Every Friday, pop critics for The New York Times weigh in on the week’s most notable new tracks. Listen to the Playlist on Spotify here (or find our profile: nytimes), and sign up for The Amplifier, a twice-weekly guide to new and old songs.
Liam Gallagher and John Squire, ‘Just Another Rainbow’
If you’ve ever wondered what Liam Gallagher fronting the Stone Roses would have sounded like — and don’t just say “Oasis” — have I got a song for you. The snarl-lipped Gallagher joins forces with the singular Stone Roses guitarist John Squire on “Just Another Rainbow,” the first single from a forthcoming collaborative project, and naturally the two Manchester musicians make immediate sonic sense together. “Red and orange, yellow and green, blue, indigo, violet,” Gallagher sings in his unmistakable lilt — seriously, this song has Liam Gallagher singing the colors of the rainbow. But Squire ultimately ascends into the spotlight in the track’s second half, projecting his towering, prismatic riffs across the sky. LINDSAY ZOLADZ
Smallgod featuring Black Sherif, ‘Fallen Angel’
Smallgod and Black Sherif, two Ghanaian songwriters, harmonize on a kindly song that offers lifelong support and compassion — “I’m looking out for you wherever you are” — but also gently upbraids: “How long you go be a slave to your flaws?” An understated beat and little trickles of guitar are inviting without getting too pushy. JON PARELES
Umi featuring V of BTS, ‘Wherever U R’
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