New Music From Farah, Jason Eady, Dakota Prescott, Koolquise, G.U.N., Northern National, RENTSEEKER, Rania Khoury, Unity-TX, Misdemeanor and Signals & Alibis.

Welcome to Songs of the Week, where we hip you to all the new local releases you should be caring about. By putting them all together here in one place, our hope is that you can spend less time searching for relevant new releases and more time giving each one of these jams the proper shine they so deserve. OK? OK.

Farah — The Only Ones.
RIYL: Surprise returns.
What else you should know: This surprise EP from the long-silent Farah was produced and mixed by longtime collaborator and Glass Candy/Chromatics member Johnny Jewel, who also made the cover art and released the thing on his Italians Do It Better label. Jewel says the 12-inch release is a teaser for Farah’s long-awaited Intro Eternity LP. — Cory Graves

Jason Eady — s/t.
RIYL: Back-porch picking parties.
What else you should know: The traditionalist Texas troubadour released his self-titled sixth LP today. It’s a low-key, live-sounding record that Rolling Stone summed up best, describing it as “more reminiscent of a back-porch picking party that a downtown honky-tonk show.” Speaking of honky-tonk shows, longtime fans will immediately recognize “Waiting to Shine,” a song Eady’s been singing live for the past decade, and which first appeared on 2007’s Wild Eyed Serenade. — CG

Dakota Prescott — B.C.E.
RIYL: Watching back-ups become starters.
What else you should know: Electronic musician Rodrigo Diaz may hav decamped from Dallas to move to New York and later settle in Bogota, but the artist most prominently known as Ynfynyt Scroll and as the leader of the Track Meet DJ and producer collective clearly still keeps close tabs on his hometome. Case in point, he’s named his new side project Dakota Prescott, paying homage to the man who dethroned Tony Romo as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Sonically, this four-song collection takes things in a far more world and house direction than heard on Diaz’s earlier material, which was heavily influenced by the Jersey Club sound. It still suits his tropical, dancefloor-ready sensibilities, though. — Pete Freedman

Koolquise – “Pulp Fiction.”
RIYL: Not looking like a bitch.
What else you should know: Do you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France? Hmm, me neither. But I do know that Koolquise is one of those names I’m going to remember ASAP before he lays his vengeance upon me. And as far as this song goes – the first half, anyway, before all the Pulp Fiction quotes come in – it’d make a great theme song if ever Netflix decided to base a miniseries of said Tarantino classic. — CG

G.U.N. – Gun
RIYL: Using caution.
What else you should know: Dallas rapper G.U.N. has been making waves for himself around town for the better part of three years now, and earning props outside of the market too thanks to collaborations with Atlanta rapper OG Maco. This new release seems to focus on putting the spotlight squarely back on the trap rapper’s own shoulders, though, as it’s mostly a solo project, with features on just two of the seven tracks. That’s a smart play: G.U.N.’s long had promise — and his 2015 song “Johnny Cage” still bumps — but he could stand to refine his own identity some in order to stand out from the pack. Here, he appears to be beginning to carve out his own lane. — PF

Northern National – “MoneyBlind.”
RIYL: Coming together, right now.
What else you should know: The pop rockers have been getting a bit of national attention of late — more so, probably, than here in their own backyard. Or so they recently told the Observer, anyway. In that same piece, they also said that this new “MoneyBlind” single is the first they’ve written all together. It really shows. It’s as infectiously poppy as anything we’ve yet heard from this group, but with a more live feel. I reckon it’ll immediately become one of the stand-out numbers in their set. You can find out Sunday, when they open for Paul McCartney’s kid at The Prophet Bar. — CG

RENTSEEKER — Tronald Dump.
RIYL: Sticking it to the man.
What else you should know: While it may not dethrone Thin Skin’s election-night jam as our favorite Fuck POTUS anthem, any song about how terrible senor Tiny Hands is makes us feel marginally better. — CG

Rania Khoury — Upside Down.
RIYL: Becky Middleton.
What else you should know: The Stonewolf is back with a new EP, released digitally yesterday, and physically tomorrow as part of a show at The Prophet Bar. As we mentioned in an earlier column, the songwriting and arrangements are quite a bit less quirky than on her debut effort, and for the better. The soulful pop prowess on display here make cuts like “Love Me Like You Do” my jam. — CG

Unity-TX — “Mothasucka”
RIYL: A cheap fuck for you to lay.
What else you should know: I know some of you don’t want to hear this, but it’s true. Nu metal is making a comeback here in North Texas. Last week, we shared with you a cut from Band Nerds, who combine rap and rock in a manner not really seen since the late ’90s and early ’00s. And this week we’re doing it again with Unity-TX, who seem to be gaining steam in the wake of a strong showing at this year’s So What?! Music Festival. Hey, these things come in cycles, right? The only question you need to be asking yourself right now is pretty simple, actually: Are you ready? — PF

Misdemeanor – “Give it Time” (feat. Becky Middleton).
RIYL: Committing non-indictable offenses.
What else you should know: Speaking of Middleton, she can be heard on this cut, too — the debut single from 21-year-old Dallas rapper Killian Womack, aka Misdemeanor. You can hear the rest of his jazzy, piano-driven hip-hop album here. — CG

Signals & Alibis – “Whistleblower” (DJ Culturegang’s Room 237 Remix).
RIYL: Coming and playing with us forever and ever and ever.
What else you should know: The Fort Worth electro pop duo put out the original version of this single last summer. Sounds like they’re in the process of going about tapping producers to remix each of the tracks off the EP from whence it came. This first one comes from DJ Culturegang, who’ll be spinning at Good Records’ anniversary party/Record Store Day celebration tomorrow. — CG

Cover photo via Northern National.

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