If It's Too Loud...

Some blog favorites have releases this week, and there's yet another situation where there's not a bad album in the bunch. Why waste any more time? Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - After : Lady Lamb's previous album, Ripely Pine , was a top 10 album for both Ken and I a couple years ago, so to say this album was long-awaited would be an understatement. What I didn't expect is to like this one even more than Ripely Pine . The album is still left of center, to be sure, but the music itself has shifted toward a more accessible tone without sacrificing what makes it great. The first two songs alone really won me over, but it's the whole album, and the continued maturity growth of the songwriting that's ultimately going to make it continue being an album I listen to repeatedly. Far and away the album of the week, it will probably be discussed a few more times before this year is out at the very least. Purity Ring - Another Eternity : The indie electropop entry of t...

Buxton truly has this bizarre, unique sound that took me a little while to place. They take the arena ready Americana of today (Houndmouth, The Avett Brothers, etc) and mix it with a tiny bit of 90s quirky indie rock (Pavement, The Archers of Loaf). It takes what is quickly becoming a crowded field that's frankly becoming tired, and brings this whole new level to it.  Right now, in advance of their full length Half a Native, which is due out on March 3, Buxton is offering their An Unfamiliar History EP  for free on Noisetrade. The first song, "Miss Catalina" (which you can listen to here ), is this bizarre power-folk/Sonic Youth hybrid that is just epic. It comes in at a little over 4 minutes, but feels like a "Teenage Riot" style jam that is somehow poppy as hell. "Icebreaker" is this bizarre honky tonk swing that just degenerates into digital noise at one point, like Pokey LaFarge got into some psychedelics.  Check out Buxton's website for...