If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Lydia Loveless Album : Nothing's Gonna Stand in My Way Again Quick Thoughts : We love Lydia Loveless here, and their gradual shift toward a more adult-alternative sound from the more twangy early work felt invevitable until this new album landed, which both feels like a great combination of the new and old while also remaining true to their evolution as an artist. There are so many good songs here, with that now-classic and unmistakable voice to go with some great songwriting. One of the best of the week. Songs of Note : "Poor Boy," "Feel," "Toothache," "Do the Right Thing" Artist : Jenny Owen Youngs Album : Avalanche Quick Thoughts : On one hand, it's been a decade since the last proper Jenny Owen Youngs album, although that is misleading given the amount of music she's made for her Buffy the Vampire Slayer podcast, plus the whole getting married and moving to Maine thing. So here's Avalanche , which is both ex...

Artist : Departure Lounge Album : Transmeridian Quick Thoughts : Songs of Note : "Australia," "Mr. Friendly" Artist : Claire Rousay Album : A Softer Focus Quick Thoughts : Claire Rousay has produced some interesting music for a few years now, and (with the understanding that her more esoteric field recordings-style has some limited appeal), this could be a real breakthrough. This album is a gorgeous mix of often-sparse electronics that feel like they exist in real time, and it makes for a super interesting listen. A lot of buzz aorund this one, and rightly so. Songs of Note : "Peak Chroma" Artist : Emily Kinney Album : The Supporting Character Quick Thoughts : We're Emily Kinney fans here, both of her singing and her acting. This album has some of her most accessible moments yet, such as with "When the Midnight Fireworks Start," and yet it still retains the sort of charm we've come to enjoy from her albums. Great for longtime...

A much busier week than we've been used to! Artist : Jain Album : Souldier Quick Description : Second album from the French pop singer is better than the first. Why You Should Listen : Jain is odd and unique and fun all at once. Overall Thoughts : I forget how I tripped up on Jain's last album, but she has a very unique style that is very appealing. Her new album is somehow better than her previous efforts, with "Flash (Pointe Noir)" being an instant classic and a song, "Inspecta," that is sampling Inspector Gadget ? I'm in. This is probably my favorite listen of the week, and there are too many fun things going on here to ignore. Recommendation : A solid pop release with a lot going for it. Artist : Whitney Ballen Album : You're a Shooting Star, I'm a Sinking Ship Quick Description : Debut from a new favorite here. Why You Should Listen : Ballen is upping the singer-songwriter game here. Overall Thoughts : Ken and I have both b...

Album of the Week : Artist : Mal Blum Album : You Look a Lot Like Me Quick Description : First album on Don Giovanni from the indie rock singer-songwriter, produced by Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females. Why You Should Listen : It's unlike anything released as of late; you enjoy up-front vocals and confessional-style songwriting. Overall Thoughts : This album surprised me in part because I didn't know what to expect, and in part because what I ended up with was something a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I anticipated. You won't find a lot of Screaming Females influence on here, and it's perhaps closer to Courtney Barnett than your standard indie rock women, but this is still a must listen for this week overall. One of the better albums I've heard of late. Recommendation : Solid release, definitively my favorite of the week. Artist : Eagles of Death Metal Album : Zipper Down Quick Description : Fourth album from the Queens of the Stone Ag...