If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Mason Poole While we tend to think of Allison Russell as more of a folk artist, her latest single is far from that genre. "Cold April" features Kara Jackson, Denitia, and Explore! Pop Choir (Russell's daughter, Ida's, choir), and fits more into a pop category. It borders the line between mainstream pop and alt-pop, but either way it's a fun, and great single. It mixes plenty of soul and R&B into a pop sound, but pop is the dominant sound, especially once the choir kicks in towards the end. "Cold April" is anything but cold sounding. It's an upbeat and sunny track, and is going to have a strong appeal to a wide range of music fans. Allison Russell says of her latest single: "Things are rough. Things have been rough before.Cold April is not laying out the grim facts of the moment. Cold April asks if we can let the music itself restore and recharge us. The act of singing with my sisters, Kara Jackson and Denitia, is a balm for my soul,...

Artist : GIFT Album : Momentary Presence Quick Thoughts : A psychy, fuzzy affair that stood out in the early goings this week. This debut checks a lot of specific indie boxes for me, and the result is a truly interesting effort. A great listen, and one worth the time in a busy week. Songs of Note : "Gumball Garden," "Pez" Artist : Plains Album : I Walked With You a Ways Quick Thoughts : Plains is a new roots project from Jess Williamson and Katie Crutchfield/Waxahatchee, and it's great. It's an honest homage to Americana without feeling overdone, and if you didn't know the personalities aligned with this you'd probably think Plains is the Next Big Thing. Don't miss out on this one, it's absolutely one of the best of the week. Songs of Note : "Summer Sun," "Problem With It," "No Record of Wrongs" Artist : PVA Album : BLUSH Quick Thoughts : I can't say I knew who PVA was prior to this week, but this...