Hear Hear: Hilary Duff covers Third Eye Blind?
+ songs from Baby Rose, Hamilton Leithauser, The Strokes and more
Follow the official Hear Hear playlist to listen along with the songs and artists featured in this issue.
“Never Let You Go,” Hilary Duff // RAC // Matthew Koma
Hilary Duff returns in the most unexpected (and yet, oddly fitting) way, covering Third Eye Blind with RAC’s pitch-perfect production. If you like it, you’ll probably like the rest of RAC’s sunny synth-pop — so I dropped a few more of his classic collabs in the Hear Hear playlist.
“Overlord,” Dirty Projectors
The jangly guitars and stunning vocals of Dirty Projectors are back, this time with Maia Friedman singing lead. The music video captures her stoic presence among NYC’s new architectural overlords — The Vessel, The Oculus, and the monolithic pencil building atop Central Park — and it’s just as disquieting and beautiful as the song.
“All To Myself,” Baby Rose
Baby Rose has one of those voices that makes you stop for a minute and really listen. This song is a perfect introduction, with a simple piano riff under her hearty vocals. Her Tiny Desk concert is worth a watch if you want to hear her voice in a raw setting.
“Here They Come,” Hamilton Leithauser
Leithauser is the howling former frontman of The Walkmen, now with a stunning catalog of solo music under his belt. His best tracks are late-night lounge sing-alongs, cathartic bursts of passion sung with a drunken swagger, so he’s fittingly found a home with an annual residency at the Upper East Side’s intimate Cafe Carlyle. Watching him wail his new lead single there is a joy.
“Bad Decisions,” The Strokes
The Strokes are back too! This one is an absolute jam, with an ‘80s new wave energy, a few killer guitar riffs from Albert Hammond Jr. the legend, and a melody almost completely lifted from “Dancing With Myself” that still manages to be its own thing.
4 Playlists to Follow
Baby Rose’s biggest inspirations — including Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Alicia Keys and more — for Billboard’s Black History Month series. As Billboard’s Bianca Gracie put it, her “timeless picks reflect the inspiration behind her unique and soulful voice.” (Billboard’s series also includes playlists from Ceelo, Charlie Wilson, and Phony Ppl.)
The best movie and TV scores, compiled by Hear Hear reader David Mandelbaum. 41 hours of soundtracks to shuffle, with everything from John Williams classics (Star Wars and Harry Potter) to experimental modern scores (Uncut Gems, Phantom Thread, Annihilation) to TV’s best soundscapes (Lost, The Leftovers, Watchmen, Game of Thrones).
The 20 best Tame Impala songs, from music writer Steven Hyden. I really like Tame Impala’s stuff, but I can’t get all the way into them, so I’m trying to use Hyden’s playlist (and corresponding write-up) as a gateway. Perhaps you need one too!
The best of Hamilton Leithauser + The Walkmen, from me. Between his solo records, his duo album with Rostam and his career with The Walkmen, Hamilton has a fantastic catalog of hits. If you’re into his voice, dive in.