Kat: God knows your life is on the brink and your therapist's well-fed, the fix of all fixes, unintimate sex You like the way she talks but never what she says. You've had your tummy tickled, are you listening yet?
So opens track four "Are You Listening Yet?" from Harry Style's new album KISS ALL TE TIME. DISCO, OCCASIONALLY. "Between your head and heart and somewhere else instead," Harry asks are you listening yet?
You should be.
Each album, each solo album, Harry's done has been a step forward -- musically, lyrically, thematically. Music hasn't had a British artistic force like this since George Michael.
"Taste Back" is one of those songs that just grabs you.
Talk in tongues, no common sense
Likе two old friends
Where'd you find the confidence to call me baby? (It's all you)
Is this you settling in? You drinking again (It's all you)
Handling it like a European (It's all you)
This you settling in? You starting again (It's all you)
Handling it
Harry wrote that one with Thomas Hull and Tyler Johnson. He wrote eleven songs with them for this album. "Coming Up Roses" is the track he wrote by himself.
Just for tonight let's go hangover chasing
And I'll talk your ear off about why it's safe
As I fumble my words and fall flat on my face through the truth
Just say the word and we'll take up the test
Where we flirt with the bad ones and skip all the rest
But we see out the night with your head on my chest, me and you
There's only me and you
Are you noticing the music? It brings to mind George Michael's "Different Corner" and yet it's Harry, all Harry.
"Aperture" was the album's lead single and it's already hit number one on BILLBOARD's Hot 100. "American Girls" is the just released single. But, though both are strong songs, they really aren't the best on the album. The two I've noted already and "Pop" stand out musically.
That's not to insult "Aperture" or "American Girls" -- again, great songs -- but it is to argue that if you've only heard the first two singles, you have no idea how deep -- into the mood and into the groove -- Harry gets on KISS ALL THE TIME. DISCO, OCCASIONALLY. This is a must have for 2026, a confession in your collection that you are urbane, sophisticated and willing to throw down.
Another album that reeks of quality and jams is Jill Scott's TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN.
I ben manifesting visions
Oh, chile, I been making them all true
I been focused on my mission
I am stuck to it, my glue
You see me walking into my higher self
You see the universe out here preparing my wealth
And it ain't no stopping, y'all
It ain't no dropping the ball at all
Maybe in Autumn, that's the only time I fall
I don't wish 'em bad but my enemies crawl
I'm, I'm standing on faith and I'm ten feet tall.
Jill Scott announces that in "Dope S**t," the opening track of TOM WHOME THIS MAY CONCERN and her first album in ten years.
"Be Great" is the second track and it's where Jill starts singing and throwing down.
Fales of love, some say of me (please)
I was there in entirety
Got hurt sometimes, chile, that's the way it be
I won't give up on love and never on me (never)
Jill's no one's prisoner and no one's side piece. She's flexing her strength and power throughout this tour de force album.
"Pressha" is the first single and that makes it clear just how firmly she's standing.
And with that one song, the queen of neo soul is back. Trevor Anderson (BILLBOARD) reported last week:
Jill Scott reclaims Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart crown after a nearly 13-year gap as “Pressha” tops the list dated March 14. The single, released on Blues Bebe/Human Re Sources, advances from No. 2 and was the most-played song on panel-contributing adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of Feb. 27-March 5, according to Luminate.
“Pressha” ascends after a 6% improvement in plays for the tracking week compared with the previous period (Feb. 20-26). With its promotion, the new champ ousts Kehlani’s “Folded” after its two-week reign.
As Jill sings on "Beautiful People," "This ain't a happenstance or a whim, our love is continually (continual, continual, continual), Continually, saint or sin." Jill's bond with her audience is firm and it's only going to get firmer and the size of her audience increase with TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN.
She teams with Too $hort for "BPOTY" (Biggest pimp of the year).
"You must trust your intuition," Jill imparts on "Me 4" -- and imparts much more. She's sharing wisdom and spilling her heart. And "The Math" may be the strongest song on the album -- though that's a very tough call.
Could it be we sabotage love 'cause it hurt us in the past?
Could it be can't clearly see what to subtract and what to add?
You do the math, you do the math
She and Harry Styles are tossing down and leaving the marks for others to meet this year. I don't know that others can. But TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN and KISS ALL THE TIME. DISCO, OCCSIONALLY start the year off with a high mark -- they are the benchmarks that the rest of the year will be measured against.
