If It's Too Loud...

Back on March 24, Lana del Ray released her new album Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd. In a move reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix covering "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" three days after that album was released, last week Hallelujah the Hills quietly released their own version of the title song. It's a spot on cover with only different instrumentation being the main difference. (And obviously singer Ryan H Walsh doesn't sound like Lana del Ray.) "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd" works surprisingly well as a more organic alt-rock/indie folk song under the style of Hallelujah the Hills. Plus, there's not a shred of the irony you would have found in an indie band covering a pop hit back in the 90's. This is more akin to Elvis Costello's version of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," in that it proves to middle age rock snobs that the original is actually a great song. You can listen...

Artist : Melissa Carper Album : Daddy's Country Gold Quick Thoughts : That this came out the same week as a Loretta Lynn album is amusing, because this is some great throwback country. The retro feel from presentation to the actual music feels pure and honest, which isn't always the case with country acts that seem to keep their tongues in cheek. But when you have a song like "Would You Like to Get Some Goats?" how can you resist? Songs of Note : "Back When," "Old Fashioned Gal," "Would You Like to Get Some Goats?" Artist : Friedberg Album : YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH Quick Thoughts : This is only a five-song, 16-minute EP, but my goodness, it is all killer no filler. The first four songs are all addictive poppy bangers, and the closing track, "Your Hollywood," cools things down perfectly. This is probably my favorite overall release this week. Songs of Note : "Pass Me On," "Lizzy" ...

2/3rds through the year. With that said, not a ton of highlights in what was otherwise a busy week... Artist : !!! Album : Wallop Quick Description : The dance punks back again with another great listen. Why You Should Listen : They've been the model of consistency for ages. Overall Thoughts : I love !!! and they can do no wrong. The new album? More of what they do best while still evolving with the times. The lead track is awesome and the album simply flows all the way through. New converts always welcome, but this will not disappoint longtime fans, either. Recommendation : A favorite for me this week. Artist : Lana Del Rey Album : Norman Fucking Rockwell! Quick Description : Latest from the retro pop songstress. Why You Should Listen : Lana Del Rey occupies a space all her own. Overall Thoughts : No one else sounds like Lana Del Ray, and this album might be one of her more accessible efforts. I never quite know what to make of her on a whole, but that is not...

I feel like this was a slow release week, and yet I wanted to listen to most of what came out. Album of the Week : Artist : Nicole Atkins Album : Goodnight, Rhonda Lee Quick Description : Pitch-perfect classic country-pop. Why You Should Listen : Nicole Atkins is always solid, and this is her best yet. Overall Thoughts : Nicole Atkins is always great, and she goes full retro-country with a pitch-perfect love letter to singers of old. It’s such a fun and refreshing listen with a lot of really great songs on it, and is easily my favorite listen of the week. Recommendation : Just give this a shot. You won't regret it. Artist : Dizzee Rascal Album : Raskit Quick Description : UK grime rapper's latest. Why You Should Listen : I've never really listened before, and if I'm this glad I did... Overall Thoughts : I missed the boat on Dizzee Rascall, so I don’t know how this compares with his albums from his popular prime, but if this is anything close to his b...

Another slow week as we enter the summer, but there are a few new highlights out there. The Two Man Gentlemen Band - Enthusiastic Attempts at Hot Swing & String Band Favorites : Blog favorite The Two Man Gentlemen Band is back with a new album of "Hot Swing and String Band Favorites," which is something they've done live for a while now. It's the typical high quality from The Gentlemen we've expected, and it's also nice to know that scoring Disney cartoons hasn't really impacted the band on a whole. Definitely another solid release from one of my favorite groups. Yuko Yuko - Babes : I only heard about Yuko Yuko from some other music blogs. It's lo-fi Casio-style electronic music, and almost feels ironic to a fault. I don't hate this, mind you, but I can see it being pretty grating to some listeners. With that said, if you can accept the premise, there are some solid songs on here worth hearing. Say Hi - Endless Wonder : Say Hi is a b...

There's already been an excellent documentary about Daniel Johnston (2005's The Devil and Daniel Johnston ), and now we're getting a short film starring Daniel Jonhston. Directed by Gabriel Sunday, Hi, How Are You will be "...  a musical tale of an aging artist encountering psychedelic dreams, nightmares, and characters from his past." What's getting the most attention on the interwebs have been the celebrity backers. Frat rapper Mac Miller coughed up $10,000 for an executive producer credit. Lana Del Rey (she of insane internet overhype followed by insane internet hate over a mediocre at worst SNL appearance) also donated huge. Johnston has always had huge supporters in the world of music, and it's actually great to see a younger generation embrace him so strongly. For more information on the film, head on over to the Kickstarter page .