Adam Barnett's brand-new single, "Rawdogging the Stock Market," is a perfect model of the bold, satirical pop movement. Barnett combines the hooky appeal of indie-pop with the intensity of alt-pop and the darker textures of dark pop to create an aggressive track that serves as a caustic statement on financial culture. It's playful, intelligent, and alive, but beneath the beat lies a stinging critique of hedge funds, short selling, and a system set up to see the demise of startups.
There's a lively energy to the track, and it is effervescent and a little bit saucy, enticing you to dance and use your brain at the same time. It's a rare feat for Barnett to successfully incorporate social commentary into the enjoyable nature that makes pop music interesting. The charm of "Rawdogging the Stock Market" is its self-awareness. Barnett narrates the dysfunction with humor, charisma, and an appreciation for the surrealism of the system.
It fits in great on playlists that focus on good songwriting and tough creativity. The audacity of this track is evident in how it makes a dense topic palatable to those seeking an accessible pop tune, while maintaining both hints of memorability and musical value. Adam Barnett serves up an enjoyable and intelligent piece of writing in "Rawdogging the Stock Market." It's also brave, ambitious, and helter-skelter, constructed, proving that pop can be simultaneously courageous and clever too.