Oh, buddy: Sam Smith, “Diamonds” – Sam Smith’s best moment, for me, is their guest spot on Disclosure’s “Latch,” a song with a chorus so catchy that I still scream-sing it around the house, even though I do not have the range. This newest effort from Smith is less so; I admire the temerity it takes to do a dance-forward video when you might not be the best dancer. There’s an almost-endearing quality to this choreo, as if Smith made it up themself while bopping around to a song that one might hear in a Lyft, and that is the most generous thing I can say. Otherwise, this is merely fine, and I was focused primarily on the house—those curtains! the light!—and not the song, sorry to them. —Megan Reynolds
Sure: CL, “+POST UP+” – The long awaited return of CL, formerly of the K-pop girl group 2NE1, is here. “+POST UP+” is a ferocious declaration of a comeback, the rapper spitting, “Bet you ain’t ever seen a badass Asian like me/I go by the name of—you already know,” with the implication that she requires no introduction. And while I’d like to believe that’s true, K-pop is firmly in a new generation, and younger listeners would benefit from her education. Nevertheless, this new era of CL appears energetic, and I’m excited to hear more—whatever comes after the introduction is the show, and I’m already on board. —Maria Sherman
Sure: CL, “+POST UP+” – The long awaited return of CL, formerly of the K-pop girl group 2NE1, is here. “+POST UP+” is a ferocious declaration of a comeback, the rapper spitting, “Bet you ain’t ever seen a badass Asian like me/I go by the name of—you already know,” with the implication that she requires no introduction. And while I’d like to believe that’s true, K-pop is firmly in a new generation, and younger listeners would benefit from her education. Nevertheless, this new era of CL appears energetic, and I’m excited to hear more—whatever comes after the introduction is the show, and I’m already on board. —Maria Sherman