If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Various Artists Album : The Problem of Leisure: A Celebration of Andy Gill and Gang of Four Quick Thoughts : This isn't a tribute album as much as a collaboration between the late Andy Gill and the artists that came on board to cover their favorite Gang of Four songs. I don't consider myself a connoisseur of Gang of Four, and really only know the big hits (if you can call them that), but this collection is really solid. There are plenty of highlights, but what's most interesting is how well many of these newer acts fit their own sound into the Gang of Four model. The Tom Morello/Serj Tankian one in particular is awesome. Either way, make some time for this no matter where you fall within your Gang of Four fandom. Songs of Note : "Damaged Goods" (by Idles), "To Hell With Poverty" (by HOTEl), "I Love a Man in a Uniform" (by Herbert Gronemeyer and Alex Silva), "Natural's Not In It" (by Tom Morello and Serj Tankian) A...

A busy week! Album of the Week : Artist : Anna Tivel Album : Small Believer Quick Description : Latest from a favorite folkie. Why You Should Listen : Anna Tivel is crazy consistent. Overall Thoughts : Ken has raved about Anna Tivel before, and I’ve been jumping back and forth on her back catalog since he turned me onto her. The new album? It’s predictably great. There’s a reason we’re a big fan of hers here, and while she’s not trying to reinvent the wheel with her brand of folk music, there’s something to be said about nearly perfecting it. This is a solid listen for this week, and definitely worth your time. Recommendation : My favorite of the week. Artist : Keep Shelly in Athens Album : Philokalia Quick Description : Weird, yet accessible, electronic music. Why You Should Listen : Keep Shelly in Athens has been under the radar too long. Overall Thoughts : I missed the release last year, but the release from a few years ago was of interest to me. This new album ...

My #9 album this year is Wolf Alice, an album I loved when I first heard it and really couldn't let go of at all. If this didn't come out the same week as Bully's Feels Like , it was very very close, and I think the two bands will forever be aligned in my brain because of how they filled the same sort of throwback alt-rock aesthetic, but in very different ways. The Bully album did not make my top 10, but was a contender for a time, and Wolf Alice ultimately came out ahead because there are just so many interesting things going on. You have more straightforward stuff like "Moaning Lisa Smile," you have a great alt-rock groove in "Freazy," and album opener "Turn to Dust" sets the table for one of the better audio rides of the year for me. Overall, this was a must listen months ago when it came out, and it's a must listen now. Absolutely one of my favorites of the year, as well as one of the best musical albums, and it's streaming ...

Some minor housecleaning notes - with the music industry moving to a universal Friday release date, the current plan is to move First Listen to Monday or Tuesday (Monday preferred, but the real world gets in the way and all that). With it will be a slightly different format as well, so stay tuned. The understanding is that the first Friday release day will be July 10, so either the July 6 or July 13 releases will be impacted by the change, and I still haven't seen a straight answer. Either way, stay tuned. New releases are afoot! Four Tet - Morning/Evening : Four Tet had a surprise release this week with Morning/Evening , a solid listen for sure but one that is unliekly to excite people who aren't already inclined to be into Four Tet. I really liked it, perhaps even more than the previous effort, but this won't be for everyone. Richard Thompson - Still : Richard Thompson is one of those classic acts (" Wall of Death " is still an awesome song, and I...