50 Minutes: "I go too fast, then I move slow"
Required listening with All Get Out, Now Now, James Francies, Free Key Choir, Big Bite, and more for December 17th, 2025
All Reviews • Spotify Playlist • Youtube Playlist
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All Get Out “Skinny”
All Get Out reaffirms their powerful, critical, and confessional
songwriting on “Skinny”, capturing me like the first time I heard their
breakthrough record, The Season. These days, we hear a lot of
isolationist songwriting - people putting in effort and creating their
songs alone. “Skinny” feels intimate, and written in isolation, as if
you’re inside Hussey’s head, examining his every thought. Through
embellishment and collaboration, you hear the exceptional character
of All Get Out as a band come to life throughout the song. Truly, a
treat.
4.4/5 ☺︎
Nosaj Thing, Verses GT, Jacques Greene, Kučka “Forever”
What has been created on “Forever” is an almost unnameable,
atmospheric, and somewhat out-of-body experience that I can’t get
enough of. Simple in its construction, the track layers padded synths
against a distinct sub tone, only to be gracefully pushed forward by
the sharp edges of a hi-hat and Kučka’s entrancing performance as
she reminds us that “Forever changes everything”. These artists have
collaborated to create something so very special, and I feel lucky to
be on planet Earth for it.
4.2/5 ☺︎
James Francies “Flight”
On his debut Blue Note release, a 22-year-old James Francies kicks
off the record with “Flight”, a track that directly exemplifies his deep
understanding of flow, dynamic control, and melody. At some points
in the song, we hear ideas clash and boundaries being pushed,
showing that character has just as much of a place in a song as
melody. To me, that’s the sign of a great jazz artist - James identifies
his character on flight and it’s a wonderful thing to hear.
3.9/5 ☺︎
Big Bite “Headhunter”
We’re so fucking back. After five years of radio silence, Big Bite said
“Here are two new songs and some shows,” and people rejoiced (me,
I’m people) . Big Bite has a unique writing style for their scene, hearing
a little more hooked choruses and some work behind the whammy
bar, but it’s always paired up with interesting, yet driving, drumming.
It’s my thing. And they are a fantastic live band - it’s hard to capture
on a recording.
3.6/5 ☺︎
….. Read all this playlist’s song reviews in about ten minutes at fiftymins.com
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