Staff Picks and Good Shit for the Week of September 12

This week, Apple killed music forever by quietly discontinuing the Device That Killed The Album Forever, the humble iPod. But hey, they introduced a smartwatch, and soon you will be able to tell time and look at emojis at the same time! The future of music is dark, but it is also so bright. And nobody knows that better than us, the Noisey editors and guardians of the love of music. To find out what we were loving this week, the week of September 12, read on…

BANKS - "Brain"

This week was all about BANKS. I saw her twice. What a loser. Or not, because she's incredible and she released her debut album this week, and she's already sold out NYC's Terminal 5 at the end of the month. Not to brag, but we were all about BANKS 18 months ago when we stalked her and convinced her to make a music video with Noisey for "This Is What It Feels Like"—which still sounds as sensual and strange as it did way back when. It makes me want to devour boys. Decimate them. Anyway what was great about seeing her this week is one set was totally pared back and acoustic and allowed BANKS to showcase her vocal chops without being showy. The second show was a proper set up (it was a fashion week sitch sponsored by Coach), with dim lighting and BANKS doing that impassioned wrist shake thing she does and what I like to call her backward slalom. I didn't know you could take a ski move and reverse it and make it look so damn sexy, but hey BANKS is talented like that. Above is the video for "Brain" which contains the lyrics—"I can see you struggling/Boy, don't hurt your brain/Thinking what you're gonna say"—essentially mocking men for emotional inarticulacy and foolish game playing. Silly boys. BANKS rules.

Kim Taylor Bennett, Style Editor
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Ariel Pink - "Put Your Number in My Phone"

Even though he seems like a terrible person, I am pretty excited for Ariel Pink's new album, pom pom. I wrote about how he pulls a Drake on his new song "Put Your Number in My Phone" earlier this week and I've been listening to it ever since. I like it so much that it inspired me to put together a vibey 70s AM gold playlist.

Marissa G. Muller, Guest Editor
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U2 - Songs of Innocence

I opened my iTunes the other day and there was a free U2 album in it! I didn't actually listen to it, but I saw the movie 'Inception' starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, so I like, get it, I think.

Drew Millard, Features Editor
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P Reign feat. PartyNextDoor, Meek Mill - "Realest In The City"

Let's face it, this is a PartyNextDoor song. As such, it's already got the unfair advantage of floating to the top of my playlist, but to sweeten the deal even further, there's a Meek Mill feature laid on top of it. Whatever official album PartyNextDoor plans on eventually releasing will be deemed a classic by me within one hour of listening, simply because I appreciate how well he blends his goon-centric songwriting with a sing-song delivery. In this current crop of mostly-West-coast "ratchet & b" artists, PartyNextDoor stands heads above acts like Ty$ and TeeFLi because he doesn't bludgeon you with softly-sung but heavy-handed references to knowing people who will shoot you in the forehead. It's subtle and it's lovely, and because of that, it's appreciated. Oh, and P Reign is on this too.

Slava Pastuk, Canadian Editor
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iLoveMakonnen - Drink More Water 4

I fucking love Makonnen, just like everyone else. "Tuesday" has been the jam for both you and me all summer long, but you know what's better than a Makonnen hit that Drake jumps on and makes a radio single that you hear while walking down the street? Makonnen deep cuts. Do yourself a favor and spin this mixtape from earlier this year, Drink More Water 4, and let Makonnen teach you how to whip it. My favorite on this tape, though, is "Maneuvering," so, if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to move, move, move into the weekend.

Eric Sundermann, Managing Editor
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Caves - "Sad"

Apple should pre-load iPhones with Caves.

Dan Ozzi, Editor
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Ol' Dirty Bastard - "Brooklyn Zoo"

ODB made weird vocal tics and a disregard for traditional "lyricism" cool 20 years ago, so anyone concerned that this new Young Thug guy is ruining rap should probably do their homework and study up on the classics. This song is four minutes of pure breathless bluster and a reinvention of battle rap as a place where you can say something as simple as "A lot of MCs came to my showdown/To watch me put your fuckin ass low down" and have it be the final word. Fuck yeah.

Kyle Kramer, Editor
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Power Trip - Manifest Decimation

This band is literally my favorite band right now.

Fred Pessaro, Noisey, Editor-in-Chief
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