Song of the Week: “untitled 08” by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick’s newest ambition, “untitled unmastered,” is clearly a descendant of “To Pimp a Butterfly,” both thematically and musically. Its finale track, which debuted months ago on “The Tonight Show,” cleverly works the chorus phrase “blue faces” to associate new $100 bills with personal gloom and disappointment, insinuating the impossibility of fulfillment from making quick cash. Reminiscent of his rhythmic, groovy flow in “i,” and fine-tuned to the funkadelic sounds mastered in “These Walls,” “untitled 08” is the realized refinement of post-”good kid” Kendrick — a sign of the artist’s true metamorphosis.

– Jacky To, Staff Writer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDW4nHlZoD8

Song of the Week: “Capsized” by Andrew Bird

Only a year after his intriguing instrumental venture out into nature with “Echolocations: Canyon,” Andrew Bird returns to studio tracks with a bright and funky alternative single. Bird takes a break from the minimalist classical sounds of the “Echolocation” series, of which “Canyon” is the first of five albums that analyze the different acoustics of natural environments. “Capsized” sets a promising precedent for Bird’s next album, “Are You Serious,” due out April 1, with a percussive groove taking prominence alongside catchy vocal melodies. Bird holds his violin sideways like a guitar and picks the strings to create quick riffs that elevate the verses and give them a complex sound. The multifaceted artist successfully brings a classical violin into an alternative rock song and constructs an diverse track that proves intricate and addictive.

– Peter McInnis, Staff Writer