Every month, I round up my favorite releases in a New Music Playlist. But this week, I just couldn’t wait until the end of November to spotlight a few stand-out new songs. With new tracks from Best Coast, Last Import, Natalie Fideler, Hit Like A Girl, and a new music video from Stella Donnelly, November is already packed with great new tunes. Here’s what you need to know about this week’s new releases.
Best Coast, “For the First Time”
Just seeing the announcement of new music from Best Coast gave me a jolt of sunshine brilliant enough to light my entire week. The California indie pop band has been one of my favorites since high school, but duo Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno have been quiet for the past few years.
“For the First Time” is the first song that Best Coast have put out since their 2015 album California Nights (besides the 2018 Amazon exclusive children’s album Best Kids). In the song, Cosentino opens up about her struggle with her mental health over the past few years, and in the chorus she sings, “I finally feel free, I feel like myself again for the first time.” “The last few years of my life were a struggle behind closed doors and this song gave me a place to let that all out,” Cosentino wrote in an Instagram post about the song.
Last Import, “Hollywood Forever”
The weather in Minneapolis may be starting to chill, but local surf-punk trio Last Import are evoking the sunny streets of Hollywood in their latest song. The single “Hollywood Forever” is a follow-up to Last Import’s self-titled debut album, which came out in Feb. 2019. The song features slinky rhythm guitar and a catchy chorus that will no-doubt be stuck in my head all week.
Natalie Fideler, “Power Move”
Natalie Fideler isn’t afraid to get a little cheeky in her latest single, “Power Move.” In the song, she speaks to an ex, but instead of seeking revenge or trying to make up, she just wants to let them know that she can still get it on without them.
Hit Like A Girl, “It’s Not Me”
I’m so glad that 2019 introduced me to Hit Like A Girl, because Nicolle Maroulis’s songwriting is emotional, raw, and completely relatable. Last month, Hit Like A Girl released the single “No More Dysphoria,” which shares a name with the non-profit organization that Maroulis runs, and this week, they returned with the crushing and anthemic “It’s Not Me.” “What will it take to make you happy?” Maroulis asks over the song’s pulsing beat, answered by the devastatingly simple line, “It’s not me.”
Stella Donnelly, “Season’s Greetings”
Stella Donnelly’s “Season’s Greetings” came out in March on the Australian singer-songwriter’s debut album Beware of the Dogs, but now Donnelly has released a hilariously wry new video to accompany the song. Donnelly and her friends recreate a family holiday celebration in the sweltering Australian summer, complete with awkward family antics, dinner table squabbles, and a rousing food fight.
Pass The Mic 
I’m in love with the energy on “Power Move.” I’ll never get tired of finding a good revenge song, but I wasn’t expecting this one to have such a great sense of humor. This is definitely going on my playlist!!
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