If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Doves Album : Constellations for the Lonely Quick Thoughts : Doves are back with a new album that feels like what we expect from the veteran act. "Renegade" is up there with some of the best work they've put out, and it's a superlative, comfortable listen overall. Not a ton to say except that it's a highlight of the week. Songs of Note : "Renegade," "Cold Dreaming," "A Drop In the Ocean" Artist : SASAMI Album : Blood on the Silver Screen Quick Thoughts : Since going solo from Cherry Glazerr, SASAMI has carved out a pretty cool niche for herself over the course of a few albums and EPs. Each one has built upon the previous, and this latest effort, positioned in part as her "pop record," is really so much more than that. There are a lot of unforgettable, excellent songs here that straddle the line between indie pop, retrowave, and singer-songwriter stuff ("Slugger" in particular is one of the bett...

Photo by Athena Merry The latest single from Winter (aka Samira Winter) really skirts the line between indie rock and indie pop. "good" has much more guitar than your typical indie pop song, but Winter's vocals are almost pure pop. This one is reminding me a lot of classics from bands like Mazzy Star and The Sundays, but somehow a little more edgy and more pop than those two bands. The guitars in "good" just have a little too much crunch in them (especially toward the end), but there is also an odd lilt in the guitar. Winter has created this song that lives in both worlds and is perfect for fans of either. There is a lot to love in this one. Samira Winter says of the new song: “This song is intoxicating.  SASAMI has such a strong presence and voice, she really turned up the notch in how alluring and seductive this song feels.” You can watch the video for "good" below. What Kind of Blue Are You? is due out October 14 on Bar/None Records, and can be pre-...

Artist : Alyssa Gengos Album : Mechanical Sweetness Quick Thoughts : I did not know of Alyssa Gengos before this week, and I am wholly impressed. There are so many good and interesting songs here, and the top-notch songwriting is just off the beaten path enough to be more compelling than most. She previously released music under the name Kyrthia, so I'll be looking back for that sooner rather than later, but for now, enjoy this. Songs of Note : "Gothenburg English," "Me and My Reflection," "Mechanical Sweetness" Artist : Carson McHone Album : Still Life Quick Thoughts : Carson McHone provides my rootsy favorite of the week, with some tightly wound songs that lean heavily on the country side without stepping fully into the boot. It makes for a listen that is familiar but also its own thing, and there's something to be said about that. If you're into the rootsier side of things, check this one out. Songs of Note : "Hawks Don't...

With few noteworthy releases over Thanksgiving (those are at the bottom of this post; we'll have more that we missed next week) and some interesting Christmas releases, let's go holiday crazy! Nice List : Josh Rouse - The Holiday Sounds of Josh Rouse : A pleasant, low-key holiday record from a singer-songwriter who has been at it for a long time and nearly always puts out quality work. Completely inoffensive and worth taking some time. Various Artists - A Punk Rock Christmas Volume 2 : As with any compilation like this, you're going to take and leave what is worth hearing here. With that said, this has enough good to at least give it one solid spin and add the stuff you like to a playlist. Molly Burch - The Molly Burch Christmas Album : Beyond this being a truly solid entry into the holiday release schedule, Burch totally understands how silly the whole affair is and the lack of overall seriousness in this album makes it a little fun, too. * Letters to Cleo - ...

Album of the Week : Artist : Stella Donnelly Album : Beware of the Dogs Quick Description : Debut album from a very buzzworthy artist. Why You Should Listen : We've loved what we've heard from her so far. Overall Thoughts : We hopped on the bandwagon with Thrush Metal early, and to say this was one of our most anticipated releases this year would be an understatement. I don’t really know what I expected from this, but an upbeat, direct, almost-British-indie feeling record was an unexpected surprise for me. This is a really fun record in a lot of ways even if the subject matter in the songs is not always the same tone, and it’s something I want to spend a lot more time with if only because there are clearly so many layers to this. This won’t work for everyone, as I can imagine many listeners being turned off by the tone and presentation, but if you are willing to give this the proper time? This is a real gem. Recommendation : Best of the week. Artist : Xeno and Oa...