Tuesday, June 4, 2019

First Listen: New Releases for 31 May

A slowish week, so this week's highlights include some we missed recently:


Artist: Pip Blom
Album: Boat
Quick Description: Debut album from a favorite here.
Why You Should Listen: Feels like we've been waiting forever for this.
Overall Thoughts: Pip Blom has been releasing music for some time, but never as a cohesive package until now. The cohesive package? It's a great slice of fuzzy indie pop with the right balance of weird melodies and infection hooks, this is an album that was a fast favorite this week and might end up having some staying power for me. "Daddy Issues," an early single and the lead track, sets the tone with the most accessible Pip Blom track yet, and keeps its foot on the gas throughout. A must-listen.
Recommendation: Best of the week, and one of the best of the year.


Artist: Kitty Kat Fan Club
Album: Dreamy Little You
Quick Description: Indie supergroup with their first collective album.
Why You Should Listen: For a band put together just so a bunch of locals could play music together, this is great.
Overall Thoughts: There have been dribs and drabs of music put out by Kitty Kat Fan Club over the years, but this first full album is the sort of indie pop punk we look for. A tight group of musicians making tight music that will stick in your craw? Not much more to ask for here.
Recommendation: Highly recommended.


Artist: Fucko
Album: Social Climber
Quick Description: Boston-area indie rock.
Why You Should Listen: The name is more aggressive than the music.
Overall Thoughts: I am really into this album from earlier this spring. I tripped up on them in a Twitter thread about Halfsour (profiled last week), and found this album to be a really solid listen on a whole. Feels like the sort of semi-lo-fi alt-rock of the past, this just works on all accounts.
Recommendation: Give it a listen.


Artist: Kim Thompsett
Album: The Hollows
Quick Description: Spooky folky goodness.
Why You Should Listen: This has some dark underpinnings to go with the stark, interesting instrumentation.
Overall Thoughts: I loved my experience with this album. I hesitate to call it dark folk, but it's the closest comp I can make in many regards given how this is presented. While this won't work for everyone, I loved this often-minimalist effort quite a bit, and wanted to make sure it didn't fall through the cracks.
Recommendation: Worth your time.

Of note:

* Chris Brokaw - End of the Night
* J. Robbins - Unbecoming
* Jenn Grant - Love, Inevitable
* JR JR - Invocations / Conversations
* Her Wicked Heart - To Love To Live To Leave
* Rose Hotel - I Will Only Come When It's a Yes
* Doug Tuttle - Dream Road
* Gemma - Feeling's Not a Tempo
* ionnalee - REMEMBER THE FUTURE

Seven Song Albums:

* Fujiya and Miyagi - Flashback

EPs:

* Sarah Davachi - Pale Bloom
* Tiffy - Fire Sale
* Bloodshot Bill - Hang Ten with Bloodshot Bill
* TV COMA - Body Negativity
* Esya - Absurdity of Atcg, Pt. 1
* XYLØ - yes & no

Also out:

* The Gotobeds - Debt Begins at 30
* Apex Manor - Heartbreak City
* Left Lane Cruiser - Shake and Bake

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