“KCSU’s Weekly Gems Countdown” is written by the KCSU Music Directors and describes the top artists that your local 90.5 FM DJs are playing this week! This article is posted weekly on Sundays and discussed on their show “KCSU Weekly Gem Countdown” which airs every Monday from 11-noon. During the show, you can learn more about each musician or band before tuning in to the top 10 countdowns on Monday from 11-noon, in which the music directors present to you the latest songs topping the charts and breaking down each song’s sound and feel.”

*=Brand new to the charts!

 1.The 1975 – Alt/Indie – (15 spins of “About You” off of the 2022 album, “Being Funny in a Foreign Language”) This is the 1975’s second spot on the charts, and it’s the number one spot this week! “About You” has blown up over night, being the last single the band released and a fan favorite – I mean, it’s all over TikTok. It features a duet with Carly Holt, the wife of The 1975’s lead guitarist Adam Hann. Prior to its release, Pitchfork described the song as “moody,” comparing Healy’s vocals to Morrissey.

2. Blood Orange – R&B – (13 spins “Jesus Freak Lighter” off of the 2022 EP “Four Songs”) Raised in England, Blood Orange, also known as Dev Hynes, is a rising R&B singer, producer, and songwriter. According to the New York Times, “the list of stars Hynes has produced and written songs with — Solange Knowles, Kylie Minogue, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mariah Carey — might lead you to expect a maker of slick and splashy hits, churning out bangers destined for a mall near you. But Hynes’s work, even with the shiniest of stars, is something else entirely: It has a tender, gauzy feel, a new-wave R.&B. sensibility more suited for bedrooms than big stages.”

“Jesus Freak Lighter” was the first single off of Hynes’ newest EP and starts off with 10 seconds of static that remixes into a drumming R&B. Pitchfork explains that, “instead of poetic storytelling, there is vague emotional turmoil: “Falling, falling, got carried away, living in my head for the fantasy,” Hynes sings delicately, his voice layered in reverb. At about two and a half minutes, the track is short and hazy. A sweet, beguiling taste of what is to come.

3.  JID – Hip Hop/Rap – (10 spins of “Surround Sound (ft. 21 Savage and Baby Tate)” off of the 2022 album “The Forever Story”) JID, a name adopted from what his grandmother called him as a jittery child, is making a name for himself in the rap scene. Growing up, JID’s first connection with music was through his parents’ collection of classic funk and soul LPs. In 2012, he dropped out of college to pursue music as a career. After working for 5 years and dropping projects, JID signed to J.Cole’s record label, which has boosted his career tremendously.

“Surround Sound (ft. 21 Savage and Baby Tate)” was the first collaboration between the three artists and the first single for JID’s album “The Forever Story.” The song uses a sample of “One Step Ahead” by Aretha Franklin and has a catchy chorus and hook that is sure to get stuck in your head.

4. DOMi & JD BECK – R&B – (10 spins of “Take a Chance” ft. Anderson .Paak off of the 2022 album “NOT TiGHT”) DOMi & JD BECK “are an instrumental keyboard and drum duo known for their hyperactive, future-shock blend of progressive jazz, hip-hop, and R&B,” according to their Spotify. After posting videos online, they caught the attention of Thundercat, J.Cole and Anderson .Paak, which they later soon signed to .Paak’s record label, APESHIT INC.

“Take a Chance” was the lead single of the duo’s debut album, “NOT TiGHT,” featuring the one and only Anderson .Paak. The song describes how even though a person has done bad tings in the past, they have changed and want their actions to show that – all you need to do is “take a chance on me.”

5. Cece Coakley – Alt/Indie – (9 spins of “Listerine” off of the 2022 EP “Tender Kid”) Cece Coakley, the self titled “hummus queen of Tennessee,” is an up-and-coming alternative country singer. As grlsplain blogger Rrita Hashani explains, “Coakley’s songwriting shines in both, but it’s her vocals that rise above. Reminiscent of thee Olivia Rodrigo, the listener can’t help but belt or scream along, attempting to match her range.”

“Listerine” is one of the lead singles off of her debut EP “Tender Kid.” The song describes not being able to get rid of someone you have left behind, and even though you know its for the better, you can’t seem to forget about them.

6. Fleetwood Mac – Rock – (8 spins of “Rhiannon” off of the 1977 album “Rumors”) Fleetwood Mac is one of the most notorious bands from the 1970’s – helping define the rock genre during that era. The original members of Fleetwood Mac included Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Peter Green, and Jeremy Spencer. Later members included Danny Kirwan, Christine McVie, Bob Welch, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

“Rhiannon” is considered as Stevie Nicks’ signature song. According to Genius, it is “one of the many classic hits produced by the group in the mid ‘70s, constantly voted as one of the top all time 500. Based on the story of a legendary old Welsh witch.”

7.  flipturn – Alt/Indie – (8 spins of “Space Cowboy” off of the 2022 album “Shadowglow”) The band flipturn explain that they “make indie music for endless summers, sun-streaked days, and introspective nights.” The band consists of Dillon Basse on lead vocals, Tristan Duncan on lead guitar, Madeline Jarman on bass, Mitch Fountain on synth and Devon VonBalson on drums.

“Space Cowboy” was the band’s final single before they released their debut album, “Shadowglow.” “When we were writing this song in Arizona on our first writing trip for the record, we kept talking about how it felt like it was somebody getting lost in space,” explained guitarist Tristan Duncan. “It’s very much a tumultuous experience of said space traveler being ripped away from civilization and life as they knew it; being thrust into the cold clutches of space and their own thoughts. We were also loosely inspired by Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop and the overarching romanticism of loneliness and aching for something more.”

8. *The 1975 – Alt/Indie – (7 spins of “I’m in Love With You” off of the 2022 album, “Being Funny in a Foreign Language”) The 1975 are a British band from Manchester, England consisting of four members – Ross MacDonald, Adam Hann, Matty Healy and George Daniel. The members of the band met during high school and started playing together in 2002. They went by an array of different names throughout their career, such as Drive Like I Do and Bigsleep, until settling on “The 1975.” The name, “The 1975,” was inspired by a Jack Kerouac poetry book that had “1 June, The 1975” written on the back. During the early days of the band, they would perform punk covers in local clubs until they started to write music themselves.

“I’m in Love With You” is a classic 1975 pop track about love.

9. MUNA – Alt/Indie – (7 spins of “Anything But Me” off of the 2022 album “MUNA”) MUNA is an all female trio that includes lead singer/songwriter Katie Gavin, guitarist/producer Naomi McPherson and guitarist Josette Maskin. The trio was signed by Phoebe Bridger’s record label Saddest Factory Records, to release their debut album “About Me.”

“Anything But Me” was the second lead single off of the trios self titled album “MUNA.” According to Genius, the song describes a story that “sees them hope their ex-lover gets everything, hope they do in fact change, but refuse to stick around just on that hope.”

10. Renata Zeiguer – Alt/Indie – (6 spins of “Sunset Boulevard” off of the 2022 album “Picnic in the Dark”) Zeiguer creates a “sonic dreamworld infused with magical realism that tells an extremely personal narrative” in her album, according to Spotify. She explains that the album is integrating her child-self into her adult life with immense compassion and enlightenment. It is not only an album of exploration but one of transformation, healing and self-actualization, all told through a courageous journey towards that extremely uncomfortable yet fertile liminal space between familiarity and uncertainty.

As described by Stereogum, Sunset Boulevard is shimmering but shadowy, channeling a certain era of haunting old theatrics as Zeiguer’s voice stays high and airy.

Top 3 Adds this week (we look forward to these charting!)

1. 1. “Myself in the Way” by Turnover
   2. “Another Change EP” by *more
   3.  “A Love Letter to the Moons of Mars” by Mauvey

The music directors can be reached at music@kcsufm.com