5 Songs to Hear This Week: Angel Olsen, Saya Gray, Viagra boys, and more

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Hey! Did you know that there’s an entire aspect of KCRW music discovery that you might be missing out on? Fear not, because our 5 Songs to Hear This Week newsletter is now a weekly feature on our website. Watch this space for rundowns of the five songs that you need in your life immediately, curated by KCRW Music staff. Don’t want to wait for your latest taste of fresh tunes? Sign up for the Friday newsletter here, and always be the first to know.

Follow us on Spotify to keep up with our current obsessions, including 5 Songs to Hear This Week, Global Beat Australia, and our weekly sampler of KCRW’s Top 30 most played records


Angel Olsen – “Big Time”

Angel Olsen’s done with the small time. This ambling folk-country track marks a noted departure from her indie roots, and maybe that’s the point. Written during the time that Olsen was coming out as queer, the track’s lyrical message is about "the expansive power of new love… and heartbreak.” A classic rendering that just feels right in Olsen’s voice, it’s both deeply familiar, and brand-new — an artist we love achieving self-realization through song. Happy Pride! 


Saya Gray – “EMPATHY 4 BETHANY”

Saya Gray has music in her blood, a fact that’s immediately clear through this gorgeously produced single from her recently released “debut project,” “19 MASTERS.” “EMPATHY FOR BETHANY” is complex and layered. It’s a track that toys with song structure, production tools, and ultimately, your emotions.


Flanger Kids – “Figure It Out” 

Hungarian duo Flanger Kids may claim a “minimalistic” approach to making music, but one listen to this fully-realized single will have you feverishly racking your brain to tick off all of the musical styles they’re playing with. A deeply funky bassline and silky R&B stylings blend into a brilliant electro-rock bridge, all resolving in an unplugged busker session. Big ups to our intrepid music reporter (and Hungarian-American) Andrea Domanick for plunging the depths of Spotify to dig this one up!


Eyedress – “Still In Love”  

Fall in love with Eyedress, the Cali kid from the Philippines who’s elegantly evolved from crust punk bandmate to innovative DIY bedroom artist. The cleverly crafted beats and New Wave-tinged vocals place this sound somewhere on the timeline between 1982 and forever. With lo-fi riffs and reverb for days, this one has you set for solid sounds. Plus, the extra-vibey video is a really nice bonus.


Viagra Boys – “Punk Rock Loser” 

It’s music, it’s satire, it’s… the latest single from Swedish post-punk anarchists Viagra Boys! The Boys bring their signature heavy rock sound and adults-only storytelling style to this cheeky slammer. And topping it all off is an epic Western-themed video that might just have you throwing side-eye at the dedicated scenester in your life.