Hey, everyone. Anthony Fantano here, the Internet's busiest music nerd. I hope you are doing well. It's time for our weekly track roundup, possibly our last one for the year, unless something major comes up, honestly. But it's December. It's the end of the year. Things start winding down a little bit in terms of releases and everything. On top of it, List Week is coming up. We're starting to get into end of year coverage, too. So not as many new songs to cover. In fact, this video is a compilation of tracks from the past couple of weeks because I didn't really do a weekly track roundup the week before this one.

Without any further ado, let's get into it. My feelings on a bunch of songs that have been recently released.

All right, worst tracks of the week.

We have a few. They're as follows. Bam.

This new track from Nicki Minaj with Juice WRLD that is on this Pink Print anniversary edition. I mean, not only is it just a totally thrown together track, but on top of it, how does this make sense on a record that came out four years before Juice WRLD's breakout album? What is even the point? Why are we doing this? Why is this necessary anyway?

Also, Jack Harlow has a new one titled "Hello, Ms. Johnson", which is essentially like "Ms. Jackson" for white people. That's really all it is. Hey, I like this girl. I'm going to have a bit of a dialog with her mom. It's going to be boring. It's going to be bland, and you're really not going to remember much of it by the time it's over.

All right, let's move on to the tracks that I was meh on.

Not loving, not hating, feeling somewhere in between. Here we go.

New one from The Weather Station. I enjoyed the previous single a lot much more than this one. This track over here is titled "Window". And this sounds like if you had Paula Cole doing art rock, the '90s piano lead singer-songwriter type stuff. But again, in more of an art rock context. It's not too bad, but certainly not as well written and melodically sticky as the last track, in my opinion.

We also have a new one over here from a singer-songwriter, Mr. Richard Dawson, who I'm not really blown away by with this recent crop of tracks and singles. I just feel like he's streamlining his sound and his style a bit. And while I do think he is still very much like a solid singer and songwriter and performer, I feel like a lot of the eccentricities of his approach to folk and folk rock, it's being torn down a little bit on these new tracks, especially this "Boxing Day Sales" track, which I think, again, is simplifying things, streamlining things. I mean, sure, Richard Dawson does have a very recognizable, one-of-a-kind voice, but I feel like he's toning things down a little bit vocally to make his sound, make something more palatable. The chord progression is okay. There are some synced-up vocal and guitar melodies that I think are very much his trademark that definitely stand out and are pretty sharp. But I feel like he's written more exemplary stuff, and I will leave it there.

Moving on from there. Lupe Fiasco has this new "Connected" single release with a verse, but we're going to focus on the "Pound for Pound" track that he's put out here. It's an interesting song. I mean, his bars are not bad, but it feels like he's rapping over a beat that is just pulling a lot of inspiration from Kanye's "Black Skinhead" or an arena rock type song that obviously that track pulls from. I don't know if this beat is Lupe's strong suit, especially after that really great Samurai record that dropped not too long ago. I mean, obviously it dropped this year. It's one of my favorite rap records of the year, frankly. But I just feel like this doesn't even really begin to hold a candle to anything on that record.

But regardless, moving from there, we have a new one from Lil Nas X, who is also, broadly, pulling a little bit of Kanye influence on this track over here, "Need That Boy", which is like this pop and rap hybrid and is very, very, very 808s-coated, especially in the first leg, which I think is just very supremely a drag. When the dance beats come in in the final leg. It is a bit of a crescendo. It is a bit of a payoff, but it's too little, too late, in my opinion. I just was wishing for a bigger hook, more momentum overall.

Still, though, Kesha has a new track out titled "Delusional". I'm feeling mixed on this one, too, honestly. While I did think "Joyride", the first big single to mark this album cycle, had its issues, it at least felt like new. It seemed like she was taking a few risks and doing something genuinely weird and left field on that track. I will admit, the bit of cringe that song rode in on, I feel like the edge of that has been softened a bit, and I am enjoying some of the catchier moments on the track without having to wince listening to them. "Joyride" – there's a great wild energy to the song that I can appreciate. However, this track, "Delusional", with its production and the way she's singing on the track, it really feels like she's trying to reconnect with the version of herself that originally broke broke onto the music scene well over a decade ago. I feel like trying to recapture that energy is just proving to be a bit awkward, at least on this track. I am getting a sense that she's going to try to give us some return to form on this new record. For sure, I'm excited for the moments where that does actually go over well. But I feel like on this track, it's not quite as much working out.

Next, though, Kenny Mason on "Relief" gives us a decent and passable light on the ears, emo trap type ballad, very low key, but nothing super urgent or anything like that.

We also have a bit of piano rock on this new Franz Ferdinand track, "Night or Day", which is a decent list, but nothing over the top or amazing from the band. Nothing you haven't heard them do before. Getting a bit dramatic with it.

And Disclosure with Pa Salieu hits us with this "King Steps" track. And Pa, in my opinion, vocally is really what makes the song. Disclosure, while they do bring a good groove in the background, there's not a whole lot of development or structure around the track. If it wasn't for the vocals, I just wouldn't really have much to compliment the song on, honestly. I feel like it could have been a lot more interesting on the production side, and it would have made for a total and complete track. But I feel like I'm getting a great feature. I'm getting a great vocal, but not much else, frankly.

And Amine hits us with a new single as well, rapping and doing this thing over a dance beat. And he's the versatile, all-around talented, very warm, welcoming type of artist who I feel like can make that transition and do that thing without there being a question of whether or not he's in the right lane or anything like I think it fits his vibe very well, but I don't think it's the strongest song or anything. I would love to see him hit this groove, hit this vibe again with a better hook or a better melody or something.

And Amber Mark is heading in a very low-key, very, very low-key, very understated direction on this "Wait So Yeah" new single, which I'm usually more of a fan of vibrant, grassy, bold, over-the-top, anthemic, the Amber Mark tracks. This new song over here seems like she's stripping things back in a very sensual, minimal, nocturnal, Tinashe way, because she's definitely been defining that sound a little bit as of late. Maybe it'll win some people over. It's not necessarily doing too much for me, though.

Best tracks of the week.

We have a handful of those. They are as follows.

First off, I would like to feature this compilation put out by Red Hot TRANSA, which is a benefit comp celebrating trans people, which features dozens of tracks, dozens of different artists, big and small, allies, and numerous individuals across the LGBTQ spectrum. The one song I would like to feature in particular is this track, from Sade Adu. Yes, that Sade. First new original cut released in years and years and years and years and years in fact. It's a beautiful performance, great writing, wonderful ballad. Check out the rest of the compilation as well, and give your money to support if you possibly can.

This new one from Miguel, "Always Time", heavily impressed with this new track. To me, this track felt like a bit of a grunge/R&B ballad fusion with a stellar vocal performance and very simple but beautiful guitar work all over the song as well. Really impressed with this one, much more than I am usual tracks from Miguel. And not to say that he doesn't have great songs in his back catalog, but I feel like he really went above and beyond with this song. I was starting to feel like I more or less knew what to expect from Miguel, and this track really surprised me, and that's how I'll put it.

All right, moving on from there.

Shout out to Madi Diaz, who has given us a very beautiful but simple, and I would say, emotionally painful at points Christmas ballad on "Kid on Christmas". The song really speaks for itself, especially given how simple and raw the presentation of it is. Give it a spin, especially if you're feeling a bit moody this holiday season, and I mean that in a good way.

All right, moving on from there.

Jorja Smith has graced us with another great ballad on "Stay Another Day". Of course, killer pianos and vocals all over this one.

Next, HiTech has come out with a track featuring ZelooperZ, "Shadowrealm" is the title. This is a trio from Detroit who are really bringing back a crazy tech, ghetto house combination sound. It's raunchy, it's hyper, it's in your face. I'm loving the energy, I'm loving the nastiness, and I'm liking just how raw it is, frankly. And ZelooperZ brings a lot of character to the track as well. Looking forward to seeing where these guys go in the next year because it seems like they're getting a push behind what they do.

All right. Shout out to Fat Dog, who recently had a very impressive album drop not too long ago that I very much enjoyed. They put out this new non-album single titled "Peace Song". And if this is like a leftover from the album or just some random track, whatever, I could see why it wouldn't have made the album because the vibes, the instrumentation on the song, it's actually bright and positive. It does actually live off to its title. Many of the songs on that recently released Fat Dog album are quite odd and dark and strange and a little tortured, albeit still very dancey and groovy. This "Peace Song" track, though, is actually very warm and positive for Fat Dog, and I feel like they work just as good going in this direction, too. I'm liking the songwriting and the beats on this track quite a bit as well. They still hold to their usual post-punk flavor, but it's a much brighter sound. I'll say that. All right.

And shout out also Courting, whose last full-length LP I wasn't that crazy about. However, I feel like this new single, "Pause at You", smooths over a lot of the issues that I had with some of the experiments and some of the ideas that they had on their last record. I feel like recently, Courting has been experimenting and falling short, trying to incorporate bits of electronics and autotune into this very rough and tumble lofi-indie rock sound. It was an awkward fit. It wasn't quite working, but I feel like they've got the recipe more down pat on this new track. The way the autotune is applied on the vocals, it mixes with a bit of distortion, and it feels like very natural and subversive and weird. And on top of it, it's like a generally very hype and very entertaining little underground rock song that it's attached to, too. It just has these little extra weird bells and whistles that feel specific to Courting. And it's quite a cool little assembly of sounds they've come through with on this new single.

And shout out to Andre 3000, who's actually come through with a really interesting, really great leftover from the New Blue Sun sessions. "Tunnels of Egypt" is the name of the track. And I could see why the song wouldn't have made the record because it doesn't feel quite as idyllic and new agey as a lot of the material on New Blue Sun. However, if more of the Andre free improv, jazz, instrumental stuff that he's working on continues in this direction, I'm actually going to be liking future Andre projects quite a bit because there is something dark and eerie, genuinely, about the drones and the vibes and the lead melodies on this "Tunnels of Egypt" track. And it comes attached to a new EP he's recently come out with as well because it's interesting to see him progress further into this direction. Just a shout in this track out. Again, look up the Moving Day EP if you're looking for more because it's more instrumental Andre material.

That is the Weekly Track Roundup, everybody.

Weekly Tracks. Forever.