Tuesday, February 18, 2020

First Listen: New Releases for 14 February

A handful of things you might love this Valentine's Day release day.


Artist: Tracy McNeil and the GoodLife
Album: You Be the Lightning
Quick Description: Mature melodic rock.
Why You Should Listen: Music that is definitely geared toward our age group here while not making me feel old.
Overall Thoughts: This one grew on me over time. Definitely has an adult rock radio feel, sometimes really getting me a Fleetwood Mac feel early on and sometimes a Wallflowers-esque model, but on a whole, this is a really pleasant listen on a whole and one that I would ultimately hate to see sail under the radar. There’s a lot of talent here and a lot of strong songwriting across the board that shouldn’t be missed.
Recommendation: A worthwhile listen this week.


Artist: Eyelids
Album: The Accidental Falls
Quick Description: Decemberists side project goes from good to great.
Why You Should Listen: There's some solid indie music throughout here.
Overall Thoughts: Did Eyelids become a supergroup when we weren’t looking? The result of this Peter Buck-produced is a great slice of indie rock that pretty much exceeds the expectations you might have had for it. As someone who has never fully been on board with them up to now, this was a wonderful breath of fresh air and a favorite this week.
Recommendation: Make time for it.


Artist: Shadow Show
Album: Silhouettes
Quick Description: Stilted psych-pop-rock.
Why You Should Listen: This is fresh and different, and something that I loved almost from the first note.
Overall Thoughts: Definitely wanted to highlight this as a sort of minimalist rock effort with some bite to it. I was consistently impressed by this and its somewhat-minimalist aesthetic to go along with great songwriting.
Recommendation: Don't miss this one.


Artist: Beach Bunny
Album: Honeymoon
Quick Description: Great 90s-ish alt-rock.
Why You Should Listen: A pretty polished rock affair.
Overall Thoughts: I've been waiting for this album for a while now, and this was a pretty solid listen on a whole. While it definitely stays in its lane, this is a perfectly delectable little effort that more than met my expectations. Great if you've been waiting for the next thing in the Charly Bliss/Kitten/etc. zone.
Recommendation: A solid album.

Of note:

* Little Misty - Little Misty (Lots of solid moments here.)
* Tami Neilson - CHICABOOM! (Often-fun retro songs.)
* Cindy Lee - What's Tonight to Eternity (A strange, but enjoyable, listen.)
* John Forte - Riddem Drive
* Nathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still Alright
* Personality Cult - New Arrows
* The Ballroom Thieves - Unlovely
* Puss N Boots - Sister
* Tennis - Swimmer
* Kate Gately - Loom
* Tame Impala - Slow Rush
* Gabriel Bernini - Sweeties
* Mush - 3D Routine

Seven Song Albums:

* Huey Lewis and The News - Weather
* Le Burcherettes - Don't Bleed

EPs:

* Lydia Ainsworth - Phantom Forest - String Remixes
* XYLO - The Ganglands of My Heart
* Ratboys - Anj
* Store Front - Task
* GHOST GRL - Rewired

Also out:

* Anvil - Legal at Last
* Posehn - Grandpa Metal
* Jeph - Mon Pays
* $uicideboy$ - Stop Staring at the Shadows

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