First Listen: New Releases and More Missed Music for 8 July 2022

Artist: Laura Veirs
Album: Found Light
Quick Thoughts: It's been a little while since the last album from Laura Veirs, and this latest effort provides more of the great indie songwriting Laura Veirs is so good at. This album retains some of the jagged edges we've come to expect while retaining the unique melodic structures that I fell for way back in the Carbon Glacier era. If you're a fan, you don't want to miss this. If you are new, this is as good a place as any to start out.
Songs of Note: "Time Will Show You," "Winter Windows"

Artist: The Deslondes
Album: Ways & Means
Quick Thoughts: Yes, we love The Deslondes here, and yes, this album is a great demonstration of why. This is great roots record with solid songwriting and it is both a serious effort and doesn't take itself too too seriously. The delivery of the whole package sets this apart, and I just found more and more to love during its runtime. Don't ignore this one.
Songs of Note: "Good to Go," "South Dakota Wild One," "Howl at the Moon," "Wild Eden"

Artist: Spiral Stairs
Album: Medley Attack
Quick Thoughts: The new album from the Pavement side project is the sort of accessible indie rock that we don't hear as often anymore. Pavement is a nostalgia act in a lot of ways for people around our age, and this record is different enough (as most of Scott Kannberg's work shows) without losing its indie credibility. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and you might, too.
Songs of Note: "Too Late," "Time = Cuz"

Artist: Viagra Boys
Album: Cave World
Quick Thoughts: We tripped up on Viagra Boys with their previous album and the truly hilarious "Sports." This new album definitely doesn't let up, and perhaps turns the snark up to 11 on a lot of songs, but it's a pretty addictive listen. The slurred delivery, the crunchy guitars, the whole package is really a fun listen that's much better than the name of the band might indicate. Put this into your rotation.
Songs of Note: "Baby Criminal," "Punk Rock Loser," "The Cognitive Trade-Off Hypothesis," "Ain't No Thief," "Return to Monke"

Artist: Momma
Album: Household Name
Quick Thoughts: I missed this one last week and regret it, because, for all my love of that 1990s alt-rock sound, I keep tripping up on new acts that are perfecting it, like Momma. Household Name is a masterclass in this type of effort, and some of the songs in particular are among the best of the year. Do not hesitate, just give this a listen.
Songs of Note: "Lucky," "Brave"

Artist: Katie Bejsiuk
Album: The Woman on the Moon
Quick Thoughts: A shout-out for this album, a proper solo debut from Free Cake for Every Creature's chief singer and songwriter. If you were a fan of that act before, with its quiet lo-fi approach, you'll find plenty to love with this album as well. Just a gorgeous, and oftentimes heartbreaking, listen that shouldn't be missed.
Songs of Note: "Feels Right," "Tourmaline," "Olive, NY," "Nightloop"

Of note:

* Anna Butterss - Activities (I struggle with jazzy/jazz-adjacent music, but liked this quite a bit.)
* renforshort - dear amelia (Excellent pop album.)
* Cave States - Liminal
* Apollo Brown - This Must Be the Place
* Wu-Lu - LOGGERHEAD
* Mush - Down Tools
* Caterina Barbieri - Spirit Exit
* Ead Wood - People, Stories, World Etc
* Katy J Pearson - Sound of the Morning
* NoSo - Stay Proud of Me
* Metric - Formentera
* Sniffany and The Nits - The Unscratchable Itch

EPs:

* PACKS - WOAH
* Paul Jacobs - 185 on the Corner
* Wet - Pink Room
* Rapport - Floating Through the Wonderwave
* Fiver - Soundtrack to a More Radiant Sphere: The Joe Wallace Mixtape
* Royksopp - Profound Mysteries Remixes
* Ricky Desktop and Bobby Sasquatch - The Sax Beats EP, Volume 2

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Kid Cudi - The Boy Who Flew to the Moon (Vol. 1) (A greatest hits package.)

* "Pearl Jam - Gigaton (Tour Edition)
Also out:

* Delicate Steve - After Hours
* Titus Bank - Hopeless and Romantic
* Sally Decker and Briana Marela - Small Tremble in Slow Motion
* Bad Breeding - Human Capital