Singles 5/4

None of these singles — the most I’ve reviewed this year — matches last week’s highs, especially Miguel’s (artist of the year so far). Niemann’s relaxed way with a smoocher wins by default. It’s gross at the bottom too.

All singles on a ten-point system. Click on links for full reviews.

Jerrod Niemann – Shinin’ On Me (7)
Chevelle – Hats Off to the Bull (7)
Nas – The Don (6)
Dawn Richard – Bombs (6)
Timomatic – If Looks Could Kill (6)
Little Boots – Every Night I Say a Prayer (5)
Fiona Apple – Every Single Night (5)
4Minute – Volume Up (5)
The Flaming Lips ft. Ke$ha & Biz Markie – 2012 (You Must Be Upgraded) (5)
Flo Rida – Whistle (4)
Bonnie Raitt – Right Down the Line (4)
Jesse y Joy – ¡Corre! (4)
Jack White – Sixteen Saltines (4)
Sunrise Inc. – Mysterious Girl (3)
Cover Drive – Sparks (3)
fun. – Some Nights (2)
Tulisa – Young (1)
Nelly Furtado – Big Hoops (Bigger the Better) (1)
Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa – Payphone (1)

RIP MCA aka Adam Yauch

In seventh grade the girls bought “True Blue,” the guys “License to Ill.” Both albums were blasted at the end of the academic year party. Few guys owned the Madonna album — I owned both. In the summer of ’92 “Check Your Head” was inescapable. Same for “Sabotage” in the summer of ’94 and “Intergalactic” in the summer of ’98. Ach — no more Beastie boy summers.

“Adam Yauch” was his moniker. MCA is his name as far as I’m concerned. Obnoxious, voice steeped in Brooklyn, a sexist and homophobe (in music; I don’t know about life) , who matured more honestly — which is to say his fart jokes had Buddhist undertones — than most musicians of his generation. As Chuck Eddy, author of a seminal earlier review, said, “They were smart, arty Jewish kids from New York, and they created these white-trash burnout characters with the help of [Rick] Rubin. And they pulled it off.” And left at least three world-historic records.