Album: The Forest is the Path
Quick Thoughts: There was a time where Snow Patrol was one of my favorite bands. Their post-Eyes Open work hasn't grabbed me quite the way their early stuff did even though they've legitimately become one of the biggest bands in the world over that time. The Forest is not a return to form by any means, but it is a collection of compelling songs that demand attention and is worth the time this week on a whole. I'm glad they're as huge as they are, 25 years later, and glad there's still good stuff coming out as well.
Songs of Note: "The Beginning," "Everything's Here and Nothing's Lost," "Hold Me In the Fire," "Never Really Tire"
Album: Moon Mirror
Quick Thoughts: Nada Surf continues to be one of the indie-rock standardbearers with Moon Mirror, an album that remains as high-quality as basically every album they've put out since shedding "one hit wonder" from their description. Reminds me a lot of The Weight is a Gift in many regards, so check it out.
Songs of Note: "In Front of Me Now," "Losing," "Intel and Dreams," "Open Seas," "X is You," "Give Me The Sun"
Album: The Greatest Love
Quick Thoughts: With London Grammar's latest, we get a peek at the band's raw nerves in a way we haven't seen before. Lead single and highlight "Fakest Bitch" is an angry little thing and the whole album has a dark tone in contrast to their more dusky past. A great listen.
Songs of Note: "House," "Fakest Bitch," "LA," "Kind of Man," "Into Gold"
Album: No Way to Relax When You Are On Fire
Quick Thoughts: I've enjoyed Dora Jar for a while now and I wanted to highlight her full-length debut if only because "Ragdoll" and "Holy Water" keep trading places in my head and I don't want it to stop. Great indie record here.
Songs of Note: "Ragdoll," "She Loves Me," "Behind the Curtain," "Holy Water"
Album: Devourer
Quick Thoughts: Yes, it feels like every legacy Pitchfork flavor of the month is putting out albums this week. Cursive continues making emo music for people who really hate emo kids, and 20-odd years in, the angst still doesn't feel contrived and we're just seeing one great listen after another. "The Avalanche of Our Demise" is a highlight, for sure, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.
Songs of Note: "Botch Job," "Up and Away," "The Avalanche of Our Demise," "What the Fuck," "Consumers," "The Age of Impotence"
Album: Fight the Real Terror
Quick Thoughts: In "bands that should have been bigger" news, My Brightest Diamond's latest made me think to myself that this group should have been at least as big as Florence and the Machine. The sort of torchy, anthemic sounds that both acts do well with are on full display here, with some sharp elbows to go along with it. Loved this album, one of the week's best.
Songs of Note: "Fight the Real Terror," "Rocket in My Pocket," "Rule Breaker," "Have You Ever Seen an Angel"
Album: No Hard Feelings
Quick Thoughts: We love our country-folk singer-songwriters here, and Emily Frembgen is a name to keep in mind. "Drink Tonight" is classic stuff, "Fentanyl" a heartbreaker, but "Harder/Easier" is the song that best exemplifies this record, and shows the range she's capable of. Looking forward to getting back to it.
Songs of Note: "Are You Listening?" "Drink Tonight," "Fentanyl," "Harder/Easier"
Album: Vida Violet
Quick Thoughts: Zookraught - are they punk? Are they electroclash? Does it matter when it's this much fun? This will not be for everybody, but it was aggressively for me and was one of those listens that made me pay a lot closer attention. Really great record, worth your time.
Songs of Note: "Burn," "Brain Dead," "Matchstick"
Of note:
* Snotty Nose Rez Kids - RED FUTURE (Still one of the best indigeonous rap groups out there.)
* Divine Sweater - A Time for Everything (Viciously gorgeous.)
* Bad Moves - Wearing Out the Refrain (Infectious alt/indie.)
* Bones UK - Soft (Not sure how to define this except that it's great.)
* Luminatrix - Hide and Seek
* julie - my anti-aircraft friend
* Leavs - Natura Universal
* Sparxea - On the Sea
* knitting - Some Kind of Heaven
* phoneswithchords - The Speed of Time
* Clark - In Camera
* Julie Dawson - Bottom of the Pool
* Allegra Krieger - Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine
* Nilufer Yanya - My Method Actor
* The Lasso and The Go Rounds - Petal Steel
* Mermaid Chunky - slif slaf slof
* Lunar Vacation - Everything Matters, Everything's Fire
* Hello Mary - Emita Ox
* Melt - If There's a Heaven
* TR/ST - Performance
* ionnalee - Close Your Eyes
* Dear Rouge - Lonesome High
* DEADLETTER - Hysterical Strength
* Kalandra - A Frame of Mind
* Nando Reis - Misteriosa
* Floating Points - Cascade
* Alana Wilkinson - Half Time Oranges
* Taylor Acorn - Survival in Motion
* Talib Kweli and J. Rawls - The Confidence of Knowing
* Plastic - Crabwalk
* Fontanarosa - Take a Look at the Sea
* Chastity - Chastity
* Wendy Eisenberg - Viewfinder
* The Meffs - What a Life
* Foxing - Foxing
* Caleb Landry Jones - Hey Gary, Hey Dawn
* Krakow Loves Adana - I Saw You I Saw Myself
* World's Greatest Dad - Better Luck Next Time
* The Reds, Pinks and Purples - The World Doesn't Need Another Band
* The Mystery Lights - Purgatory
* C'est Karma - how to peel an orange
EPs:
* Tony Kamel - Songs That Made Me Weird, Vol. 1 (His version of "Santa Monica" by Everclear might be better than the original.)
* Go Betty Go - Black and Blue
* Malin Pettersen - Seasons
* INJI - We Good
* mui zyu - nothing or something to die for - Cantonese tasting menu
* Hayley and The Crushers - Unsubscribe from the Underground
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* R.E.M. - We Are Hope Despite the Times (Digital-only compilation of their more political/socially conscious tracks.)
* Clem Snide - Smothers and Covered Vol 2
* Robyn Hitchcock - 1967: Vacations in the Past
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