Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 16h

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 15

"Chale" Sho Madjozi (2023) (South Africa) (11 pts)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

A PPP amapiano favorite that I also really like & want to see in the countdown

Sho Madjozi - Chale (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by ShoMadjoziVEVO

youtu.be

16

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 1d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 14

"Cherry Bomb" Isabella Lovestory (2022) (Honduras)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

My second "no, not a cover" pick. I can get into some basic reggaetón, but I appreciate the extra ear candy and production bells & whistles here

Cherry Bomb

YouTube video by Isabella Lovestory - Topic

youtu.be

17

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 2d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 13

"Salome" The Ophelias (2025) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

My most played alt rock track of the year; something in the warm churn of the guitars & hypnotic thwack of the drums trips the "again, again" synapse in my brain

The Ophelias - "Salome" [Official Music Video]

YouTube video by The Ophelias

youtu.be

13

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 3d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 12

"Joy Rider" Kim Richey (2024) (USA) (12 pts)
NKC: ✅️ ISC: ❎️

Gets my max bonus on raw sentiment; I feel this cute piano pop vignette as a eulogy for my brother, evoking a carefree time in our childhood when he was a daredevil on a BMX

Joy Rider

YouTube video by Kim Richey - Topic

youtu.be

1 15

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 4d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 11

"Monster Mash" Kate Davis (2023) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

Not a cover; straightforwardly catchy guitar pop with an undualting structure.

Kate Davis - "Monster Mash"

YouTube video by ANTI- Records

youtu.be

11

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 5d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 10

"Barn Nork" Helen Ganya (2025) (UK)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

Most of this album is in English & more typical (but still engaging) indie pop/adult alternative; this is one of the Thai flavored songs inspired by her grandma. I dig the retro cinematic feel

Helen Ganya - Barn Nork (Official Video)

YouTube video by Helen Ganya

youtu.be

2 15

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 6d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 9

"Amaryllis" Mary Halvorson (2022) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

Nerdy, noodly ensemble jazz, a great showcase of Halvorson's compositional skill & a delight to listen to - there's so much going on!

Mary Halvorson - Amaryllis (Official Video)

YouTube video by Nonesuch Records

youtu.be

16

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 7d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 8

"Misinformation Age" Archers of Loaf (2022) (USA)
NKC/ISC ❎️

Short blast of indie fuzz that sounds like a frayed nerve

Misinformation Age

YouTube video by Archers of Loaf - Topic

youtu.be

10

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 8d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 7

"Fake Cowboy" Brennan Wedl (2024) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

Alt country that takes the trope of the regrettable one night stand & runs with it. Lots of funny & poignant couplets in this one

Brennan Wedl - Fake Cowboy (Live Video)

YouTube video by Kill Rock Stars

youtu.be

2 12

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 9d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 6

"You Can Have Him Jolene" Chapel Hart (2021) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

Pop country with a touch of dive bar grit that keeps it from being cloyingly cutesy. Great harmonies and I like the weary snark of "he's your problem/good luck keepin' him home"

You Can Have Him Jolene

YouTube video by Chapel Hart - Topic

youtu.be

1 2 14

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 10d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 5

"Talk Tough" Bat Fangs (2021) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

This is Betsy Wright from Mary Timony's Ex Hex doing her own thing in the same vein, but leaning more heavily into the hard candy pop metal elements

Bat Fangs - Talk Tough (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by Don Giovanni

youtu.be

1 20

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 11d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 4

"Crawl Space" Filth is Eternal (2023) (USA)
NKC/ISC: ✅️

Scorched earth punk metal with chaotic, fill happy drumming

Filth Is Eternal - Crawl Space (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by FilthIsEternalVEVO

youtu.be

1 13

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 12d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 3

"Crash" Juçara Marçal (2021) (Brazil)

NKC: ✅️ solo career is ISC ✅️

Marçal is spitting fire like J Noa in Day 1 except in more of a dancehall cadence. (The whole song is dancehall-ish but arty & abrasive.)

I have no hope of being this cool in my 60s

Juçara Marçal - Crash

YouTube video by ybmusic

youtu.be

1 17

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 13d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 2

"Camisole" Vaudou Game (2021)
ISC/NKC ✅️

This is one of 2* tracks I'll post by garage rocking Frenchmen & a charismatic African singer (in this case Peter Solo from Togo). The drum/cowbell groove is tight in both senses of the word

*Hint: the 2nd one has already been mentioned

Camisole

YouTube video by Vaudou Game - Topic

youtu.be

1 1 16

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 14d

The EP this is on (Autodidacta) is pretty good!

1

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 14d

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 1

"Qué Fue?" J Noa (2023)

I couldn't decide what to start with, but why not some Dominican rap that sounds like hype music for a boxer strutting out onto the ring

J Noa - Qué Fue? (Official Video)

YouTube video by JNoaVEVO

youtu.be

3 3 25

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 17d

Ah damn, I didn't clock "Party at Ground Zero" as '85 otherwise I would've nominated it

1 2

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 17d

It has one of my all time favorite music videos too!

1 1 2

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 17d

Main:
Midnight Star - No Parking (On the Dance Floor) (1983)

Bonus pool:
Ray Parker Jr. - I Still Can't Get Over Loving You (1983)

Joan Armatrading - Drop the Pilot (1983)

Kool & the Gang - Misled (1984)

1 12

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 18d

And he looked weak & scared & foolish

1

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 22d

Been wondering if there will be a split between "have mercy, woke warped the good MAGA boy's fragile little mind" & these "death penalty yesterday" guys but probably not. Maybe that's for the best, I can imagine a terrible timeline where the killer ostentatiously re-finds Jesus to save his own ass

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · 25d

Love this skit; I knew This Guy in college (a friend of a friend.) We were chatting at a party & he was impressed I knew Doors deep cuts. At point he poured us both a shot of Bushmills & said very earnestly, "This was Morrison's drink"

1 1 6

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · Aug 25

Definitely Crossing the Red Sea. One of my favorite albums & by far their best

2

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · Aug 25

#ALL50RTS Day 50

"The End" The Doors (from their self titled debut, 1967)

This is The End, beautiful friend(s)

The End

YouTube video by The Doors - Topic

youtu.be

38

Helene Hoffman @helenehoffman.bsky.social · Aug 24

#ALL50RTS Day 49

"I Am a Poseur" X Ray Spex (from Germ Free Adolescents, 1978)

I Am a Poseur

YouTube video by X-Ray Spex - Topic

youtu.be

14