Song of the Week is Consequence’s weekly music discovery series looking at the latest and greatest new tunes. Find these new favorites and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for other great songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Kim Gordon returns with rousing mundanity on “BYE BYE.”
It’s a to-do list, a packing index, a sermon, a spell. Kim Gordon’s latest, “BYE BYE,” offers a glimpse into the world of her forthcoming second solo album, The Collective.
Shrouded in reverb, Gordon croaks out a list of travel needs for an upcoming trip: Boots, a turtleneck, a cardigan, contact solution, ear plugs, sleeping pills. If the list seems mundane, it’s because it is — there’s not much out of the ordinary in what she names, save for perhaps the “milk thistle” or the mention of “cigarettes — for a killer.” Still, Gordon utters these words with such gravity that it becomes less of a “Okay, time to go to the airport, do I have everything?” checklist and more of a mantra or a summoning.
Helping cement the eerie vibe is an absolutely filthy hip-hop beat courtesy of A-list producer Justin Raisen. The blown out bass drum contrasts with the atmosphere on Gordon’s vocals, providing distance between her seemingly normal deliveries and the high-energy beat beneath her. An industrial electric guitar occasionally rips through the track, giving it a harsh, dissonant feel. And meanwhile, icy synths, warbling bass, tinny crash cymbals, and the general sense that something is not quite right characterize the instrumental backdrop.
So, then, what is this mysterious checklist? Where is our narrator going, and why is she bringing a milk thistle? Though it’s The Collective’s first single, it does appropriately bring us Gordon’s acute mindset, and introduces us to the throbbing, industrial hues that The Collective will likely feature. As noted in her recent live sets, like her performance at Primavera Sound Los Angeles in 2022, “BYE BYE” evokes a kind of glitchy, electro seance. Just as children say “Beetlejuice” three times in the mirror to make him appear, Kim Gordon repeats her packing list to make herself disappear into another realm.
The other fascinating aspect to “BYE BYE” is the emphasis on material items. The laundry list of travel needs is not overwhelming on its own, but when you add in the dissonance of the sonics, it quickly feels like these items mean everything and nothing. Gordon does not fashion the list as an advertisement, per se — but the modern air of “BYE BYE” evokes an Instagram ad that’s trying to get you to buy a very specific kind of sweater or mascara or sleep mask or calcium supplement. What does it mean to need these items away from home, which span anywhere from $4.99 to $500? What does it say about our subliminal, collective participation in a capitalistic ecosystem that determines what we need, rather than the other way around? Are these items important, meaningless, utilitarian, excessive?
These are the kinds of subtle questions offered in “BYE BYE.” But even if we aren’t given any answers to Gordon’s collage-esque queries, one thing is for certain: The beat on “BYE BYE” is gargantuan enough to have us nodding in agreement. We do need those ear plugs and that eyelash curler. À bientôt!
— Paolo Ragusa
Associate Editor
Honorable Mentions
Carpool — “Open Container Blues”
Besides featuring one of the best song titles of the year mere weeks into 2024, Carpool’s latest is fierce, catchy, and incredibly addictive for a five-and-a-half-minute song. Supplementing their pop-punk energy with keyboard tones that come straight from a Cars song and a rootsy bridge that nears Hold Steady territory, the CLIFFDIVER-featuring track instantly ranks amongst the best singles the band has come through with yet. Get these guys a damn Taco Bell commercial already! — Jonah Krueger
English Teacher — “Albert Road”
Along with the announcement of their debut album This Could Be Texas, rising British band English Teacher have also shared the stirring new tune, “Albert Road.” While previous singles “The World’s Biggest Pavement Slab” and “Nearly Daffodils” collapsed a ball of energy into passionate, anthemic post-punk, “Albert Road” is much more aligned with the meditative bloom of last fall’s “Mastermined Specialism.” The song’s overwhelming warmth is at first comforting, but it later turns into sheer power, demonstrated by the evocative full band crescendo towards the end and vocalist Lily Fontaine’s stunning, full-throated belt. It’s one of their most emotional offerings yet. — P. Ragusa
Gulfer — “Too Slow”
Gulfer’s “Too Slow” spends about a minute smacking you over the head with twinkly, tapped riffs and huge guitar chords before letting the screams reverberate into a skittering electronic breakbeat. Is it a little out there? A little unexpected? Most certainly. But we’ll be damned if it doesn’t bang incredibly hard, instantly compelling our fingers to hit replay so we can hear it all over again. Between “Too Slow” and previous single “Clean,” Gulfer’s upcoming Third Wind won’t be one to miss. — J. Krueger
Levitation Room — “Revelations”
Psych rockers Levitation Room have returned with yet another euphoric single, “Revelations,” which is just as illuminating as its title suggests. The song tracks the emotion of a great epiphany — the moment you realize that it’s time to change course, or, as vocalist Julian Porte mentions in the final verse, “Today is all that I need.” It’s not all gentle, open-hearted positivity though; the crunchy guitars give “Revelations” just enough power to feel the fire of renewed perspective in your belly. — P. Ragusa
Lime Garden — “Mother”
New British indie favorites Lime Garden are back with “Mother,” the latest single off their upcoming debut album, One More Thing. The song’s spindling verses are syncopated and slightly odd — vocalist Chloe Howard rattles off her melody in a monotone fashion, echoed closely by a harmony and the occasional electric guitar line jutting in. But as the band gracefully enters the chorus, their separate factions become united in a wash of melancholy sound. Written about the complicated and liberating relationships we can have to our mothers, the song strikes a passionate, strangely comforting chord. — P. Ragusa
Slum Village — “Request”
Legendary Detroit hip-hop collective Slum Village are back. “Request” features contributions from Earlly Mac and Abstract Orchestra, boasting a relaxed, jazzy beat. The verses are wonderful, and the playful rhyme schemes and chilled flow are sure to make you smile. — Venus Rittenberg
Villagerrr — “Neverrr Everrr”
Columbus, Ohio-based slowcore/shoegaze/indie folk act Villagerrr has released their latest single ahead of their new, Tear Your Heart Out. “Neverrr Everrr” has guest vocals from Merce Lemon, and they beautifully compliment Mark Allen Scott’s own voice. The instrumental is lush and rich, the type of sound you could float away in. It’s almost like old Alex G, but more dreamy. The lyrics are vague and ominous, creating an eerie feeling that juxtaposes the music, but leaves you excited for more. — V. Rittenberg
Yard Act — “We Make Hits”
Leeds post-punk band Yard Act is back with another banging single from their upcoming sophomore album. “We Make Hits” sees the band releasing some of the most danceable music in the scene. Vocalist James Smith has a voice reminiscent of Damon Albarn, and it flows well with the groovy instrumental, and the instrumental brings to mind contemporaries like Viagra Boys. Lyrically, the song offers a mantra for the band, referring to themselves as “post punks’ latest poster boys,” and it’s easy to see why. — V. Rittenberg
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