13 Songs Somewhat Related to Weather | Playlist

1. Kane Brown, “Short Skirt Weather”

Experiment » Sony Music Entertainment » 2018

Related word/topic: weather 

“Short Skirt Weather” is by far the most fun, infectious, and sexy record from Experiment.  The intro (the eventual chorus), finds Brown continuing to channel his personality; he really ‘hams it up’ with the twang.  Also, worth noting is the excellent vocal arrangement and production. Once more, Brown shows off an impressive, beautiful tone. The accompanying production also accentuates his performance, including fiddles, guitars, piano, and old-school, Honky Tonk vibes. The subject matter isn’t ‘brand-new’ – he spends two consecutive verses, centered around how awesome this girl is…

Nonetheless, it’s effective, while the chorus is absolutely infectious:

“Oh, my baby’s made for short skirt weather
Yeah, she makes me wish summer would just go on forever
From them yellow polka dots
Blue jeans to leather
Oh my baby’s made for short skirt weather.”

Additionally, there’s a third verse, followed by three consecutive choruses and an outro.

2. Panic! At the Disco, “King of the Clouds”

Pray for the Wicked » Fueled by Ramen » 2018

Related word/topic: clouds 

“I’m the king of the clouds, of the clouds / I get lifted, I get lifted.” Living up to and potentially exceeding your best work is an arduous task.  That’s the task that frontman Brendon Urie and Panic! At the Disco had on their hands post- Death of a Bachelor.  Perhaps the Grammy-nominated 2016 isn’t definitively their best LP, but it’s near the top of their discography. Their sixth album, Pray for the Wicked, released in 2018, features many of the elements that made Death of a Bachelor successful, but doesn’t quite reach the same heights.

That said, Pray for the Wicked still has its fair share of high-quality moments.  A perfect example is standout “King of the Clouds,” which arrives as the ninth track of the album. “King of the Clouds” successfully fuses alt-pop with elements of throwback soul.  Short and sweet, clocking under three minutes in duration, the backdrop – including strings and organ – and Urie’s falsetto, are the biggest selling points.

3. JMSN, “Levy” / “Levy Pt. II”

Velvet » White Room » 2018

Related word/topics: rain, flooding

“I’m shaking out the thunder / It’s changing for better or worse / It’s takin’ out the color / Forsaken your time and your worth.” Texas-born, Michigan-bred R&B singer Christian Berishaj – better known as JMSN – shines on his incredibly soulful, sexy new album Velvet. Two of the 14 tracks where he especially spoils the listeners are “Levy” and its follow-up, “Levy Pt. II.” Velvet kicks off with a bang thanks to “Levy,” where JMSN is on-point, singing about his dedication to the one he loves, and his willingness to endure any and everything for love.

The crowning achievement of the elite cut is the chorus, which is where the ‘rain’ references come into play.

“Let the rain come down and wash it all away (come on wash everything away)
Let it overflow until the levy breaks (‘til the levy breaks).”

Keeping a good thing going, “Levy Pt. II” is shorter, contrasting the original.  There’s also something of a rawer nature, even if JMSN continues to sound pretty smooth.

“Yeah, change gonna come
And all you youngin’s gonna grow up
By the time you figure out where you fucked up, it’s too late
And you can’t go back
I learned the hard way…”

4. Lauv, “Paris in the Rain”

I met you when I was 18. » Lauv » 2018

Related word/topic: rain

“Anywhere with you feels right / Anywhere with you feels like / Paris in the rain / Paris in the rain.” Ah, ‘lauvsongs’ are the sweetest, and don’t let anybody tell you any different! Rising pop/R&B artist Lauv proves that the ‘lauvsongs’ are indeed the sweetest on his 2018 playlist-album, I met you when I was 18.  Given the intrigue of advanced singles from the project, including the song at hand, “Paris in the Rain”, it’s unsurprising the playlist is compelling.

“Paris in the Rain” commences smoothly – it’s chill, refined, and romantic. Early on, the record gives off warm and fuzzy vibes.  Jazzy, soulful cues help to make it sound incredibly distinct.  Lauv matches the cool, smooth instrumental vibe vocally, delivering a sexy, suave performance, jam-packed with ripe falsetto.

5. Iggy Azalea, “Tokyo Snow Trip”

Survive the Summer (EP) » Island » 2018

Related word/topic: snow

“Pinocchio nose drip, Tokyo snow trip / Wake up in Mexico, buenas noches.” Despite being on the struggle bus since scoring hits with “Fancy” and “Black Widow,” Australian rapper Iggy Azalea returned in 2018 with 15-minute EP, Survive the Summer (EP). The EP certainly didn’t necessarily  “change any lives”, but had its share of moments, such as the song at hand, “Tokyo Snow Trip”. On the brief “Tokyo Snow Trip”, Iggy focuses on drugs (“My dope, the dopest / Fall asleep with the stove lit”) and money (“Hush money in the sofa” and “Came, came in a Benz, not a Focus”).

The features hard-nosed minimal, skeletal production work with a sound clearly intended for the club. She performs this with a whispered approach at times, admittedly reminiscing back to the Ying Yang Twins’ classic, “Wait (The Whisper Song)”.  Beyond the unorthodox vocal approach, the form is also unorthodox, lacking any verses. “Tokyo Snow Trip,” hence, is built on the bridge, pre-chorus, chorus, and post-chorus.  Ultimately, it’s interesting, but devoid of substance – other than drugs of course.  As for the snow, Azalea definitely isn’t talking about the wet stuff that falls from the skies…

6. 88rising & Joji, “Head in the Clouds”

Head in the Clouds » 88rising / 12Tone Music » 2018

Related word/topic: clouds

“I don’t know why I do this / I feel like I might lose you / Out of drugs, out of love / So let’s compromise / The floor is raising, the sky is falling / The tides are turning, my eyes are burning.” Emotional, poetic lyrics to say the least. Mass media company/record label 88rising has served as a catalyst for Asian artists including Indonesian standouts Rich Brian and NIKI, as well as the Japanese-Australian artist, Joji. Joji is the featured artist on the smooth, ‘high-flying,’ love-centric “Head in the Clouds,” which concludes the 2018 88rising compilation, Head in the Clouds.

According to Joji on the chorus, he sings:

“Head in the clouds
And I’m not coming down
I used to swim now I’m ready to sink
I wanna give you what I cannot do
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh.”

7. Lykke Li, “Hard Rain”

so sad so sexy » RCA » 2018

Related word/topic: rain

“Tryna find a shelter from the weather / Before a rain came down on us.” Swedish alternative pop artist Lykke Li kicks off so sad so sexy colorfully with “Hard Rain.” “Hard Rain” is filled with layered, effects-laden vocals and unique production from Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend).  Lykke Li sounds radiant, among the biggest selling points of the opener.  Perhaps within the context of the album, “Hard Rain” isn’t a gem compared to the very best, but give it credit for its alternative, experimental spirit.

8. Kali Uchis, “After the Storm”

Ft. Tyler, the Creator & Bootsy Collins

Isolation » Virgin » 2018

Related word/topic: storm

“Did you ever wonder? / Yeah, do you ever wonder / What he might be going through on his own, and / The demons that he’s facing alone.” Colombian-American R&B singer Kali Uchis impresses on her soulful, if quietly-released debut album, Isolation. The crowning achievement of Isolation is “After the Storm,” featuring the legendary Bootsy Collins and a classy rap from Grammy winner,  Tyler, the Creator.

Uchis delivers cool, calm, and collected vocals, yet still manages to pack a punch and exhibit both artistry and personality.  Thematically, she reflects upon a break up. The feel-good, 70s-sounding soul gem is produced by hip-hop jazz collective BADBADNOTGOOD. 

9. Dave Matthews Band, “Virginia in the Rain”

Come Tomorrow • RCA • 2018

Related word/topic: rain

“Virginia naked in the rain / You make me feel like a kid again / Don’t wanna say goodbye to you / The summer always ends too soon.” “Virginia in the Rain” is among the most low-key records on Dave Matthews Band’s 2018 album, Come Tomorrow.  Compared to the most energetic numbers, “Virginia in the Rain” simply never reaches the dynamic highs.  Nonetheless, this enigmatic, low-key number is incredibly intriguing.  Dave Matthews shows off his upper register, exhibiting a smoothness that is incredibly unexpected but highly effective.  Running north of six minutes, DMB definitely provides a hell of a lot of rain.

10. Imagine Dragons, “Thunder”

Evolve » Interscope » 2017

Related word/topic: thunder

“Thunder”, a highlight from the 2017 album Evolve, is another respectable addition to the Imagine Dragons collection.  Throughout its course, the alternative band frontman Dan Reynolds looks back on his early life.  One of the best examples of this occurs on the second verse, in which he devises a plan to reach superstardom.

“Kids were laughing in my classes

While I was scheming for the masses

Who do you think you are

Dreaming ‘bout being a big star?

You say you’re basic, you say you’re easy

You’re always riding in the back seat

Now I’m smiling from the stage

While you were clapping in the nose bleeds.”

Sigh, come-up records aren’t merely for rappers; alternative rock/pop stars can experience the ‘thunder’ as well.

11. Luke Combs, “Hurricane”

This One’s for You » River House Artists, LLC / Sony Entertainment » 2017

Related word/topic: hurricane

“Got talked into going out / With hopes you were staying in / I was feeling like myself for the first time / In a long time / ‘Til I bumped into some of your friends / Over there talkin’ to mine.” Country singer/songwriter Luke Combs is experiencing a “rotating low-pressure weather system that has organized thunderstorms but no fronts”, if you want to get all technical about it. Okay, he’s being a bit dramatic, but heartbreak can be devastating, and Combs is trying his damnedest to convey it. On “Hurricane,” the pain of thinking about an ex-girlfriend and all of the respective memories are rekindled all over again, despite Combs’ best efforts to move on.

“Then you rolled in with your hair in the wind

Baby, without warning

I was doing alright but just your sight

Had my heart stormin’

The moon went hidin’, stars quit shinin’

Rain was drivin’, thunder n’ lightning

You wrecked my whole world when you came

And hit me like a hurricane

You hit me like a hurricane.”

Later, on the bridge, he goes on to say that she hit him like a “Category 5.”

12. Cannibal Corpse, “Firestorm Vengeance”

Red Before Black » Metal Blade » 2017

Related word/topic: firestorm

“Ravaging their halls of torture and death / Craving retribution / Winds of hatred fan the flames / Reprisal’s conflagration.” Poetic, in a dark and twisted way. Honestly, if anybody can capture hell on a record, it’s American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. Throughout their career, the band has been notorious for their shock value. The colorful song titles say it all – “Entrails Ripped from a Virgin’s C**t,” “Fucked with a Knife,” and “Orgasm Through Torture.” Yeah, all you can really say is, damn, or better yet, damned. “Firestorm Vengeance” is a prime example of a hellish listening experience, appearing as the sixth track on the band’s 2017 album, Red Before Black.  “Firestorm Vengeance” is boisterous to the nth degree, filled with angular, jagged, and utterly unholy sounds. Naturally, a firestorm isn’t a pleasant event, and neither is this unsettling record from Cannibal Corpse.

13. Juicy J, “Flood Watch”

Ft. Offset

Rubba Band Business » Columbia » 2017

Related word/topic: flood 

“Plug came through with that sack / I swear he was right on time / Lil’ bitch pussy fat, ass fat / Goddamn she right on time…” There’s not the slight bit of subtlety here, that’s for sure. Rapper Juicy J remains ‘on fire’ on “Flood Watch,” assisted by Offset. Notably, the production contrasts much of the preceding production work on Rubba Band Business, which is refreshing. Producer TM88 sits behind the boards for this one.  The ‘change of pace’ reinvigorates the rapper, who definitely doesn’t sound like he’s in his forties. The substance remains sketchy, and it’s totally not about your traditional ‘flood,’ but Juicy J is certainly fired up.

“Bitch came through right on time with the pussy

‘Cause I’ve been wanna hit it for a long time

Plug came through right on time with that pack

‘Cause I ain’t no more, I’m bone dry…”