Russ’ Recs
Record reviews and musical musings.
Angel Olsen
All Mirrors
Jagjaguwar 2019
The 2010s have been ruled by Angel Olsen. Olsen has released four studio albums this decade, each one great—each one better than the last. Starting with folk and rock albums, Olsen transformed into the lush pop sounds of her fourth album All Mirrors. Her songwriting has remained consistently spectacular across all her work, but her continued sonic evolution is what makes All Mirrors her best album. It’s loaded with orchestral strings on nearly every track which creates an atmosphere reminiscent of 1960s pop music, yet her style is her own and sounds entirely fresh and modern. All Mirrors is what should be celebrated and played on pop radio more than a lot of music. I’d implore anyone who likes pop music to dive into Angel Olsen’s catalogue–I am certain you’ll like what you hear.
Kim Gordon
No Home Record
Matador 2019
For three decades, Kim Gordon was an integral part of legendary rock band Sonic Youth. Playing bass and singing her artsy spoken word poetry over the chaos of her band’s dueling lead dissonant guitars, Gordon established herself as an art-punk God. Now, years after the band dissolved from the fallout of her divorce with Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore, the 66-year-old Gordon delivers her first-ever solo album No Home Record. Gordon’s debut sounds nothing like anything she’s ever done. No Home Record finds the experimentalist dabbling in electronic production that creates an almost industrial sound. If you are a fan of Sonic Youth, this album won’t sound quite like that. No Home Record is, however, undeniably Kim Gordon at her best and well worth your time.
Mark Kozelek with Petra Haden
Joey Always Smiled
Caldo Verde 2019
Mark Kozelek keeps evolving. Ever since he released his 2014 album Benji with his band Sun Kil Moon, Kozelek has worked with a style of deeply-personal, confessional, journalistic songwriting that oftentimes features extremely unconventional song structures. His new album with Petra Haden finds the middle-aged songwriter buckling down on his style. Songs are often quite long—Joey Always Smiled opens with a 17 minute song and includes a 20 minute song later in the album as well. Listening to a Kozelek album is like listening to a musical podcast in which a grouchy man reads his diary over piano and acoustic guitar. Kozelek’s writing has gotten increasingly meta as he references his older material throughout the seven songs on Joey Always Smiled. Though arguably inaccessible, fans of Kozelek should happily be able to put the album on and get lost for an hour in an album full of great storytelling.
Catafalque
Catafalque
Trepanation Recordings 2019
You will either get Catafalque or you won’t—I don’t think there is a middle ground with this act. Catafalque is an extreme metal band that essentially plays harsh noise across 7 songs on their debut album that clocks in at almost 70 minutes. One song is over 20 minutes long. Caution: do not check out this album unless certain frequencies have been eroded from your sense of hearing. This album is sick and deafening, and I think it’s really cool. If you like drone, ambient, or anything harsh and heavy, this album may suit you well. I find it sounds best when you need to drown out obnoxious coworkers and focus on your work. When the pains of existence are worse than the pains of tinnitus, Catafalque is here for you.
Grandma’s Boys
Oakley
Self-Released 2019
Grandma’s Boys are a four-piece band from Louisville, Kentucky who employ punk guitar riffs, anthemic pop hooks, rap-rock bridges, and prog transitions all over the course of five songs on their debut EP Oakley. Though the band ties themselves to no particular genre, they sound a lot like the fun ska bands of the 90s (no horns though, think more Sublime than Mighty Mighty Bosstones). I had the pleasure of seeing the Boys decked out in full Grandma gear at a house show and it was a blast. Please listen to their song “Craft Mac,” which may or may not be a euphemism for drugs. If not, the song is literally about buying illegal macaroni and cheese from the cops. Need I say more?
Peaer
A Healthy Earth
Tiny Engines 2019
A few months ago, I reviewed the re-release of Peaer’s debut album The Eyes Sink into the Skull. If you’ve kept up with them since, you’ll know that re-release was essentially a promo to build up steam for their new and third album A Healthy Earth. Across those two albums and their 2016 self-titled sophomore release, Peaer showcase a brand of emo-adjacent indie math rock that can sound technical and dreamy, carefree and calculated. A Healthy Earth sets itself apart by being their finest and most diverse album. Peaer expand their sound and dip into pop and folk territories with their most focused songwriting yet. A Healthy Earth is a colorful entry into Peaer’s catalogue and one of the year’s coolest indie rock albums.
Lava Gulls
Glass Negative
Banana Tapes 2019
The music of Lava Gulls exists in a realm where dancing and relaxing collide, where the party is winding down, but your second wind has arrived. Glass Negative, the follow-up to 2017’s Artifacts, finds the Nashville DIY project evolving into denser, cloudier directions. The album has a steady dance beat throughout, but is curated in such a fashion to fit whatever mood you desire. Lava Gulls excels at creating a hazy, upbeat atmosphere that lends itself well to a relaxing walk, a dance party, or even drifting into dreamland on your favorite couch. Glass Negative is out on all streaming services and available on cassette through the small Nashville label Banana Tapes.
Purple Mountains
Purple Mountains
Drag City 2019
Purple Mountains is the final project by the late David Berman, releasing just a few weeks before Berman took his own life at the age of 52. I won’t lie, Purple Mountains is an incredibly sad album that practically acts as a 10-song suicide note for Berman. Sad as it may be, Purple Mountains is a masterpiece. Every song is packed to the brim with heartbreak and brilliant lyricism. There is no singular standout song, as they are all fantastic, but one line in particular haunts me. “The dead know what they’re doing when they leave this world behind / when the here and the hereafter momentarily align” Berman sings in “Nights That Won’t Happen.” Purple Mountains is the place and moment where things temporarily aligned for Berman, and he has left its beauty behind for all of us.
Y La Bamba
Mujeres
Tender Loving Empire 2019
Portland band Y La Bamba’s fifth album Mujeres is a wonderfully beautiful listen, filled with incredible melodies and lush production. The band, led by singer/songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza, does a wonderful job of incorporating traditional Mexican sounds into their densely layered psychedelic pop. Though some songs on Mujeres are stripped down and feature Mendoza evoking a folky Angel Olsen vibe, much of the album is packed with ritualistic drum circles and incantation-like chanting. The title-track “Mujeres” solely consists of percussion and vocals and is one of the absolute standouts. Mujeres is a great album and a must-listen for anyone seeking more stylistic diversity within their indie rock albums.
TelliTron
All Kidding Aside
Self-released 2019
In 1983, Tommy Ellis formed The Death Penalty with his friend Steve Carlino and released their debut album Act 1, Scene 3 their freshman year of high school. The Death Penalty, playing a style of naïve outsider rock, continued to release an album a year until high school was over. In the following years, Elliscontinued to release albums and musical projects under various names like The House of Usher, Ground Zero, Agent X, My Brother’s Time, and Belligerent Drunk.
In 2001, Ellis adopted the TelliTron moniker as a humorous nod to his robotic personality. Releasing a series of albums featuring synth and electric guitar—most notably 2011’s We Want the TelliTron and 2013’s Why the Long Face? Both albums showcase Ellis’ proficiency in the New Wave and Post Punk styles of the 1980s. Now, Ellis is back with a brand new 12-track TelliTron album: All Kidding Aside.
Though TelliTron has been synth-heavy in the past, All Kidding Aside is a solidly guitar-rock album. Opener “There’s No Possible Way” immediately hits the listener with a trancelike surf guitar riff, then continues to shift through different styles throughout the song. In fact, if there is one thing TelliTron does well, it is the ability to effortlessly switch up the dynamics and feel of a song. A great example can be found on centerpiece “All Kidding Aside Pt. 1” in which the verses conjure tranquility with its clean rhythm guitar, only to be transformed into a booming Roger Waters-like chorus.
While Ellis doesn’t site Roger Waters as a huge influence, it’s worth noting that the songs on All Kidding Aside sound a lot like Waters collaborating with the likes of Joy Division or Interpol. You can feel the rhythm section pulsing with the influence of Peter Hook and Carlos Dengler’s bass playing, while the songs shift with prog transitions. Ellis’ voice may also be what evokes the Roger Waters comparison for me, as it is nearly as theatrical with a similar timbre.
There are many highlights on All Kidding Aside, with my favorite track being “The Knife and The Temple” which features TelliTron at peak intensity. More notably though is the preceding track “Act 1, Scene 3.” I can’t say for certain if this song is a cover or a new work, but the title is clearly a nod to the 36-year-old debut album by Ellis. For those not in-the-know, Ellis is an Evansville native who has lived in the city nearly his whole life. Though TelliTron is mostly a personal affair, I’d highly recommend seeking it out—especially if you are a fan of local, DIY Evansville music or anything New Wave. All Kidding Aside is not currently available online, but I’d implore all future fans to follow TelliTron on Facebook and ask for a copy of the album (or shoot Ellis an email, which may or may not be found in the table of contents of this issue).
Show Me the Body
Dog Whistle
Loma Vista 2019
New York City’s Show Me the Body produces some of the best hardcore punk I’ve heard in years. They previously released their debut Body War in 2016 and then a hip hop collaboration project called Corpus I in 2017. Now, Show Me the Body return with their second proper album Dog Whistle.
Lyrically, Dog Whistle deals with themes of love and hate and life and death. From song to song, Show Me the Body carry the message that friends and family matter more than anything. Dog Whistle seems to come from a place of grief and healing, in which the speaker in the songs is finding comfort in the familial bonds of friends and blood brothers while dealing with their loss. That being said, the hope within the album doesn’t stop it from being a hard-hitting beast of a punk album.Dog Whistle has a certain crunch in the guitar tone and a certain snarl in the voice of frontman Julian Cashwan Pratt that just works. so. well. Show Me The Body’s sound is undeniably hardcore, but they are undeniably better than just hardcore punk.
Big Thief
U.F.O.F.
4AD 2019
I often think of trends in popular music and how they affect an album’s significance. Some albums are made with immediacy to capitalize on the latest beat or most recent craze permeating through the airwaves and popular playlists. Then an album like U.F.O.F. comes out of nowhere and defies all trends, and I remember that great music is timeless and bound by no fad.
Like their previous two albums, Big Thief’s third delivers a batch of warm folk-rock songs densely layered with singer/songwriter Adrienne Lenker’s intimate musings on people and nature. Their style isn’t anything inherently new—you can hear elements of Fleetwood Mac in songs like “UFOF” and “Cattails” or Elliot Smith in the haunting jaunt of “Strange”. Make no mistake though, Big Thief’s style is still all their own.
Every song on U.F.O.F. sounds careful and quaint. On the surface, it’s a pretty album of acoustic guitars and romantic songs, but on closer inspection every song is a masterful piece of art. Big Thief’s folk tunes are both sunshine and a calming hug. U.F.O.F should exist in an otherworldly realm, but thankfully it graces us in ours.
Empath
Active Listening: Night on Earth
Get Better Records 2019
The debut album by Philadelphia band Empath is not for the faint of heart. I am willing to bet the average reader of this review would turn the album off within the first song.Active Listening: Night on Earth is a messy half hour of chaos and noise. Quite frankly, the album sounds like it was recorded live in a living room on an iPhone. It is really cool.
You get the sense that the songs might sound better if you were there in the room with them—all those sounds cranked up loudly around you while the band jams in a practice space. On record though, that beautiful noise can cloud qualities some might be looking for in music. It might be fair to argue that Empath’s Active Listening is an apt title—the casual music fan will throw this record in the trash. But Empath wants to reach the active listener who will sit and discern and take note of the million different noises within each track. Once you engage the album in this way, you can appreciate it for what it is and realize Empath are in control of their noise. On Active Listening: Night on Earth, Empath sculpt their chaos into pop melodies with tons of psychedelic sounds and punk aggression.
Vampire Weekend
Father of The Bride
Sony 2019
When Vampire Weekend released their last album, 2013’s Modern Vampires of The City, frontman Ezra Koenig stated that it was the end of a “trilogy of sorts.” Vampire Weekend put out three albums between 2008 and 2013 that showed the band constantly evolving while honing a sound that made them sound like no other group. Now, 6 years later, Vampire Weekend return with the 18-song double-LP Father of The Bride.
From start to finish, Father of The Bride brings back the bright, cheery pop tunes that dominate VW’s discography. The album basks in sunshine as it continually deals with themes of spring, nature, marriage, and rebirth backdropped by tons of happy guitar licks. For both casual and diehard Vampire Weekend fans, the 58-minute album has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, crucial member (and secondhand to Koenig) multi-instrumentalist RostamBatmanglij left the band since their last album. Batmanglij’s absence (he does offer mild assistance on a couple tracks) has perhaps hindered the band ever so slightly as Father of The Bride seems to be missing a certain level of perfection that past albums achieved.
Control Top
Covert Contracts
Self-released 2019
I had the opportunity to see Control Top a couple weeks ago. They were the opening act for Laura Jane Grace, but I got to the show late and missed their set—now I’m kicking myself. Not only is Control Top’s debut album Covert Contracts a stellar punk album, it’s quite possibly better than anything Laura Jane Grace has released in a while (sorry Laura).
From opener “Type A” to closer “Black Hole” Covert Contracts is a nonstop sonic punch that will have thrashing about. There isn’t a singular highlight on the album, as every track provides nearly the same feel. There are, however, plenty of gold lines throughout the album that will have angsty office slugs like menodding their heads in their cubicle while wishing they were at the show they missed. You don’t get better modern punk lyrics than “Staring at a screen / Makes me itch and scream / Click click click click click / Makes me fucking sick” from my favorite track “Office Rage.” While introducing nothing new to the punk lexicon, Control Top still deliver an awesome throwback punk album full of energy and anger. If you are fan of punk music from the late 70s / early 80s, don’t kick yourself later by ignoring Control Top now.
The Dead Milkmen
Big Lizard in My Backyard
Enigma 1985
Throughout my time as a music nerd, I have constantly rattled-off my favorite bands and albums hundreds of times over. Without a doubt, the number of albums I’ve stated are in my “Top Ten of All-Time” must be hundreds. Most of the entries into this seemingly-infinite Top Ten are typical or understandable, but one choice in particular usually raises an eyebrow in conversation. One of my consistent Top Ten All-Time favorite albums is the 1985 debut Big Lizard in My Backyard by The Deadmilkmen.
For the uninitiated, The Dead Milkmen are a silly punk band from the 1980s, mostly known for their song “Punk Rock Girl.” Their lyrics are often incredibly goofy, and their recording and playing style is totally sloppy and carefree. Simply put, The Dead Milkmen sound pretty much like you think they would with albums titled Eat Your Paisley and Beelzebubba. On Big Lizard in My Backyard the band immediately lets you know they’re a joke.
But The Dead Milkmen are more than just a joke to me. The reason their debut is firmly planted in my Top Ten has everything to do with my relationship to the album. It is quite literally the first album I can ever remember purchasing. I found a cassette copy at a church yard sale in Elberfeld, Indiana and was immediately drawn to the ridiculous band name, album name, and album cover. Ten cents later, the album was mine.
I explicitly remember playing the music when I got home and hearing my dad call it “punk” which blew me away. My naïve elementary-aged self thought punk was a new thing invented by the likes of Blink-182. Upon closer inspection of my first album purchase, it was decided I was too young to hear songs like “Bitchin’ Camaro” and “Violent School.” The tape was whisked away, but the memory of what I discovered had not.
Years later, when my parents had stopped caring about what I listened to (i.e. realized Dead Milkmen wasn’t as bad as Eminem), my brother and I rediscovered Big Lizard in My Backyard in CD form. It was at this time I really fell in love with the album. It was like running into an old friend. I was old enough to get all the jokes and just absolutely loved the complete lack of seriousness in their music—something quite refreshing in my high school world surrounded by Five Finger Death Punch-loving peers.
Sometime later in my early college life I ran into a man in Tell City, Indiana selling off his entire record collection for a fundraiser. I was ecstatic to find he had an original copy of Big Lizard in My Backyard and he was ecstatic that I knew what that was. I left his booth with a handful of free punk records.Big Lizard in My Backyard is the only album I’ve owned on more than two formats and one of the only albums I regularly play each year. The album has been a great focal point of both drunken conversation and drunken partying. It’s possibly the most fun I could ever have with an album (and the satire holds up wonderfully in 2019). I’d implore you to listen to Big Lizard in My Backyard, but, more so, I hope you find your own.
Panda Bear
Buoys
Domino 2019
Panda Bear is 20 years into his music career and has hardly had a misstep. Since 1999’s Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished Panda Bear has made incredible album after incredible album with or without the help of his Animal Collective peers. Buoys, Panda Bear’s first album solo LP since 2015’s Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is a great album just like all the rest, but might be his least inspired.
In no way is the album bad (I personally love it), but it’s easy to say it’s Panda Bear’s most formulaic work. Buoys has Panda Bear’s signature spacey vocals, catchy melodies, and excellent production, but is missing the exciting experimental elements that most of his work expresses. The result is a “nice” album. The album is a pleasant listening experience and its sunny atmosphere will lend itself well to summer road trips and chill beach parties. If you’re a diehard fan, you may find the album has everything a Panda Bear album needs, minus everything that makes him exceptional.
Peaer
The Eyes Sink into The Skull
Citrus City Records 2019
The Eyes Sink Into the Skull was originally released in 2014 as the underground solo-project of Peter Katz. Recorded all by himself in an attic, Katz quietly released the album on Bandcamp under the name Peaer. The project quickly evolved into a full band who released their self-titled sophomore effort in 2016. Now at a more elevated position in their career, Peaer have remixed and remastered their great debut and re-released it on cassette and streaming services.
Throughout The Eyes Sink Into the Skull, Peaer convey a dark, brooding tone of slinky guitars and flat vocals. The songs have a “hushed” quality to them that makes the album sound very loose and relaxed. Stylistically, Katz’s music finds a great balance between artsy, emo punk and slacker math rock. If you are a fan of Slint’s Spiderland or American Football’s debut album, The Eyes Sink into The Skull sounds like the lovechild of the two. Compared to its original form, the remixing and mastering of the tracks makes the album more dynamic and professional. Listen to standout track “Your Eyes / Your Skull” to get a good feel of the album and a great introduction to Peaer.
The Wrens
My most anticipated album of 2019 is the next release by New Jersey rock band The Wrens. It also happens to have been my most anticipated album of last year and the year before that. In fact, it was 2014 when The Wrens announced that they had finished their “next” album. However, there hasn’t been much of an update since then, and I fear the album will never see the light of day.
The Wrens story has been plagued with bad luck and setbacks. Starting in 1989, the band has only managed to release three albums since their inception. Initially, they found luck with the indie label Grass Records who released their lo-fi debut album Silver in 1994 and their studio-polished follow up Secaucus in 1996. Silver and Secaucus both showcase The Wrens playing a variety of alternative rock that seems adequately in place in the mid-90s. The Wrens were gaining traction and seemed to be on the come-up. Then, in 1997, Grass Records was bought out and transformed into Wind-Up Records.
During this change, Wind-Up Records new owner wanted the band to make mainstream pop rock and offered them a million dollar contract. The Wrens, not wanting to comprise their art for money, refused to sign the contract and were dropped from the label. Silver and Secaucus ceased being produced and the band had to find a new label (meanwhile, Wind-Up Records gets their wish by signing up-and-coming bands Creed and Evanescence).
It wasn’t until 2003 when The Wrens were finally able to release their third album The Meadowlands, which I assure you is one of the most beautiful pop rock albums of all time. The Meadowlands is a much slower and polished record than their previous work and is packed to the brim with lush harmonies, great guitar licks, and some of the sweetest lyrics about working-class family life I’ve ever heard. The album was met with appropriate acclaim and The Wrens began working on their fourth album. So where is it?
It is said that the all the members of The Wrens work full time jobs to this very day and don’t even own the rights to their first two albums. From personal experience, I know it is extremely hard to release music while working full time. I don’t blame them for their small output. Turning down a million dollar contract might seem stupid to most people, but I can’t think of anything more humble. I would personally rather live my life knowing I created the masterpiece that is The Meadowlands than take the money and become Creed.
The Wrens have been a band for 30 years and carefully took the time to record their opus after the fallout with their label. They’ve had 16 years since its release, so here’s hoping their fourth LP is just as worthy of a place in their discography. Physical copies of their albums are extremely hard to come by, but you can listen to all of their great work (at least listen to The Meadowlands) on streaming services.
Sunwatchers
Illegal Moves
Trouble In Mind 2019
Sunwatchers is a four-piece instrumental band from New York City that plays an intense style of jazzy psychedelic rock. Their latest album, Illegal Moves, is a frantic 40 minutes of solid garage jamming that sounds straight out of 1968. The band evokes a Tame Impala-esque timbre playing Mothers of Invention jams, and you could easily find yourself thrashing about and banging your head to the first half of Illegal Moves. Halfway through the album,the band tones down their rock side to show you how well they can play freeform jazz and improv noise on “Everybody Play” and “Psychic Driving.” Sunwatchers then go on to finish the album out with a cover of Alice Coltrane’s “Ptah, The El Daoud” and psychedelic, desert Western closing track “Strollin’ Coma Blues.”
Though Sunwatchers make instrumental music, they are not without a message. The wild album artwork, which features an equal-parts blue and red Kool-Aid Man murdering Uncle Sam, is a necessary part of the experience. I’d recommend a close study of all the little details in the album cover as you let Sunwatchers take you on their not-nearly-as-boring-as Phish jam band journey. Play my favorite track “Beautiful Crystals” and give yourself a taste.
State Champion
Send Flowers
Sophomore Lounge 2018
It’s hard for me to pinpoint why exactly I find State Champion’s new album Send Flowers to be so enjoyable. Upon a casual first listen, Send Flowers might come across as basic, laid-back country music. Grant State Champion more of your time and attention, however, and you will find the band often ignoring traditional song structures to create their own unique, boozy bounce. The Louisville, Kentucky bar band plays a mostly-loose and live-in-the-studio sound that incorporates country rock accompanied with piano and violin. All of the songs are mid-tempo or slower, but warm and inviting. Listening to Send Flowers on a stereo system sounds a lot like listening to State Champion playing a house show or practicing quietly in a living room.
What further sets Send Flowers apart from other recent alt-country albums is State Champion’s exceptional lyricism. Album standout “Death Preferences” opens with “I was coming down at the Diamond Head DMV when the feeling awoke,” then goes into an almost Faulkner-like stream of consciousness ramble about the randomness of Death (“Death prefers a time when you least expect it.”) Frontman Ryan Davis continually delivers these smirking, humorous lines throughout the album while he paints sentimental scenes of everyday life. The calm, loose twang of the band serves as the perfect backdrop for his perfect lyricism.
The Passionate and Objective Jokerfan
A couple months ago I was digging deep into music on the internet trying to find some Butch Willis (see last issue) tunes I hadn’t heard before. During this search, I came across a song titled “Butch Willis Rock and Roll Always” by the artist The Passionate & Objective Jokerfan (TP&OJF). I listened to the song and was shocked at how goofy and crazy it sounded. The song was a simple piano tune with a guy singing seemingly improvised words in a stream-of-conscious ramble about how much he loves Butch Willis. I knew I needed to investigate further. It turns out the song is one of many songs, 90 in fact, on the album Stupid People Hate These Songs Because They’re Dumb. It also turns out that all 90 songs are done in the same style—one man completely improvising absolutely insane piano songs about songwriters and musicians whom he admires. The album features songs titled “Dave Matthews Has So Many Great Songs, Indeed,” “I Like Lil B. He is So Cool,” and “Bob Mould is a Rock and Roll Man who Makes Good Rock and Roll Music.” I was absolutely perplexed by this album as a whole and the man behind the music. I knew I would never find myself casually listening to the album, but I respected it for its sheer magnitude of goofy songs. I scrolled through TP&OJF’s Spotify page to find there were several other albums by the artist, all done in the same musical and lyrical style. There are hundreds if not thousands of songs between these albums.
I was ready to go back to searching for Butch Willis songs when I realized there was even more weirdness to this musical project. On The Passionate and Objective Jokerfan’s page, I noticed recommendations for artists with names The Very Nice Interesting Singer Man, The Strange Man Who Sings About Dead Animals, The Sorry Apology Song Person, and my personal favorite The Odd Man Who Sings About Poop, Puke and Pee. I was absolutely bewildered and found that all of these artists, along with TP&OJF, are all the same man.
It turns out that man is Matt Farley, head of Motern Media, which is perhaps the true “artist name” for the whole project. His website claims he has released 19,000 songs under 70 monikers and is on a quest to earn $1,000,000 in the music industry. To wrap up the absurdity of this whole thing, Farley has declared June 3 as World Motern Day, a holiday in which everyone is encouraged to listen to his music on a particular playlist that nets him one dollar per stream. According to his website, the previous three World Motern Days have only garnered Farley a few hundred dollars. So please, join me this June 3rd and listen to The Guy Who Sings Your Name Over and Over, The Athletic Sports Band, or any number of other monikers by Farley to help make his dream come true.
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar 2019
If you are familiar with Sharon Van Etten’s work, you already know she is an incredible songwriter with a strong output of solid indie-folk-rock albums. Van Etten’s new album Remind Me Tomorrow presents us with the great, personal songwriting we’ve seen from her in the past, but offers an incredible new sonic direction. Remind Me Tomorrow is filled to the brim with lush, atmospheric synth sounds that propel the singer to new heights and add a sheen not heard in her music before.
The new sonic direction on Remind Me Tomorrow, while brooding and dark, contrasts with Van Etten’s songwriting, which is often positive. This yin and yang of dark sounds and beautiful words result in a harmonious, warm, comforting album. If you like conventional pop and rock music, I couldn’t recommend Remind Me Tomorrow enough. Van Etten has no shortage of fans, but deserves more recognition in an industry dominated by Lana Del Rey and the like. Take a listen to album single “Seventeen,” and see for yourself.
Deerhunter
Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?
4AD 2019
Deerhunter return with their first album in four years—their longest gap in between albums. During this time, frontman Bradford Cox must have taken the time to reflect on the state of the world and our country. While past Deerhunter albums have found the songwriting looking inward at Cox and second song writer Lockett Pundt’s inner demons, Why Hasn’t Everything Disappeared? finds the band exploring the perspectives of others with more observational takes on the world. Lyrically and thematically, this record has more in common with Athens, Georgia contemporaries Drive-By Truckers than any of Deerhunter’s previous work.
My favorite song on the album, “What Happens to People?” is the prime example of this newfound perspective in Deerhunter. To me, it exemplifies the somber feeling of seeing someone stuck in old ways and longing for the past instead of embracing a better future. In a recent interview with Stereogum, Cox states this album is an argument against nostalgia, and I think his songwriting argues his case well.
Though Deerhunter have slowed down their output, they have yet to release a record less than great. Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? is a welcome addition to their discography and necessary listen for rock fans in 2019.
Butch Willis & The Rocks
When I first discovered Butch Willis & The Rocks, I thought it was a joke. I had started playing this video I found on YouTube titled “FORESTVILLE ROCKS w/ Butch Willis & The Rocks” in the hopes of some Tim and Eric-like humor. The video, a 51-minute episode of the near-forgotten “Forestville Rocks,” was a seemingly jokey public access video from 1985. It had everything you’d want from a local DIY talk show—bad camera work, a low budget set, a bizarre host named Mr. Rock and Roll wearing a ski mask and suit. But it also had one of the greatest concert performances ever by Butch Willis & The Rocks.
You can search that exact text in YouTube and find the same video I watched, and I implore that you do just that. Four years later, it has only amassed a few thousand views, so you have the chance to be one of the few thousand that gets to witness something so special. Now, let me warn you about the unconventional nature of this performance. If you judge music based on how pretty or pop-sounding it is, you are going to hate this video. You are going to think that I’m throwing you for a loop. But, if you are a fan of the likes of Daniel Johnston and Jandek, Butch Willis is your new favorite outsider artist.
During the video, Butch Willis and his band play their hearts out. The Rocks are legitimately musically talented and back Willis well as he yells into his mic. Their music, for the most part, falls into classic rock conventions, but Willis embodies the spirit of punk almost more than anyone I’ve ever seen. Front and center with his mullet and beard, Willis is decked out in knee-high snakeskin platform boots, giant shades, white button-up dress shirt, and blue tights. When he’s not yelling on the mic during songs, he’s trembling, perhaps shaking with withdrawal or sheer nervousness in between them. You can’t tell which it is, because he’s too cool to let you know. He doesn’t care that he shakes and he doesn’t care that he’s pitchy and never quite in tune. He tells it like it is and you’re going to listen because you can’t figure him out and you’re in awe.
When I turned on the 51-minute video, I had no intentions of watching the whole thing. However, what I started watching as a joke ended up being something I actually thought had artistic merit. This band was playing for absolutely no one and is virtually unknown to the average person to this day. But there they were without a care in the world doing everything they wanted. Butch Willis, as abrasive and far out as he is, makes good music. You might not like it. It might literally sound like cats tossing around in a dryer sometimes, but Butch Willis means what he says.
Daughters
You Won’t Get What You Want
Ipecac Recordings 2018
You will not find my favorite album of the year on most big music publications’ year-end lists. Of course no two lists are alike, but most publications certainly seem to concern themselves with the safest, most poptimistic albums they can find. That’s why I have to do my favorite album of 2018 justice and tell you why you need to listen to it.
Daughters’ fourth album You Won’t Get What You Want is the scariest, most brutal album I’ve ever heard, and it is perfect. The album is a relentless slog for the overly-positive, but yields great reward for masochists who want to be flogged sonically. Simply put, listening to this album is not for everyone. However, if you were to focus on the band’s craft, you’d be hard pressed to find actual objection to the resulting album.
Opener “City Song” paints a picture of a desolate city sitting still in the aftermath of pestilence or apocalypse. As the sparse words offer glimpses into the destruction of the city, the shrieking drones of guitars and bleak drum thuds help further paint the wasteland. As the song ends, we are left soaring above the titular city looking down, and then we plunge.
The rest of the album is 42 minutes of fury and nightmare. You Won’t Get What You Want is almost uncategorizable as it bounces from and reinvents punk, metal, and rock conventions. It really is rare to come across a record this refreshing and unique sounding. At times, Daughters manage to sound like the controlled noise of certain Sonic Youth albums or the horrific dirges of Swans. On the album’s most accessible track “Less Sex,” they sound like The Doors embracing early 1980s post-punk (i.e. a non-existent era of a band that I wish would have happened).
Frontman Alexis Marshall’s lyrics fit nicely amongst the chaos of the album. As he yelps and howls in a theatrical growl, one can’t help but feel uneasy or nauseated at this man’s anxiety. He almost seems as if he’s not singing words he’s written down, but instead we are with him in real time as he is screaming and fleeing his horrors. Halfway through the closing track “Guest House,” you feel like you are witnessing (or living) the absolute breaking point of a man who cannot take the horrors of the world any longer.For full transparency, Daughters released You Won’t Get What You Want near the end of October and it was perfect for Halloween season. Halloween is my favorite holiday and I have an unhealthy obsession with the macabre, so the album did wonders for me. But I am also a fiend for music that shakes the foundation of my soul and opens me up to things I never thought I’d hear. If you pore through the safe year-end lists and are begging for something a little more dangerous, you might get what you want with You Won’t Get What You Want.
The Avalanches
Wildflower
XL / Modular / EMI / Astralwerks 2016
After 16 long years, The Avalanches are back with their highly anticipated sophomore album Wildflower. Fans of the band’s Since I Left You will be pleased to hear The Avalanches seldom detract from their signature feel—dozens of samples stuff the album with lush textures, angelic harmonies, and absolute joy. Wildflower takes you on a road trip on a beautiful sunny day. As one song smoothly transitions into the next (much like on Since I Left You), you feel like you are cruising with the windows down and rolling through the peaks and troughs of a Midwest countryside. Unlike Since I Left You, Wildflower finds The Avalanches having many guest vocalists appear on the album. In addition to the obscure vocal samples used throughout, the album features vocal contributions from Danny Brown, MF Doom, Father John Misty, Ariel Pink, David Berman, Biz Markie, and several others. The many features on Wildflower set itapart from Since I Left You in a way. Though the album serves one seamless groove to listeners, the features make certain songs stand out more—allowing them to be enjoyed without the rest of the album. Wildflower definitely belongs to no other group than The Avalanches. It’s a great comeback album that welcomes new fans with a fresh sound for 2016 and rewards old fans for waiting 16 years for a second album.
Swans
The Glowing Man
Young God / Mute 2016
For the past thirty years, Michael Gira has lead experimental noise rock group Swans. The Glowing Man serves as the end of a trilogy and era of sorts in Swans history. Though it’s the fourteenth album under the Swans moniker, it is only the third for Swans’ current lineup. The Glowing Man wraps up the emotionally draining and sonically daunting style that started with 2012’s The Seer and 2014’s To Be Kind. The Glowing Man is Gira and company at their harshest, darkest, and most violently aggressive—it’s a beautiful thing.
Schoolboy Q
Blank Face
Top Dawg / Interscope 2016
Since his first independent album in 2011, Schoolboy Q has consistently been one of the most interesting rappers in hip hop. Schoolboy’s second album Habit’s and Contradictions was one of the best hip hop releases of the year, but was perhaps greatly overshadowed by labelmate Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city. After 2014’s weak (though still pretty good) Oxymoron, Schoolboy is back and at the top of his game with Blank Face. Blank Face is a hard hitting album with features from Kanye West, E-40, and Vince Staples.
Whitney
Light Upon The Lake
Secretly Canadian 2016
Chicago’s Whitney is the resulting musical project after indie rock band Smith Westerns split up in 2014. Drummer Julien Ehrlich and guitarist Max Kakacek continued on together and recorded Light Upon the Lake in the fall of 2015. Whitney is a poppier project than Smith Westerns—no fuzz or distortion on this album. Light Upon the Lake is dominated by Ehrlich’s falsetto zigzagging through Kakacek’s clean chords that create a soulful groove throughout the album’s 30 minute runtime. It’s a brief, catchy album that will win the hearts of indie fans and pop fans alike.
Chance the Rapper
Coloring Book
Self-Released 2016
“Kanye’s best prodigy. He ain’t sign me, but he proud of me” touts Chancellor Bennett on his new mixtape Coloring Book. Earlier this year, Kanye West released The Life of Pablo which he called “a gospel album with a whole lot of cursing on it.” Now, Chance the Rapper follows in Kanye’s footsteps and releases his own better “gospel hip hop” album. On Coloring Book, Chance is fearless and proud as he brings God into the secular world and praises him in front of everyone. It’s crazy how fresh and innovative hip hop can sound when you throw a lot of gospel into the mix. Yes, Chance is a believer, but Coloring Book isn’t inherently a Christian album—it’s a deeply personal album. Chance might praise God on the album, but he’s also praising friends, family, hip hop, and himself. The album is a joyous celebration featuring guest spots from Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and many others. The vibrant gospel feel makes this one of the happier and more unique rap albums of the past few years. When scholars look back at this time in hip hop years from now, Coloring Book will be studied as a classic. Kanye’s best prodigy indeed.
Car Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial
Matador 2016
Generation X had Kurt Cobain—the millennials have Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest. Car Seat Headrest began as Toledo’s solo project in 2010 in which he released several albums on his Bandcamp profile. Now, after developing a cult-following online and signing with Matador Records, the 23-year-old Toledo has enlisted a full band, relocated to Seattle, and created a masterpiece. Teens of Denial captures the sentiments of many bored kids addicted to their cell phones, abusing drugs, and disavowing God. Toledo is an excellent songwriter able to convey young adulthood’s problems in a very mature manner. The lyrics are personal and plainspoken, easily allowing listeners to empathize with Toledo when he says things like “They’ve got a portrait of Van Gogh on the Wikipedia page for Clinical Depression. Yeah, it helps you describe it.” It’s not just the depressing confessions that draw comparison to Cobain, Car Seat Headrest’s sound is reminiscent of Seattle’s past. The album has a pretty consistent punk/grunge lean, but other influences pop up throughout. Some songs, like opener “Fill in the Blank,” sound like Pinkerton-era Weezer while others like “Drugs with Friends” sounds like Beck covering Pavement. Teens of Denial won’t have the same impact as Nevermind, but it’s certainly great in its own right. Car Seat Headrest’s anthemic garage rock will have you screaming and crying along for weeks on end.
Drake
Views
Young Money 2016
Drake’s highly anticipated Views was the hip hop album I was most looking forward to all last year. Drake teased his fans with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, What a Time to Be Alive, and “Hotline Bling.” Drake won over new fans when he slew Meek Mill on “Charged Up” and “Back to Back” in one of the best rap beefs in recent memory. Finally, coming way later than initially promised, Drake gives us Views, and Drake disappoints. Views has some solid songs (“Hotline Bling” is on all releases as a bonus track) and that excellent, sleek production value that is found on nearly everything that accompanies Drake’s smooth voice. However, the overall album doesn’t stand a chance when compared to the Canadian rapper’s earlier releases. The 20 song album feels monotonous and bloated when trying to listen to it from start to finish. There’s not nearly enough diversity on the album and only one fourth of the songs have featured artists, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but collaborating with some other people (SEE: Beyoncé’s Lemonade review) could have spiced up the album a bit. Views isn’t a bad album, it’s just not at all remarkable and not what we’ve come to expect from “Last Name: Ever, First Name: Greatest.”
Kevin Morby
Singing Saw
Dead Oceans 2016
Singing Saw is a hike through a foggy mountain trail; it’s a drive down a rainy highway. Kevin Morby’s calming voice and fuzzy guitars are your guide, pulling at your wrist and leading you through the winding woods. Every little element in this folk rock album is necessary and executed with perfection. Singing Saw is a drowsy daydream and a cozy cabin cot. Get lost in Singing Saw. When the album ends, don’t treat it like some fleeting memory, flip the record and start it over again. This album demands your attention, and you deserve every peaceful scene it will conjure in your mind.
Deakin
Sleep Cycle
My Animal Home 2016
After seven years of waiting, Animal Collective guitarist follows through on his Kickstarter promise of recording and releasing his debut album Sleep Cycle. Though the album is only six songs and a little over half an hour, it is quite beautiful and serene. While his Animal Collective kin went into the studio and farted out Painting With without him, Deakin really took his time soul searching and crafting a great piece of art. You can listen to this wonderful little album at deakinjams.bandcamp.com.
Beyoncé
Lemonade
Columbia 2016
Beyoncé’s latest—Lemonade—is an exceptional pop album that reaches all over the music industry for help. The all-star musicians behind the scenes of Lemonade are what truly make it a great album. The writing and production credits include the likes of Led-Zeppelin, Animal Collective, Diplo, James Blake, Jack White, Father John Misty, and Kendrick Lamar (just to name a few). The eclectic cast brings out the best in Beyoncé who brings out the best in pop music.
Parquet Courts
Human Performance
Rough Trade 2016
New York rockers Parquet Courts have been slowly winning me over since 2012’s Light Up Gold. Human Performance is the band’s third album and fifth release in the past three years, and I’m inclined to say it’s their most mature and best album. Sonically, the album sounds a lot like other Parquet Courts albums. The combination of punk, rock, an occasional country twang, and an almost-always bored-to-death voice have dominated Parquet Courts’ catalog, but they’ve never sounded so serious before. Human Performance has the band successfully being sincere on several tracks without sounding overly sentimental (something it seems they actively try to avoid). Lyrically, Human Performance is very cohesive. Parquet Courts capture the mundane aspects of everyday life and how it can drive someone crazy. Opener “Dust” feels frantic and claustrophobic, but the characters in the following songs refuse to leave their homes or invite anyone inside. By the time you get to closer “Already Dead,” we find the narrator has happily accepted his agoraphobic fate and let the dust consume him. Don’t let Parquet Courts lie dormant in your music library like I did. Human Performance will surely be one of the best rock albums of 2016 and demands your attention.
Frankie Cosmos
Next Thing
Bayonet 2016
In fewer than 30 minutes, Frankie Cosmos Next Thing hits you with 15 excellent pop songs. Frankie Cosmos is the stage name for the young singer-songwriter Greta Kline (daughter of actor Kevin Kline) based out of New York City. Kline’s songs on Next Thing have an inherent simplicity, but this is never a bad thing when executed with her wit and tact. Next Thing’s brevity will have you replaying this album over and over.
M83
Junk
Naïve, Mute 2016
From ambient, post-rock, and shoegaze to synth-rock and dance, M83 has covered a lot of different styles of music over the years. While frontman Anthony Gonzalez’s music is typically somewhat serious, Junk is anything but. With Junk, M83 create a dance album that ignores a lot of the band’s previous work and focuses more on having a good time. Lead single “Do It, Try It” is a good representation of the album, but there’s not a lot of diversity in Junk.
Weezer
Weezer (The White Album)
Atlantic, Crush 2016
The unfortunate thing about Weezer is their inability to live up to their debut and sophomore albums. For the sake of this review, let’s pretend those albums don’t exist. Instead, their career started in 2001 with The Green Album. The White Album is Weezer returning to their Green Album roots. Start to finish, the album is full of catchy pop rock tunes and ranks amongst their best work in the past 15 years.
Animal Collective
Painting With
Domino 2016
It’s certainly hard to talk about anything Animal Collective puts out without comparing it to their older releases. In the 2000s, Animal Collective had one of the most impressive streaks of great albums. If you compare Painting With to any of AC’s older albums, you’re likely to be disappointed. Painting With holds its own though. In a sea of bland indie rock albums, Animal Collective still stick out as being more inventive and interesting than most other projects.
Kendrick Lamar
untitled unmastered.
Interscope 2016
Kendrick Lamar is back with his second official release in less than a year. Untitled Unmastered is an eight track follow up to last year’s outstanding To Pimp A Butterfly. With its brief 34 minute runtime, it feels more like a bonus disc to a would-be deluxe edition of TPAB than an actual album. Don’t let its brevity fool you though; Untitled Unmastered is a great, politically driven hip hop release from the genre’s current king.
Violent Femmes
We Can Do Anything
PIAS America 2016
I think there are a lot of Violent Femmes fans that would dismiss this album. Their best stuff was released on their debut album 33 years ago. But I think We Can Do Anything is pretty enjoyable. It has a lot of the same sounds that are present on their debut: acoustic guitar, minimal percussion, catchy melodies. It is certainly not a landmark of any sorts, but Violent Femmes deliver an enjoyable album for fans to revel in a familiar sound.
Kanye West
The Life of Pablo
GOOD, Def Jam 2016
Critiquing Kanye West is a difficult thing. West is not someone that typically receives average reviews—people love him or hate him. The Life of Pablo, however, might be Mr. West’s first average album. It doesn’t feel radical like Yeezus or intimate and personal like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Kanye’s seventh album feels more like a run of the mill hip hop album, but it’s still a great hip hop album. Even Kanye’s weakest effort still yields amazing moments. The production is top-notch and some songs absolutely rank among his best work. The standout moments are speckled throughout. “Real Friends” is my favorite song on the album and possibly the most sincere. “No More Parties in L.A.” (which was almost left off the album) is another highlight. The album has good variation and deserves a listen from fans of all music. Even if you hate the man, his music is clearly some of the most important in the industry.
This Heat
Discography
Light In The Attic 2016
This Heat is an often-overlooked band from the late 70s / early 80s post-punk movement, and they are absolutely incredible. Light In The Attic is reissuing This Heat’s three wonderful records. The UK trio dabbled in metal, jazz, prog, noise…everything, and molded them together expertly. Do yourself a favor and at least check out their final album Deceit (and keep in mind it was released in 1981). This Heat were way ahead of their time and sound more relevant than ever.
Hinds
Leave Me Alone
Mom + Pop 2015
Here’s a fun album. Hinds are four women from Madrid who make really catchy garage rock. Their debut Leave Me Alone is poppy, fuzzy, warm, and (despite the title) seems very inviting. If you like bands like Best Coast, Wavves, and FIDLAR, you’re going to like Leave Me Alone. That being said, the album provides nothing new and could come off as another generic lo-fi rock record to most.
Archy Marshall
A New Place 2 Drown
XL Recordings 2015
Archy Marshall, perhaps best known under his King Krule moniker, changes things up a bit on his new album A New Place 2 Drown. Where King Krule releases saw Marshall making music in a typical indie-rock fashion, A New Place 2 Drown is almost certainly a hip hop album—or at least something in between King Krule and hip hop. No matter how you label it, A New Place 2 Drown is a fantastic album filled to the brim with head-nodding beats. Check out album highlight “Arise Dear Brother” to get a feel for the album.
Cindy Lee
Act of Tenderness
CCQSK Records 2015
When the four-piece art-rock band Women broke up, half of its members went on to form the controversial Viet Cong, one fourth died, and the other fourth—singer and guitarist Pat Flegel—formed Cindy Lee. On Act of Tenderness, Flegel channels his demons with oceans of gain and reverb leaving the songs drenched in an eerie humidity. With nearly every song, Cindy Lee sounds desperate and sad, yet somewhat hopeful. The music on Act of Tenderness sounds like black and white photographs of beautiful sunsets longing to be colorized one day. You can download the album for free from CCQSK’s website.
Neon Indian
VEGA INTL. Night School
Mom + Pop 2015
Since 2009, Neon Indian has been the arbiter of the “chillwave” movement. The band’s electronic sound has mostly been relaxing, feel-good tunes that are nice for summer road trips with your friends. On VEGA INTL. Night School, Neon Indian takes their signature sound and attempts to move it to the dance floor. Night School is a groovy album that is perfect for parties, but don’t expect everyone to go crazy to it. The album isn’t meant to be listened to as much as it is meant to create cozy background noise.
Joanna Newsom
Divers
Drag City 2015
Joanna Newsom is one of the few artists, I believe, that captures all of the ideas in her head and executes them perfectly on record. On Divers, Newsom makes music that feels like it could be from another time, another world—and she does it so perfectly. Not many people can play the harp, and those who do are unlikely to have the expert songwriting ability that Joanna possesses. Divers is Joanna Newsom’s fourth album of expertly performed harp-driven folk music and one of the most beautiful records of the year.
Deafheaven
New Bermuda
ANTI- 2015
Disclaimer: I’m not the biggest metal fan. I like only a dozen or so metal bands. Feel free to let that knowledge affect your reading of this review. That being said, Deafheaven is one of the metal bands that I like. Their previous album, 2013’s Sunbather, was absolutely stunning in its combination of post-rock, shoegaze, and black metal. New Bermuda finds Deafheaven using the same formula in the best way possible. Though the album contains only five songs, each song finds Deafheaven switching seamlessly from aggressive vocals and drumming to the most beautiful guitar ballads you’ve ever heard. It’s honestly astounding. Give New Bermuda a listen whether you’re a metal head or not—it’s a great album.
Deerhunter
Fading Frontier
4AD 2015
Fading Frontier is the seventh album by Atlanta-based indie rock Gods Deerhunter. They are one of the few bands to change up their sound drastically from album to album (if you’re unfamiliar, listen to the huge difference between 2010’s Halcyon Digest and the 2013 follow-up Monomania) and still retain an inherent sound that is all their own. Fading Frontier finds the band trying new things with songs like “Snakeskin,” a completely out-of-character funk rock groove, while throwing around older sounds into the mix (“All The Same” and “Take Care” could easily be from their Microcastle era). You’ll find no powerful rock songs on this album like fan favorites “Nothing Ever Happened” or “Desire Lines,” but that’s okay—this is Deerhunter’s pop album. And it’s a great pop album. If you’re still not sold, listen to the album’s single “Breaker”—one of the most beautiful songs the group has ever recorded. Fading Frontier is a great addition to Deerhunter’s nearly perfect catalog and should be a great addition to your record collection or iTunes library.
Youth Lagoon
Savage Hills Ballroom
Fat Possum 2015
On Youth Lagoon’s third album, Savage Hills Ballroom, Trevor Powers takes a huge leap forward in sound. On his first two releases, Youth Lagoon made pop music for loners that spend too much time in their bedroom. His voice sounded distant, drowned in reverb, sad. On Savage Hills Ballroom, Youth Lagoon does a complete 180. Savage Hills Ballroom is a great sounding straight-forward pop album in which Youth Lagoon reaches out a hand to his old fans and tries to pull them into this new world that he is a part of.
Ought
Sun Coming Down
Constellation 2015
Canadian art-rockers Ought follow up their excellent debut album (last year’s More Than Any Other Day) with the almost equally excellent Sun Coming Down. The band revitalizes sounds from the post-punk of the late 70s through the shoegaze of the early 90s to create something new. The album is dominated by fast guitars drenched in distortion while frontman Tim Darcy screams like David Byrne. While most bands have to pick between sounding fun or sounding cool, Ought manage to do both.
Beach House
Depression Cherry
Sub Pop 2015
For roughly ten years, Beach House has been one of the biggest names in the indie-pop scene. Their four previous albums are just fine, but as time goes on, they seem to only be “just fine.” The same can be said about Depression Cherry. This new album is good, but Beach House hasn’t done anything to really evolve their sound in the past ten years. They might be one of the biggest forces in the genre, but the genre is dying and Beach House provide nothing new on Depression Cherry.
Mac DeMarco
Another One
Captured Tracks 2015
Another One is the latest release of Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco. DeMarco calls it a “mini-album,” and it feels just like that. The album is short and feels miniscule compared to his two prior albums. There are good songs, but the release feels like it is meant to hold over fans until he releases something proper. The title-track “Another One” is the standout song on the album and one of the best he’s ever written. Fans should listen to the album, but don’t expect it to be nearly as good as Salad Days or 2.
Wilco
Star Wars
dBpm 2015
Wilco have yet to release a bad album in their 20 year career. I’m biased, but seriously, they haven’t released a bad album. Star Wars sounds just like a Wilco album, no doubt, but it is their best in years. On Star Wars, Wilco find themselves experimenting a bit more than their latter work while maintaining a tight, concise sound. The album is a bit more rock-oriented than folk, and most songs are short and sweet. It’s a great addition to their catalogue and has a lot of replay value. Wilco fans have probably already devoured the album, but everyone else should give it a spin too.
Dr. Dre
Compton
Interscope 2015
In a year of surprise album releases, this one is perhaps the most surprising. Dr. Dre, one of the biggest figures in hip hop, has only released two solo albums prior to Compton—the most recent one was released in 1999. So, after 16 years and the cancellation of his planned Detox album, Dre drops Compton to tie in with the theatrical release of Straight Outta Compton. The result is fantastic. Guest appearances include Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and others. Compton is being billed as the 50-year-old’s final album, and it couldn’t be a better ending to his solo career.
Pitchfork Music Festival 2015
There’s a lot to hate at a music festival: The crowd consists of dirty people that you would never talk to; you’re all packed together outside in the mud; there’s technical difficulties and a band starts late; some drunk kid next to you keeps talking about all of the other festivals he’s been to; it’s hot. But whenever you’ve waited hours to be in the front row for your favorite band and they walk on stage, all of your negativity washes away. On July 17 – 19, I attended the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, Illinois. Here are my top four highlights:
The first great thing I experienced at the festival was Mac DeMarco. DeMarco is a goofy guy with a goofy backing band, but his songs are sincere and sweet. This contrast works well for his live shows. For his closing song, he sang “Together” from his album 2. While his guitarist soloed, Mac dove into the crowd and surfed right over the top of me and a dozen other super fans.
The most beautiful act I saw was Perfume Genius. Perfume Genius makes artsy pop music and executes it live with the careful precision that pop typically has only in studio recordings. Perfume Genius avoids a lot of pop clichés and is a great performer. I have liked his music for awhile, but now I appreciate even more.
On the final day of the festival, I rushed to the stage Viet Cong would be playing. This newer band was one of my most anticipated performances, and it completely blew my mind. Not only were they phenomenal, the crowd went nuts when they closed with a fifteen minute post-punk jam “Death.”
Wilco was easily the best band I saw. They have been one of my favorite bands for the longest time. When they closed the festival on Friday night, it was truly surreal. I somehow managed to be at the very front to watch them play a double set. They played their new album from start to finish for the first time live (it had just been released the previous day), then took a breather before performing a whole set of fan favorites. Hands down greatest performance I’ve ever seen and the highlight from a weekend of great music.
Modest Mouse
Strangers to Ourselves
Epic 2015
I’ve waited eight years for this. I’m not disappointed because I didn’t have my expectations high. Modest Mouse’s new album Strangers to Ourselves is only “okay.” That being said, it isn’t bad by any means. It is a very lengthy album so there is plenty of material to sift through and figure out which tracks are best. But, because the album is only “okay,” the lengthy listening experience becomes quite tedious. There are lots of good songs though, so give the album a chance if you’re a Modest Mouse fan.
Sufjan Stevens
Carrie & Lowell
Asthmatic Kitty 2015
After his last album, 2010’s The Age of Adz, had Stevens at his most experimental, he has returned to his folk roots with Carrie & Lowell. Carrie & Lowell is arguably Stevens’ most personal album to date with nearly every song documenting his childhood trips to see his titular mother and stepfather. All of the songs on the album are good (my favorite is “Eugene”), but the overall tone of the album is a little stagnate. Carrie & Lowell is a good album to fans like myself, but others may find the soft, quiet songs repetitive and monotonous.
Yung Kurt
webBoy
Self-released 2015
Evansville’s very own Yung Kurt is back at it with his first project since 2014’s albums with 3D33P. On webBoy, Yung Kurt has gone full internet. Though he travels back in time to the 90s on tracks like “Tommy” and “Lyke Genesis,” Yung Kurt is nothing short of the future. Jumping on the current trends of internet hip hop, webBoy shows an artistic improvement not seen as clearly on his previous releases. You can download the EP for free at yungkurt.bandcamp.com.
Viet Cong
Viet Cong
Jagjaguwar 2015
A few years ago, art-rock group Women released a couple albums then disbanded after their guitarist died. Since then, remaining members of Women have reformed as Viet Cong, a darker, broodier rock band. Viet Cong is their self-titled debut album, and it’s nearly perfect. You can hear bits of Joy Division, Interpol, and other post-punk bands woven into the sounds of Viet Cong. If you’re a fan of the genre, this is a must-listen.
Father John Misty
I Love You, Honeybear
Sub Pop 2015
Singer-songwriter Josh Tillman, ex-member of Fleet Foxes, is bored and in love. That’s the gist of his great new album under his moniker Father John Misty. On first listen, I Love You, Honeybear is a country/folk album sung by a man with a beautiful, soulful voice. But that beautiful voice has a lot to say. Nearly every song is a great satirical commentary about love and life as a bored, white American.
Panda Bear
Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
Domino 2015
Panda Bear, aka Noah Lennox, returns with his first solo album since 2011’s Tomboy. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper might be his prettiest, darkest album yet. On tracks like “Mr Noah” and “Boy’s Latin,” the album is filled with the repetitive drones and experimental sounds that have become a mainstay for Panda Bear and his Animal Collective brethren. And, if you’re wanting the familiar, Grim Reaper is sure to satisfy diehard Animal Collective fans. Fortunately, to those uninitiated to the cult of Animal Collective, Panda Bear succeeds in creating a very accessible album. Curious readers should seek out “Tropic of Cancer,” my personal favorite from the album. With lyrics “It won’t come back, you can’t come back, you won’t come back to it,” the feel of Lennox approaching middle-age and sonic change really comes out. The end result is a fantastic album with animalistic themes dealing with spirituality and death.
