Hand | 5ive Songs

1. Mac Miller, “Hand Me Downs”

💿 Circles • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2020

🎵 “Good News” maybe the king of 💿 Circles, the posthumously released 🎙 Mac Miller album, but 🎵 “Hand Me Downs” represents another absolutely awesome moment.  There’s a nice blend of alternative/indie soul, singer/songwriter, and hip-hop.  Miller is on autopilot, never overreaching with his voice, yet being incredibly potent in regard to his performance.  After singing the first verse, he serves up a pretty sweet, rapped second verse, which sounds amazing over subtle, but brilliantly executed production work. Also, worth mentioning, 🎙 Baro Sura performs the chorus – a nice contrast to Miller, who sings the pre-chorus prior.

2. Stevie Wonder, “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate”

🎵 “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate” • 🏷 UMG Recordings • 🗓 2020 

Following a 15-year hiatus, soul icon 🎙 Stevie Wonder returned with a seven-minute, socially and politically ‘woke’ single, 🎵 “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate”. Assisting him is a star-studded cast comprised of 🎙 Rapsody, 🎙 Cordae, 🎙 Chika, and 🎙 Busta Rhymes. Rapsody performs the first verse, referencing instances of police brutality, racial injustice, and alludes to 12 Years a Slave. Cordae follows on the second verse, continuing the socially conscious vein of the record, with an incredibly compelling flow. Then, Mr. Wonder enters the fray, and he certainly can’t be muzzled.

“You say that you believe that all lives matter
I say, I don’t believe the fuck you do
You say, ‘All things in time’
I say, ‘That’s why I’m not gonna put it in the hands of fate.’”

The message is definitely pitch perfect.  Later, CHIKA powerfully asserts, “We don’t need no politics to try to justify the plight / It’s a problem of the people, it’s no longer black and white.” As for Busta, he references Colin Kaepernick, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Two big takeaways: (1) Stevie’s back, and (2) the message is on-point!

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3. Leon Bridges, “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand”

💿 Good Thing • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2018 

Soul enthusiasts will feel like they returned to their heyday listening to 🎵 “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand”. The old-school shtick is alive, with harp arpeggios, glockenspiel, strings, and a lush backdrop.  The production is perfect fuel for 🏆 Grammy-winner 🎙 Leon Bridges’ fire, regardless whether he needed the extra spark or not.  The falsetto is formidable, while his chest voice is incredibly commanding and emotional. Adding to the jubilance is the solid songwriting with an undeniably prudent message.  Short and sweet, “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” proves to be a stellar opener on his sophomore album, 💿 Good Thing.

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4. MGMT, “Hand it Over”

💿 Little Dark Age • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2018

“The smart ones exit early / And the rest hope for a shoulder.” 🎵 “Hand it Over”, checks off all boxes in regard to being a 🎙 MGMT record. 🎙 Andrew VanWyngarden delivers chill, easy-going vocals. Even with such a laid-back approach, he still packs a punch with his beautiful tone, and casually sneaking in an f-bomb (“Might just fuck us over / But the doors won’t shut”). Accentuating his own accomplished performance, not to mention the beauty of the record as a whole, are choral backing vocals, responding spiritedly with the titular lyric.  This occurs during the chorus sections, which appear back-to-back at the end of the song. Beyond the epic choruses, the songwriting is thoughtful. Musically, the harmonic progression incorporates some clever twists and turns. The production fits the mold of duo with its lushness and psychedelic cues delivered primarily through the synths. Superb way to conclude the 💿 Little Dark Age.

“This time (Hand it over)
It’s yours and it’s mine (Hand it over)
One thing on my mind (Hand it over)
It’s rightfully mine (Hand it over).”

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5. alt-J, “Left Hand Free”

💿 This is All Yours • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2014

“Well, your left hand’s free / And your right’s in a grip / With another left hand / Watch his right hand slip / Towards his gun / Oh, no.” Well, 🎙 alt-J, 🎵 “Left Hand Free” doesn’t sound, um like a freeing experience.  Nonetheless, the song, which appears on the trio’s 2014 album, 💿 This is All Yours, is rad. It’s rad even though there’s been rumors that the band wasn’t as high on it, debunked by the gift that is twitter. One of the reasons that “Left Hand Free” is so rad is that it sounds quite commercial, which is where some of the rumors come into play via Genius. Don’t get it twisted, regardless of the commercial sensibilities, “Left Hand Free” is still ‘alternative.’  What is the difference compared to some alternative records? It’s definitely hookier, looser, and more infectious.  Also, as is the case with alt-j songs, there are no shortage of annotations.

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