Saturday, May 26, 2018

New Music Friday - March 23, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases



Alice Bag - Blueprint

Bag is a titan of the punk scene, sitting at the forefront of the riot grrl movement. She founded Bags in 1977, and was involved with a number of bands over the following decades. She released her first solo record, Alice Bag, in 2016.

Watch: "77"
Watch: "Se Cree Joven"




Courtney Marie Andrews - May Your Kindness Remain

Andrews cites Aretha Franklin as the figure who helped her teach herself to sing, though she does not cite the legendary performer or her contemporaries as influences. Her style combines folk and country, with a throwback feel to the 70s. There's a bit of soul and gospel thrown in there, too.

Watch: "Kindness of Strangers"
Listen: "I’ve Hurt Worse"




Erika Wennerstrom - Sweet Unknown

Erika Wennerstrom is the frontwoman for Heartless Bastards. The band is still together, but she is breaking out with a solo career for the first time in the band's 15-year span. We had the chance to see her perform when she returned home (the band is from Cincinnati) for a show. She was amazing and super nice; I am excited for this first solo outing!

Watch: "Extraordinary Love"
Watch: "Twisted Highway"




The Messthetics - The Messthetics

Fugazi were a post-hardcore band out of DC who were one of the earliest proponents of the DIY sound. They've been on hiatus since 2003, but two members, Brendan Canty and Joe Lally, have now formed this new band. This is the first project for both since their other band's hiatus and they are currently touring behind this debut album.

Listen: "Quantum Path"
Listen: "Serpent Tongue"


Other Full-Length Releases



Bonny Doon - Longwave

Watch: "Long Wave"
Listen: "I Am Here (I Am Alive)"


Cavern of Anti-Matter - Hormone Lemonade

Watch: "Phase Modulation Shuffle"
Watch: "Make Out, Fade Out"


George Ezra - Staying at Tamara’s

Watch: "Saviour" (featuring First Aid Kit)
Watch: "Paradise"


Guided By Voices - Space Gun

Watch: "Space Gun"
Listen: "Flight Advantage"


Jack White - Boarding House Reach

Watch: "Connected By Love"
Watch: "Over and Over and Over"


Field Report - Summertime Songs

Listen: "Never Look Back"
Listen: "Summertime"


Preoccupations - New Material

Watch: "Disarray"
Watch: "Antidote"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.



Band of Horses - Cease to Begin Reissue

Watch: "No One’s Gonna Love You"
Watch: "Is There a Ghost"


Ben Frost - All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated

Watch: "All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated"
Listen: "Self-Portrait in Aquamarine"


Bob Dylan - Folksinger’s Choice Radio Broadcast

Listen: "Death of Emmett Till"
Listen: "Lonesome Whistle Blues"


Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention - Live…San Francisco




Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won Remastered

Listen: "Immigrant Song" (Live)
Listen: "Whole Lotta Love " (Live)


Mark Pritchard - The Four Worlds

Watch: "Come Get Us" (featuring Gregory Whitehead)
Watch: "Glasspops"


Miles Davis & John Coltrane - The Final Tour




Tom Waits - Blue Valentine Reissue

Listen: "Red Shoes By the Drugstore"
Listen: "Blue Valentines"


Tom Waits - Closing Time Reissue

Listen: "Closing Time"
Listen: "Lonely"


Tom Waits - Foreign Affairs Reissue

Listen: "Foreign Affair"
Listen: "Barber Shop"


Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night Reissue

Listen: "(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night"
Listen: "New Coat of Paint"


Tom Waits - Heartattack and Vine Reissue

Listen: "Heartattack and Vine"
Listen: "Jersey Girl"


Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner Reissue

Listen: "Eggs and Sausage"
Listen: "Better Off without a Wife"


Tom Waits - Small Change Reissue

Listen: "Small Change (Got Rained on with His Own .38)"
Listen: "The Piano Has Been Drinking"

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending May 19, 2018)

By now, we've all heard the slightly-surreal news that art pop musician Grimes is dating billionaire Elon Musk. I have no particular opinion on them together, other than considering it to be an odd union, but I do hope that they treat each other well. We'll have to see how this impacts Grimes' music, she has been working on a follow-up to 2015's Art Angels. If anything is announced, be sure to check it out on my Upcoming Releases page!

Recently, Dirty Projectors announced their latest album, Lamp Lit Prose!

stereogum.com

The band released their last album, Dirty Projectors, just last year. The album followed one of the more major turn-overs for the band, with both Angel Deradoorian and Amber Coffman departing after 2012. The album felt like a return to the more solo-focused sound of the band's early work and focused on frontman David Longstreth's break-up with Coffman.

The departed band members have not returned here, but Longstreth has seemingly replaced them with a number of collaborators. D∆WN was the sole feature on the last record; this one brings in Amber Mark, Syd, and Empress Of, along with a few others!



Lamp Lit Prose is set for release on July 13 (I've already pre-ordered it)!

Also announced recently:

Alex Zhang Hungtai - Divine Weight (June 29)
Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge - The Midnight Hour (June 8)
Anderson .Paak - “Bubblin” (out now)
Braids - “Collarbones”/“Burdock & Dandelion” (out now)
Christine and the Queens - “Girlfriend” (out now)
Cornelia Murr - Lake Tear of the Clouds (July 13)
Devon Welsh - “I’ll Be Your Ladder” (out now)
DJDS - Big Wave More Fire (out now)
Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat Vinyl Reissue (May 18)
Florence + the Machine - High As Hope (June 29)
Fucked Up - High Rise 7” (June 15)
The Internet - Hive Mind (July 20)
Jenn Champion - “O.M.G. (I’m All Over It)” (out now)
Justice - Woman Worldwide (August 24)
Lil Baby & Drake - “Yes Indeed” (out now)
Mitski - Be the Cowboy (August 17)
MOURN - Sorpresa Familia (June 15)
Mass Gothic - “Dark Window” (out now)
Protomartyr - Consolation E.P. (June 15)
Ray Davies - Our Country: Americana Act II (June 29)
Richard Edwards - Verdugo (June 1)
Skepta - “Pure Water” (out now)
tunng - Songs You Make at Night (August 24)
Ty Dolla $ign - “Clout” (out now)
Ty Segall & White Fence - Joy (July 20)

Sunday, May 6, 2018

New Music Friday - March 16, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases



Bishop Nehru - Elevators: Act I & II

Bishop Nehru is young, born in 1996, but has been active for half a decade. He released his first album at 16; Elevators is his sixth solo release. On it, he reconnects with a past collaborator, MF DOOM, with whom he's performed as NehruvianDOOM, and partners with producer Kaytranada for the first time.

Watch: "Rooftops"
Listen: "No Idea"




The Decemberists - I’ll Be Your Girl

No, The Decemberists' line-up has not changed and it is frontman Colin Meloy singing "I'll Be Your Girl". The latest record from The Decemberists is intentionally absurd, facing the current political state with a strange sort of humor. The album also sees the band moving away a bit from the epic folk rock they've become known for and introducing a bit a synth pop. It's an interesting combination...

Watch: "Severed"
Listen: "Once in My Life"




JB Dunckel - H+

JB Dunckel is best known as one-half of Air. Both members have struck out with solo work in recent years, though Dunckel was the first to do so in 2006, releasing an album under the name Darkel. H+ is his first album under his (mostly, considering the initialization) given name. It follows his partner Nicolas Godin's 2015 solo debut, Contrepoint. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since we last heard from Air, let's hope they rejoin forces soon!

Watch: "Love Machine"
Watch: "Hold On"




Yo La Tengo - There’s a Riot Going On

The title of Yo La Tengo's 15th album is a nod towards a Sly & The Family Stone album of a similar name. In a way, it is the band's reaction to the current state of things, and like The Decemberists, they have chosen not to react with abject horror or despair. Instead, they employ the chilled-out, hushed sound they've become known for, with very calming results.

Listen: "For You Too"


Other Full-Length Releases



Dungen / Woods - Myths 003

Listen: "Loop"
Listen: "Turn Around"


The Fratellis - In Your Own Sweet Time

Watch: "Stand Up Tragedy"
Watch: "Starcrossed Lovers"


Mount Eerie - Now Only

Listen: "Distortion"
Listen: "Tintin in Tibet"


PRhyme - PRhyme 2

Watch: "Era" (featuring Dave East)
Listen: "Flirt" (featuring 2 Chainz)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.



Alanis Morissette - Flavors of Entanglement Vinyl Reissue

Watch: "Underneath"
Watch: "Not as We"


Andrew Lloyd Webber - Unmasked: The Ultimate Collection

Watch: Sarah Brightman & Paul Miles-Kingston - "Pie Jesu"
Listen: Lana Del Rey - "You Must Love Me"


Cocteau Twins - Head Over Heels Reissue

Listen: "When Mama Was Moth"
Listen: "In the Gold Dust Rush"


Cocteau Twins - Treasure Reissue

Listen: "Pandora"
Listen: "Ivo"


Lady Bird: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Watch: HAIM - "Little of Your Love"
Listen: John Cale - "Days of Steam"


Love, Simon: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Watch: Bleachers - "Alfie’s Song (Not So Typical Love Song)"
Listen: Walk the Moon - "Surrender"


Roxy Music - Roxy Music Vinyl Reissue

Listen: "Remake/Remodel"
Listen: "Ladytron"


Thundercat - Drank Purple

Listen: "Drink Dat" (featuring OG Ron & The Chopstars)
Listen: "Jethro" (featuring DJ Slopped Up)


Sorority Noise - YNAAYT

Listen: "No Halo"
Listen: "Chelsea Hotel No. 2"