The Best and Worst Singles of the Week — From Boosie to Screaming Females

Billboard Staff
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Tove Styrke
“Borderline”
RCA/Sony Sweden

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Can two Swedish singers named Tove cross over with confessional jams in the same year? New RCA signee Tove Styrke would love to match the success of Tove Lo’s “Habits (Stay High)” with the slithering “Borderline,” but her colorless lyrics — “I’m borderline happy and I’m borderline sad” — sink the snappy dancehall production. –Jason Lipshutz

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Screaming Females
“Ripe”
Don Giovanni

Screaming Females graduated from being a buzz band long ago: The trio is arleady prepping its sixth studio LP, and frontwoman Marissa Paternoster exhibits the muscular cry of a seasoned pro. Unfortunately, the vocal force of “Ripe” doesn’t make up for the unpleasant drill-sergeant melody on the hook. –Kristen Yoonsoo Kim

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Fickle Friends
“For You”
Crazy Heart

After its debut single, “Swim,” this Brighton, England, group has another indie-pop-rock pleasure, “For You,” which finds singer Natti Shiner once again wrapping her melancholy graceful melodies. The hook is immediate, but the minute details — backing male vocals on the pre-chorus, a breath-catching pause — are just as arresting. –Jason Lipshutz

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Boosie Featuring Webbie
“On That Level”
Atlantic

The first street single from Boosie’s upcoming post-prison LP is a mirror for the man: slightly menacing, goofy and hard to resist. The club track gets its heft from the methodical delivery of Louisiana’s most divisive character, his voice pitched slightly deeper — and his words wiser — compared with his early years. –Dan Hyman


This article originally appeared in the Nov. 29 issue of Billboard.

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