Thursday, October 3, 2024

First Listen: New Releases for 27 September 2024

Artist: John Davis
Album: JINX
Quick Thoughts: "Sucked Out" by Superdrag is basically the quintessential alt-rock song of my high school years. I associate it with the station tag for WBCN, I probably sing the opening verse once a week, and so on. The band had a few great albums before breaking up, and have done the requisite reunion stuff, but lead singer and songwriter John Davis has kept busy throughout it all. JINX was apparently meant to be a new Superdrag record, but it's released under his name and it's honestly and truly an amazing throwback. Loved everything about this, it's power pop the way it's meant to be, and I'm really looking forward to more time with it.
Songs of Note: "The Future," "Please Be My Love," "Already Drowned," "Free to Fall," "In Between the Waves," "I'm Sorry"

Artist: JD McPherson
Album: Nite Owls
Quick Thoughts: I don't always gel with blues rock, but something about JD McPherson connects with me. This album is perhaps my favorite of his recent efforts, with so many songs that have catchy-as-hell melodies and great guitar work throughout. Just an awesome listen across the board, worth your time.
Songs of Note: "Sunshine Getaway," "I Can't Go Anywhere With You," "The Rock and Roll Girls," "Baby Blues," "The Phantom Lover of New Rochelle"

Artist: Sløtface
Album: Film Buff
Quick Thoughts: Ah, Sløtface. Consistently great, consistently a little on the edges, and this new album is a great breath of fresh air. I've been into "Real Piece of Shit" for a few months now, and it's just such a fun self-aware record that's a good time had by all.
Songs of Note: "I Used To Be a Real Piece of Shit," "Final Gørl," "Ladies of the Fight," "Tired Old Dog," "The Great Escape"

Artist: Merce Lemon
Album: Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild
Quick Thoughts: This is a buzzy folk-adjacent listen that was recommended from a few different directions for me this week. Merce Lemon's approach feels new and different in a lot of ways, with a sharpness to it that mixes incredibly well with the musical tones she puts forward. "Backyard Lover" is a true highlight in an album full of them, but you should make sure this hits your rotation.
Songs of Note: "Backyard Lover," "Slipknot," "Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild"

Artist: Desperate Journalist
Album: No Hero
Quick Thoughts: A couple quick hits: Desperate Journalist's anthemic, soaring rock music does a ton of great things here, as they always do. Don't miss their repurposing of the old folk tune "Shenandoah," either.
Songs of Note: "Underwater," "7," "Unsympathetic Parts 1 and 2," "Consolation Prize," "Afraid"

Artist: Being Dead
Album: EELS
Quick Thoughts: Ken threw this one my way and it's another fun sort of punky/alt hybrid that kicks your behind into gear. "Problems" is great, "Ballerina" has layers. This is a great listen.
Songs of Note: "Problems," "Firefighters," "Big Bovine," "Ballerina," "Rock n' Roll Hurts"

Of note:

* Alan Sparhawk - White Roses, My God (First post-Low solo release from Alan Sparhawk, very strange and compelling.)
* SOPHIE - SOPHIE (Posthumous release from the pioneering electronic performer/producer.)
* Lady Gaga - Harlequin (Not quite a Joker: Folie à Deux soundtrack, but a jazzy companion.)
* Tama Gucci - Notes to Self
* Lane 8 - Childish
* Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin - symbiont
* TSHA - Sad Girl
* Kit Sebastian - New Internationale
* Zeur - Voicenotes
* Kill Lincoln - No Normal
* Ben Bohmer - Bloom
* Xiu Xiu - 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips
* Claude Fontaine - La Mer
* Streets Soprano - U Hear Me 2
* Kate Bollinger - Songs From A Thousand Frames of Mind
* Ezra Collective - Dance, No One's Watching
* Sun Araw - Lifetime
* The Telescopes - Halo Moon
* Naima Bock - Below a Massive Dark Land
* Pale Waves - Smitten
* Anna Erhard - Botanical Garden
* Olivia Kaplan - Afterlife
* Christian Lee Hutson - Paradise Pop. 10
* The Bobby Tenderloin Universe - Satan is a Woman
* duendita - the mind is a miracle
* Mediocre - Growth Eater
* Mallory Chipman - Songs to a Wild God
* MOMI - MOMI001
* The Asteroid No. 4 - Several Shapes of Solar Flares
* Dolores Forever - It's Nothing
* fantasy of a broken heart - Feats of Engineering
* Happy Accidents - Edit Undo
* Billy Strings - Highway Prayers
* A Deer A Horse - Texas Math
* Big Bill - Strawberry Seed
* Bambies - Snotty Angels
* International Music - Endless Ruttenscheid
* Schande - Once Around
* William Basinski - September 23rd
* Mr. Gnome - A Sliver of Space
* Klara Lewis - Thankful
* Feeling Figures - Everything Around You
* Trap Girl - The Savage Goddess
* Fuxx Jaxx and CoolOutSessions - This Water is Life, Vol. IV
* Burp. - Acid Reflux
* Thomas Padilla - This old rose
* Habibi - Dreamachine

EPs:

* Sunday (1994) - Sunday (1994) (Radio-friendly indie-alt.)
* Freya McKee - Lychee Juice
* JDM Global - Concrete Beach
* Palm Ghosts - Facades 3 - Channeling
* Sunflower Bean - Shake
* Goldie Boutiller - The Actress
* Show Me The Body - CORPUS II EP II
* Parlour Bells - To Be Or Not To Behave
* Serj Tankian - Foundations
* Mr. Texas: The Musical!
* Mother Mother - Mother

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Tropical Fuck Storm - Tropical Fuck Storm's Inflatable Graveyard (Live album of sorts.)
* Tove Lo - Queen of the Clouds: X
* Six Organs of Admittance - Companion Rises (Twig Harper Remix)
* Ministry of Beets, Vol. 4: Crate Archaeology
* Outerloop - DCxPC Live, Vol. 24: Distrito Music Fest 2023
* Kacy Hill - BUG - Sped Up
* Roger Eno - the skies: rarities
* WILLOW - ceremonial contrafact (empathogen deluxe)

Also out:

* Soul Asylum - Slowly But Shirley
* Kimbra - Idols & Vices (Vol. 1)
* Albin Lee Meldau - Discomforts

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