Weekly Playlist 8/2

Every Friday, I share the highlights of what I’ve been listening to over the course of the week, from old favorites to new discoveries.

Taylor Swift knows how to write a good pop song, and I’m not afraid to admit it — but not necessarily on Reputation, particularly lyrically, and her recent releases have only been marginally better. Except for “The Archer.” It has a nice, dreamy sound, and even though the lyrics still rely on clichés, it’s the most I’ve liked a Swift song in a while.

My work on a Cut Copy article continues, and my pick this week is “Bright Neon Payphone,” a kind of post-punk track that doesn’t fit in much with the rest of that album, Bright Like Neon Love, but is probably my favorite. Similarly, I’m still enjoying the latest from The Black Keys, going for “Lo/Hi” this week.

Interpol’s “Evil” is an old favorite, despite the fact that I burned myself out on Antics when I owned it in high school — but maybe that just speaks to what a great song “Evil” is. That little “aw” before the “heaven restores you in life” in the final chorus near the end gets me every time. And we need to talk about that music video, too. Maybe tomorrow.

And finally, we close with “Stuck in the Metal,” a cover of Stealers Wheel’s famous “Stuck in the Middle With You” that’s fun and not a huge departure from the original.