Betty Wright: Clean Up Woman

Talented soul, funk and R&B singer Betty Wright (born Bessie Regina Norris) has passed away at 66 years old. Perhaps not a household name, Wright’s influence stretched further than many might realize. Releasing her first album, My First Time Around (1968), at just 14 years old, she went on to make her breakout funk hit “Clean Up Woman” three years later. That song and many …

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Sultry funk, delicate folk, '80s electronic, off-kilter pop and more of our favorite music this week

Christine and the Queens: Heart of Gold (Neil Young Cover) Christine and the Queens (aka French singer/songwriter and producer Héloïse Letissier) just released an emotive and haunting cover of Neil Young’s 1972 hit, “Heart of Gold.” With spacey blips and echoing vocals, this minimal version (with Letissier’s sublime voice the focus) diverges from the acoustic, country-meets-folk original—yet carries all the same intense yearning. Dirty Projectors: …

Dayglow: Run the World!!!

An expression of pent up energy, indie artist Dayglow’s “Run the World!!!” video expands upon a simple sentiment: “Quarantine sucks; I want to run the whole freaking world.” The track first appeared on Dayglow’s 2018 album, Fuzzybrain, but feels particularly current. Upbeat and catchy, with a chant-based chorus, the song leans into surf-rock influences with success. Plus, the video depicts Dayglow (aka Sloan Struble) at …