If you need a break from Halloween songs, this week’s Five Songs You Must Hear will take you in a bunch of different directions. Halloween can wait.
1. The Format, Holy Roller
Boycott Heaven (Virgin)
Recommended If You Like: Trying, trying again
The Format first appeared out of Arizona back in 2002, run by Sam Means and Nate Ruess. They periodically took breaks from each other (2008-2020 and more time off in 2022). But they’re back again, this time with a record produced by Brenden O’Brien (one of Pearl Jam’s favourite guys) and Jimmy Chamberlain (a drummer, yes, but not the guy from Smashing Pumpkins; he’s worked with Bowie and Dylan). There’s some enthusiasm behind this single, the lead track from an album that’s coming out on January 23.
2. The Pretty Reckless, For I Am Death
Single (Concord Music)
RIYL: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
If you know your holiday film classic, you may remember Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen as the little tyke who played Cindy Lou Who in Ron Howard’s 2000 film very of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey was the Grinch). She’s very grown up now and has been fiercely leading the band since 2009, which became the first female-fronted band to have number one singles on the American rock charts. They’ve also had seven number one singles on the Billboard Rock Radio charts. Fans include members of Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden and Guns N’ Roses. In fact, they’ve been picked to honour Soundgarden when they’re inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
3. Julian Taylor and Jim James, Don’t Let ‘Em (Get Inside Your Head)
Single (Howling Turtle)
RIYL: Chance encounters
A few years back, Canadian’s Juno-nominated Julian Taylor and My Morning Jacket guy, Jim James, were at a Robbie Roberts tribute gig in LA and got to talking and became friends. That inevitably led to “Hey, let’s do a song together.” And here we are. “Smoky and rootsy” is a good description of this song.
4. Lucky Honey, My Friend is a Dancer
Single (Independent)
RIYL: Hammer rock
Hamilton is the host city for the 2025 Juno Awards in 2026 and the hope is that this will give exposure to the stunning number of excellent bands from the city. Lucky Honey has a new anthemic single that’s both fresh and familiar. (I know that sounds cliched, but let’s go with it.) The video was directed by Justin from the band—and that’s his daughter.
5, Gorillaz feat. Sparks, The Happy Dictator
The Mountain (Kong)
RIYL: Well, it’s Gorillaz, innit?
You may have seen this song written as खुशदिल तानाशाह in Devanagan (an Indian language) and xuśdilī tānāśāh, which is “happy dictator” in Hindi. The whole song was inspired by a trip to Turkmenistan, a deeply weird country run by a batty dictator named Serdar Berdimuhamedow, who fancies himself a rapper and often performs on TV. Bringing the Mael brothers—Sparks—into the mix turned out to be an inspired thing. Great song!
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