Album: The Vandoliers
Quick Thoughts: We've been fans of The Vandoliers for a while, and this latest album is yet another great rootsy effort. They're so good at what they do in so many ways that it's difficult to find much fault in it, but it's just such a fun, classic sounding listen in many regards that it's difficult to find much fault in it. If you like the country flavor of things, give this a listen.
Songs of Note: "The Lighthouse," "Bless Your Drunken Heart," "I Hope Your Heartache's a Hit"
Album: Brady Street
Quick Thoughts: Dead Horses have been around for a while, but I'm new to them. This album impressed me over and over again, and I loved so many songs from it - it's the sort of listenable folk that should be more popular than it is, and I don't know why it took me so long to discover them. You will fall in love with this album, I'm pretty certain of it.
Songs of Note: "Brady Street," "It's All Good," "Ok Kid," "Under Grey Skies"
Album: Things Will Be Different
Quick Thoughts: Lauren Balthrop is also new to me, and I did love what this album is doing. There's a true lo-fi quality to it that is unexpected in a lot of ways, but if you can hear songs like "Get Lost" and "Piece of Shit" and not be enamoured, I don't know what it will take.
Songs of Note: "Get Lost," "Bringing Me Down," "Piece of Shit"
Album: In My Car
Quick Thoughts: We like Rat Tally here and there are a number of awesome moments in their long-awaited debut. A nice slice of indie alt-rock, this balances the louder rocking stuff with some introspective softer songs, and I honestly think this would be a highlight in any week, not just a quieter release window. Absolutely take some time with this one.
Songs of Note: "Longshot," "Zombies"
Of note:
* Mariel Buckley - Everywhere I Used to Be (A number of great moments here.)
* Tobe Nwigwe - moMINTS ("'Round here, if it smell funny, onions getting peeled" is a great line.)
* Hudson Mohawke - Cry Sugar
* Tony Molina - In the Fade
* Ohsees - A Foul Form
* Kiwi jr. - Chopper
* Sylvan Esso - No Rules Sandy
* Danger Mouse and Black Thought - Cheat Codes
* Kelsey Waldon - No Regular Dog
* Workhorse - No Photographs
EPs:
* Your Old Droog - Yodney Dangerfield
* 3l3d3p - PLYGRND
* Amythyst Kiah - Pensive Pop
* Young the Giant - ACT II: EXILE
* Texas Highway Killers - Texas Highway Killers
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* Danny Elfman - Bigger. Messier. (Truly chaotic collection of remixes and collaborations.)
Also out:
* Erasure - Day-Glo (Based on a True Story)
* Collective Soul - Vibrating
