What happens when you take a week off? The music piles up.
78 songs worth! New music this week from Mary and the Sharks, The Afghan
Whigs, Megasound, Kid Sistr, 1-800-Mikey, Personal trainer, This is Lorelei,
The Tubs, Jesus Jones, Stanley Simmons, Jake Bugg and so much more. Enjoy!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mary and the Sharks’ new album “I Don’t Wanna Question How I
Feel” is a barn burner of an indie pop album. It’s all of 8 songs but between
the 2 I added this week and the 3 singles from this album I added in prior
weeks that’s a solid majority of music that I think is worth your time. The
songs are hooky and full of life and if you’re into this sort of harder than
average dream pop than this is the album for you.
I have been a fan of The Afghan Whigs all the way back to
their early days, but I’ve never really considered them an Americana band. That
changes with their latest, “Soft Control”. Age has done something amazing to
lead singer Greg Dulli’s voice and that combined with the wisdom that surviving
one’s party years has honed their songwriting skills. I myself am especially
fond of a song called “Loose Talk”. Give it your time.
Megasound is kind of sort of a supergroup, made up of
members of Bad Bad Hats and Party Nails. Their self-titled debut album is reminiscent
of the indie pop of the early 2000’s – maybe Hole crossed with Julianna
Hetfield. But all their songs are fun and not about depression.
Kid Sistr’s new EP is called “American Teenage Prophecy” and
it does have a bit of a riot grrl vibe going there’s some pretty solid
songwriting going on here, and it’s clear they’ve been paying attention to form
and structure because they give more than the usual 2 minute’s fluff so common
these days.
I’m not usually much into Lo-Fi stuff and that’s certainly
where 1-800-Mikey lives. Their new album “IN YUN” comes across as if someone
posed the question of “what if J Mascis was fun”? There’s song good songwriting
here, similar to stuff you’d get from Alex Chilton and if you can get past the
fact that it sounds like it’s been recorded in someone’s garage (and it
probably was) you’re going to find some real depth here.
I have foisted the band “Personal Trainer” on you before, a
band from Amsterdam who has just put out the album “Human Assholes” that sounds
like what Counting Crows might have sounded like if they were laconic. Not to
say there aren’t barn burners here; there are, but this album comes across a
bit more laid-back than their previous recordings.
I have also exposed you to the band This is Lorelei before,
which is mostly a chap named Nate Amos. The new album is called “The Singer in
My Band” that’s a solid pop-rock outing, but you really need to check out the
track “Hey Sarah Is It Gonna Rain Forever”, with it’s showy guitar riff and
thoughtful lyrics. I’d have added these songs even if I had never heard the
band before.
Do you miss Husker Du? Then you need to hear The Tubs and
their new album “Hard Life”. Fast, energetic non-frills pop rock with a bit of
attitude. These guys would have been the cream of the crop in the 80’s scene
that spurned bands like this. Worth your time.
What else is there this week? How about a “new” Robert Plant
song that was actually a record store day exclusive from last year? Call it off
releasing yet another album of Taylor Swift covers, re-imagines as post-punk
music? Jesus Jones hitting with the best single so far from their upcoming album?
Tik-Tok sensation Jake Bugg giving his first hints of a studio album? Stabbing
Westward completely remaking their breakthrough album? Alabama Shakes dropping
a new album that might be their most introspective? There’s just so much!
Enjoy!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And because I love you, here’s a song I deliberately skipped this week, Vulfmon (Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton) just showing off, basically.
