Melody on Music: Kill the Part of You That Cringes

Melody on Music is Pop Heist's regular roundup of new releases from across the spectrum of recorded sound. Here, music critic Melody Esme singles out the most noteworthy drops, from major releases to hidden gems. Consider adding these to your rotation — and if you give them a spin, let us know what you think on Bluesky.

Corook: Committed to a Bit [Atlantic]

Easy to dismiss because non-binary aesthetics (or "THEY/THEM ENERGY!") are less culturally respectable than transfem ones. And yet I can't help but admire an unashamed album that could have been called "Kill the Part of You That Cringes." Then again, "I'm committed to a bit that I don't even get anymore" is also a strong mission statement for Corook. Their commitment to an authenticity — ranging from hilarious to awkwardly vulnerable to unflinchingly romantic — remains stable at a time when so many seem willing to trade themselves and their values in as the world becomes increasingly hostile. Sue me, but I love that they rhyme "pancakes" with "hands shake," that their non-binary anthem "THEY!" doesn't mince words, and that they recycle their greatest song ("ok getting older") for the closer, if only to make a very good album even better. "I stopped drinking, don't smoke weed/I wanna know me sober" is just the first devastating line in a song full of them. A-

horsegiirL: v.i.p. - very important pony [Three Six Zero]

Part girl, part horse; killer hyperpop beats as an avenue for horse puns, and horse puns as an avenue for killer hyperpop beats. "I wanna be the only pony you can bet on," she sings on the opener, and when she references diamonds, you just know that the girl in her is thinking carats and the horse is thinking carrots. Later, she wants to take a bite of the hay in our stack, and then she wants to put us on her shoulder as the beats swing and stomp fast enough that hearing the clacking of hooves is unavoidable. Does all of this add up to something I'd call substance? Nay. Does it still make me wanna get on all fours, be fed a carrot, and win the Kentucky Derby? Neigh. B+

Rebecca Black: SALVATION [self-released]

The truth lies somewhere in the middle, as it often does. Black is not one of the best pop artists in the world, and she's also not an overhyped failure, as tempting as it is to gravitate towards either complete reevaluation or complete skepticism. "Sugar Water Cyanide" is one of my favorite pop songs of the past couple years. I also like "TRUST!" and adore "Twist the Knife." "Tears in My Pocket" is pretty enough, too. But I'm not sure the drag energy of "Salvation" and "American Doll" is the mode of queerness that suits her best, or at the very least it doesn't appeal to me as much. As I wrote in January, "Blessed are the cringe teenage girls for they shall grow up to make great hyperpop." They may still struggle in the longer formats, though. B+

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