By Cait Brennan, July 2015 Issue.
Shamir
Ratchet
XL Recordings | 
A handful of months ago, 20-year-old Shamir Bailey was working at a Ross Dress For Less in Las Vegas and dreaming of sharing his music with the world. A chance email with Godmode Records’ Nick Sylvester changed everything, and now Shamir’s one of the brightest breakout stars of 2015, with a boundary-breaking debut that’s a clarion call for outsiders everywhere.
Shamir’s voice is like ear candy, silky and alluring, living somewhere between dreamy teenage girl and world-weary diva. His lyrics are confessional, bold, hilarious and refreshingly sincere.
“I never felt ‘latched’ to a gender,” Shamir told NPR, and that feeling infuses everything Shamir does. There are no binaries here, no easy categories, just the amazingly joyous sound of a person embracing absolute creative freedom to be themselves. Ratchet is an intoxicating mix: classic ‘90s house-inspired riffs, suburban Vegas glamour damage, cutting-edge 21st century electronica.
“Life’s no answer, it’s just one big guess,” Shamir sings on “Make A Scene,” an anthem for breaking out of the boxes life puts you in. The take no prisoners “Hot Mess” drops Shamir’s voice into a down-and-dirty baritone on the intro before effortlessly soaring into diva range.
Shamir primarily sings, but he can rap, too; the genius jam “On The Regular” is a showcase for Shamir’s gorgeous flow as well as a declaration of intent. “You can’t contain the truth,” Shamir sings on the beautiful ballad “Darker” and “Head In The Clouds” is a whirling, dizzying dance floor gem.
The joyous synthfunk bassline of “Call It Off” will have you kicking that not-so-special someone to the curb. The song’s not-to-be-missed video transforms Shamir into a puppet, and includes a bonus hotline where you can call Shamir for “free, round the clock” relationship advice (for real!) at 1-844-4-SHAMIR.
Shamir is a bright, bold talent that nothing can contain.
Paul Weller
Saturn’s Pattern
Warner Bros. | 
From his early days reinventing post-punk pop with his legendary band The Jam to his sultry ‘80s techno-soul with the Style Council to his illustrious solo career, Paul Weller has been at the forefront of rock for as long as we can remember.
“The Modfather” is a national treasure in the United Kingdom, but in America he never became a household name. His latest, Saturn’s Pattern, is a bold, defiant, ageless blast of rock and soul energy that puts most of his better-known hall-of-fame peers to shame.
Weller comes bursting out of the gate with the opening scorcher “White Sky,” demonstrating his blues-rock chops haven’t flagged one whit, with a Zeppelin stomp and a Jack White distortion vocal before a thundering chorus that could only be Weller. The psych-fueled title track is rich with Farfisa organ sounds and seductive harmonies.
Few artists sound this vital on their first solo album – this is Weller’s 12th. The beautiful ballad “Going My Way” recalls both Weller’s Jam classic “English Rose” as well as the upbeat, glossy soul of his Style Council days, while “Where I Should Be” is a heartfelt statement of purpose: he’s not done yet, not by a long shot.
“Long Time” marries a Jesus and Mary Chain wall of guitars with a staccato vocal and a better-than-Britpop wail. The moody, magnificent “These City Streets” ends the set with a brisk eight-minutes-thirty of Weller at his best. If you’ve never met the man, now’s the time: Saturn’s Pattern is the latest demonstration of Paul Weller’s enduring brilliance.