Lover” multiple genre tags including country, dream-pop, singer/songwriter, and of course, pop.

“…I take this magnetic force-of-a-man to be my lover
My heart’s been borrowed and yours has been blue
All’s well that ends well to end up with you
Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover…”

What isn’t brand-new about the record is a topic of familiarity for Taylor Swift – love.  Clearly, as she sings to and about her boyfriend, and, she’s TOTALLY feeling him:

“Can I go where you go?
Can we always be this close forever and ever?
And ah, take me out, take me home (Forever and ever)
You’re my, my, my, my lover.”

Thematically and lyrically, “Lover” is simple, but enjoyable and effective to the nth degree.

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5. Myylo, “Skinny Boys”

Skinny Boys [Single] • Myylo • 2019

“My music is pretty preoccupied with boys and love.” That’s how Nashville-based, LGBTQ pop artist Myylo described his music when interviewed by The Musical Hype (July 2019). Sure, if you’ve been following this awesome musician who “sits at the nexus point of folk lyricism, pop production, and boyish relatability,” you’re well aware of just how terrific his songs about boys are.  Thankfully, as of August 14, 2019, Myylo dropped another certified bop about boys, “Skinny Boys”. That said, he opts for a slightly different direction, addressing body image.

“‘Skinny Boys’ is a body positivity anthem made for the boys who don’t have and don’t need to have Thor’s abs, Bat Man’s pecs, or Aquaman’s shoulders to love themselves.”  Myylo pens ‘a body positivity anthem for boys everywhere.’ This is encouragement and empowerment for us boys lacking that perfect body.  So many times, we hear about body positivity from a feminine perspective, but with men it’s a gray area.  Throughout the verses, he sets up the feelings of inferiority that many men have regarding their bodies, but don’t readily admit.  He allows himself to be vulnerable, something that’s relatable to any man who experiences the same issues – he’s preaching to the choir essentially.  The chorus is the crowning achievement, where the urban-pop sound really pops, with a sick trap beat, hella catchy lyrics, and stellar stacked harmonies:

“Give it up for the skinny boys
Give it up for the chunky boys
‘Cause we’re gonna have so much fun
Not give a fuck about anyone…
Never let ‘em steal your joy, joy, joy.”

What Myylo is saying is so true – why should anybody “give a fuck about what anyone” thinks about their body? It’s easier said than done, but it’s something we shouldn’t let bring us down.  Making his third appearance on the ‘awesome songs that tickled my fancy’ (February and June editions), Myylo has done it again – dropped a surefire bop. At this point, he seems to be on autopilot.  “Skinny Boys” checks off all boxes, with strong vocals, strong production (the urban-pop backdrop is lit), and maybe most of all, superb, empowering songwriting.

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6. Clairo, “Alewife”

Immunity • Fader • 2019

If you’ve been following this ‘awesome songs that tickled my fancy’ playlist series in 2019, you’ll know that Clairo has appeared numerous times (May and June editions).  The August 2019 edition marks no difference – here she is again, in all her glory! She commences her debut album, Immunity with sad subject matter.  On the standout, “Alewife,” she sings in an undertone.  “Alewife” isn’t a common title for a song, and honestly, many may wonder what an alewife is or what Alewife is – is it a proper noun? Well, in this case, the alt-pop singer isn’t referencing the fish, but rather, a transit station in her native Massachusetts: “In Massachusetts / Only 30 minutes from Alewife / I lay in my room / Wonderin’ why I’ve got this life.”

Beyond mentioning Alewife, the big takeaway from the aforementioned lyrical excerpt, as well as the song itself are the numerous references made to suicide.  Clairo is thankful to a friend who ‘saved her.’ “But you know you saved me from doin’ / Something to myself that night,” she sings on the first verse.  On the second, she sings, “Swear I could’ve done it / If you weren’t there when I hit the floor.” “Alewife” previously appeared on the playlist, Songs Centered Around or Referencing Suicide, Vol. 2.

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7. TOOL, “Fear Inoculum”

Fear Inoculum • TOOL • 2019

“Immunity, long overdue / Contagion, I exhale you…” After a 13-year hiatus (10,000 Days, 2006), Maynard James Keenan and Grammy-winning metal collective TOOL returned with “Fear Inoculum”, the promo single from the highly-anticipated fifth LP of the same name. Keenan remained active in the group’s extended hiatus, dropping three projects as Puscifer and another with A Perfect Circle (Eat the Elephant, 2018).  After much buzz and speculation, Fear Inoculum arrived August 30, 2019, led by the title track.

Like many of the records on 10,000 Days, “Fear Inoculum” runs long, clocking in north of 10 minutes. Even with its long duration, there aren’t a ton of lyrics, and the form is relatively standard: verse, interlude, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, and outro.  The extended instrumental introduction is enigmatic, constantly building with percussion, sound effects, and distorted guitars.  Keenan doesn’t begin singing the first verse until after the two-minute mark, showcasing the sheer beauty of his voice.  As he sings, he plays into the hypnotic and intense nature of the music, with its looped passages, pummeling drums, and of course, a minor key. With the arrival of the aforementioned chorus (four minutes in), things grow heavier, including Keenan exhibiting more edge and grit vocally.  Post-chorus, the percussion and sound effects stand out, before Keenan drops another legato-style verse with unique lyrics:

“Enumerate all that I’m to do
Calculating steps away from you
My own mitosis
Growing through delusion from mania.”

Following another edgy chorus, the listener is blessed with that signature TOOL experimentation with meter and rhythm.  It keeps things, specifically the bridge, interesting. Bridge buzz word: exorcise, and we’re not talking fitness.  Of course, other words that reappear throughout “Fear Inoculum” include venom, immunity, mania, exhale, and deceiver. Even after 13 years, TOOL manages to create quite the captivating and compelling alt-metal/prog-metal/rock record.  One of the biggest selling points is the way that the band uses space on “Fear Inoculum.”

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8. Highly Suspect, “16”

MCID • 300 Entertainment • 2019

“It took me 16 years to find ya / One second to love ya / Seven years to hold ya / One minute to lose ya / Oh, God / Where did I go wrong? / Oh, God.” After a three-year hiatus, Grammy-nominated alternative rock collective Highly Suspect return with MCID, their third studio album.  Beyond the announcement of the November 1, 2019 release date, the band released two singles including “16”.

“16” appears as the second track on MCID.  Notably, “16” has more of a commercial, ‘pop’ sound compared to Highly Suspect’s previous work.  The change of pace is welcome, but don’t get it twisted – the rock is still in play by all means.  One of the biggest selling points is Johnny Stevens’ voice, which is quite colorful and nuanced.  As high-flying as Johnny is throughout, particularly the excerpted, aforementioned chorus, the songwriting has a legitimate claim at being the crowning achievement.

“Do you remember
When you told me you were holding my future kid? Eh
And all the joy that that would bring
Well, I thought I was the father
But baby, it’s not my daughter
‘Cause baby’s a different color
And baby, I’m not a brother
It was just too much to swallow
You ripped my heart out.”

When asked if this dark song was difficult to write by Billboard, Stevens said, “I’ve wanted to write the song for a very long time… It was very hard in that I couldn’t portray the story properly, but I never forced it. For whatever reason, the story finally came out correctly… I have to write about what I go through… I gotta get it off of my chest.” Ultimately, “16” ends up being a winner for Highly Suspect.

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9. Love Fame Tragedy, “Backflip”

Backflip [Single] • Good Solider • 2019

The frontman of The Wombats, Matthew “Murph” Murphy goes solo via Love Fame Tragedy.  LFT’s debut EP, I Don’t Want to Play the Victim, But I’m Really Good at It arrives September 13, 2019. Leading up to the release of the EP, Murphy released a truly compelling second single, “Backflip”.

Love Fame Tragedy gives listeners the ‘whole package’ on “Backflip.” A number of excellent musical cues make “Backflip” pretty sick.  The record commences with a brief enigmatic intro, before settling in with a hard-hitting beat and a robust, distorted bass line. Safe to say, the production (Dave Priddy, Gustav Nyström, and Mark Crew) is pretty sick. Of course, those commanding, distorted vocals by Matthew “Murph” Murphy fuel the song – he sounds simply marvelous.  Even with the distortion turned up on his pipes, Murphy gives listener a nice blend of his mid-register, as well as his upper tenor with some sweet falsetto. Those distorted vocals are clearer and more commanding on the chorus, which is a thoughtful contrast.

Beyond superb production and top-notch vocals, the songwriting is a selling point.  There are two relatively short, but effective verses, followed by a catchy, but brief pre-chorus (“Been thinking about us all of the time / I’ve been thinking about us, are we going blind?”), and a lengthier, yet infectious chorus:

“You only want me when I’m stuck in your head
And you’re playing the victim again
When you’re wasted and you’re shattering to bits
I only want you when I’m lonely as hell
“When I’m fading in a cheap hotel
Is it worth it to break our necks for this?
We’re a poorly timed backflip.”

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10. JPEGMAFIA, “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot”

Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot [Single] • EQT Recordings • 2019 

“Huh, sucka, I’m prominent, I was anonymous / I been in front of you every time…” “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot” – what a song title! Any song title that manages to incorporate one of hip-hop’s favorite slang words, thot, piques interest.  “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot” arrives courtesy of underrated alternative rapper and producer JPEGMAFIA (Barrington DeVaughn Hendricks).

Starting with the noisy intro, “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot” makes the listener wonder WTF is going on.  Things settle in more on the first verse, but JPEGMAFIA throws a lot of different things at the listener within the rapping and singing itself.  That includes vocal inflections, shouting, coupled with vocal effects.  More interesting is how JPEGMAFIA manages to reference religion, sex (“Show me where the prophets go / Show me how to keep my pussy closed”), and the state of his career (“Pray I end up like Charlize Theron”). Ultimately, “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot” is quite a reflective number, including pop cultural references to Britney Spears (“Britney, this is a sign / Pray you grow healthy and hit your prime”) and David Byrne (“Speaking in tongues like David Byrne”). He even closes the song out with ‘praise’: “Praise the motherfuckin’ lord.”

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11. Volbeat, “Cloud 9”

Rewind, Replay, Rebound • VOLBEAT / Universal GmbH • 2019

“See the light above you in the night / The memory seems to be aware this time / Please show me the fallen ones…” Alright… I think. Danish metal/hard rock band Volbeat makes its first appearance on The Musical Hype. The band dropped a new studio album, Rewind, Replay, Rebound in August 2009.  With Rewind, Replay, Rebound, they gave us a surefire, re-playable cloud-centric record with “Cloud 9.” The energetic “Cloud 9” appears as the seventh track of a total of 22 tracks in the album’s deluxe edition.

“…I can’t take my eyes off of you / I know that they said we all will be fine / Above cloud number nine.” “Cloud 9” is high-flying, period.  Why? The vocals are bright, further brightened when layering and harmony comes into the mix.  Furthermore, the driving guitars have ample punch, and the pummeling drums only further accentuate the spiritedness.  Of course, when your hard rock/metal song embraces major as opposed to minor, that also elevates the brightness.  Also, even with the acknowledgement of pain made by Michael Poulsen and company, there is also encouragement:

“How do you feel?
I know it’s hurting, an unbearable thing
But life moves on and you will be fine
Get hold of yourself, you’re not that lonely
Friends around you will help the healing in the mind
We feel it in the lonely night.”

“Cloud 9” previously appeared on the playlist, 13 High-Flying Songs About Clouds.

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“11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in August 2019” [Photo Credits: 300 Entertainment, Atlantic, EQT Recordings, Fader, Goldmine, Good Soldier, Myylo, Pexels, Pixabay, Question Everything, RCA, Republic, Roadrunner, TOOL, Universal GmbH, VOLBEAT]

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