ROCK
QUEENS OF THE
STONE AGE
“My God Is the Sun” (3:39)
Producers: Joshua Homme, Queens of the Stone Age
Writers: Queens of the Stone Age
Publishers: various
Matador Records
Josh Homme and his dust-spewing rock cronies power back with the first single off “…Like Clockwork,” QOTSA’s first album in six years. “My God Is the Sun” is an appropriately gnarly, 4/4 monster, recalling their hardest-hitting early material. As Homme gazes in awe at the sun’s omnipresent embrace, rock die-hards have ample time to hail the Queens’ revival. -Dan Hyman
POP
SELENA GOMEZ
“Come & Get It” (3:52)
Producer: Stargate
Writers: Ester Dean, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen
Publishers: various
Hollywood Records
“This love will be the death of me,” Gomez croons on her new single, “but I know I’ll die happily.” That’s a heavy assertion for a 20-year-old, but the rest of the cut remains light on its feet, with Stargate’s revved-up pop structure housing Gomez’s string of come-ons. The songwriting’s a bit loose, but Gomez strikes her best Rihanna pose in advance of a presumably more mature album. -JL
POP
PSY
“Gentleman” (3:15)
Producer: PSY
Writers: Park Jae-Sang, Yoo Gun-Hyung
Publishers: various
Silent/School Boy/Republic
Powerful melodies, shouting choruses and a now-familiar dance break give PSY’s follow-up to “Gangnam Style” everything a listener would expect from the K-pop phenom. Ironically, “Gentleman” is just the opposite of its title: With lyrics that translate to “Damn girl, you’re so freaking sexy,” PSY again plays the salacious prankster while goading U.S. audiences to get on their feet. -WG
COUNTRY
AMBER HAYES
“Any Day Is a Good Day” (3:42)
Producer: Paul Compton
Writers: Amber Hayes, Bill DiLuigi, JP Williams
Publishers: various
A-OK Entertainment/GMV Nashville
Country hotshot Hayes is full of wide-eyed optimism on her latest single, which may prove to be her breakout. “May not ever make a million, that don’t worry me a bit,” the Oklahoma native shrugs contently over comforting guitar strums and no-frills production. Musically, Hayes could afford to take a few more chances, but she offers a sunny-enough reminder to not sweat the small stuff. -JM
ELECTRONIC
GOLD PANDA
“Brazil” (5:47)
Producer: Gold Panda
Writer: Gold Panda
Publishers: Wichita Songs/Domino Publishing
Notown/Ghostly International
“Brazil” is the type of elongated yet wholly kinetic single that European electronic contemporaries like Four Tet and Lindstrom have become so consistent at producing. U.K. knob-twiddler Gold Panda bottled lightning before with 2010’s “You,” and while “Brazil” similarly snips its vocal sample, the track arrives with a different veneer, relying upon a more patient structure and more complexly chattering beats. -JL