Songs of the week: New tracks from Warpaint, Kings of Leon and Greg Johnson

By Warpaint

The opening drums set a lighter tone in Warpaint’s new single, Common Blue, before the indie rock band’s lead singer Emily Kokal brings a darker inflection seconds later with her deep, moody voice. The harmonies in the hook are higher though, and a fun Jungle-esque falsetto moment matches the quartet’s vibe perfectly with its contrast. It’s a layered, well-crafted production piece that leaves you wanting to listen again to see if you can catch something you missed the first time. - Alana Rae

By Greg Johnson

A dreamy pop-song-as-landscape as painted by Los Angeles-based, Auckland-raised singer-songwriter Greg Johnson in shades of black and white ivory, trumpet brass and nylon guitar. It’s the lead single from his 13th – yes 13th – studio album out this weekend. He’s home to tour next month. – Russell Baillie

By the Black Keys

This cover of 84-year-old William Bell’s beautiful, regret-filled 1960s ballad is given a sensitive 1970s psychedelic twist by the Black Keys, who get under the skin of this kind of sophisticated soul music. This follows their Beautiful People (Stay High), a Sly Stone-influenced/Happy Mondays-like dance-soul single in advance of their new album, Ohio Players, due April. Should be a good ‘un on this evidence. – Graham Reid

By Kings of Leon

“Are you a mustang or a kitty?” What are you all about?” Once again, Kings of Leon, the band of bros and a cuz whose previous album was released as a non-fungible token (remember those?), are asking the big questions. There will be more of those, no doubt, on the question-mark-challenged forthcoming album Can We Please Have Fun. – Russell Bailie

by Ride

This influential Britpop band arrived between the Stone Roses’ classic debut and Oasis’s Definitely Maybe, but after two fine albums couldn’t sustain the momentum of their wide-screen shoegaze rock. But interesting post-Ride individual careers (in Oasis, Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye, etc) meant the members remained in the game, inevitable reunions happened, new albums arrived and they’ve been a going concern this past decade. They return with this archetypal blend of heroic melody, cinematic guitars and Joy Division-like monotone as a solid announcement for the new album Interplay, due late March. - Graham Reid