It took New York to make me a cowboy

Nu Music Monday #26 / 07-06-2021

Jun 07, 2021

Hey there,

I’m Red, and welcome to Nu Music Monday. Glad to have you here.

Every week I write quick bites about some of my favorite tracks released in the past seven days (-ish). I also go into the latest music news when I feel like it and share stuff I think is worth your time.

This Monday, meet Allison Ponthier, your new favorite pop cowboy, and dive in a steaming tub of hot new tracks.

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Interview: Allison Ponthier

Sometimes the things you’re running away from are precisely the things you need. Allison Ponthier escaped her home state of Texas to plant roots in the City That Never Sleeps; it wasn’t long until she realized her cultural heritage wasn’t something she could – or wanted to – do without.

Allison grew up listening to country before shunning the genre for moodier alternative music to soundtrack the imaginary worlds she retreated to as a teen. She returned to the music of her early years as she grew more comfortable with herself and what she wanted to say through art. She now has two new tracks out with Interscope (and a Lord Huron collaboration under her belt) in which she connects with her audience through a combination of adroit storytelling and campy visuals complete with drag, aliens and cowboys.

I caught up with Allison for Riot Mag about breaking out of her shell, alternate universes and crossing items off her bucket list so early in her career.

Read the full interview here.

The Nutshell ~ news of the week

Grimes made a TikTok explaining the fastest route to communism is through AI domination and even that isn’t the weirdest claim she’s made in the past year.
Rihanna keeps teasing new music. What else is new.
Lorde is coming. Really, she is.
Bimini Bon Boulash dropped her first single ‘God Save This Queen’.

Track of the week: Glidin’ - Pa Salieu (feat. slowthai)

No one said Pa Salieu and slowthai had to go this hard yet they did. A match made in heaven, the two sound right at home and the creeping Afrobeat references are the track’s not-so-secret weapon. With such a dynamic surrounding production, slowthai and Pa could’ve easily fallen to the wayside. On repeat this week.

Running Blind - Lucky Daye

Lucky day for all of us when Lucky Daye drops. Also check out his Valentine’s duet EP–it’s one of the best of the year.

Hot N Heavy - Jessie Ware

Another offering from the upcoming deluxe of What’s Your Pleasure. Still as slinky and sexy. The album is out this Friday.

CAN THEY HEAR US - Dua Lipa

Fresh juxtaposition of sax and electronic progressions that harks back at DL1. It’s smooth, soothing and simply gorgeous. It was high time for some new Dua Lipa: if I hear that damn ‘Levitating’ one more time…