Album: Charm of Yesterday...Convenience of Tomorrow
Quick Thoughts: Barbara Manning is a west coast cult classic, and her new album collects some recent recordings in preparation for a tour, and it's a good reminder both of how talented she is as a musician and how overlooked she's been in the indieverse. As someone who hadn't thought of her in some time, this was a welcome late-year surprise, and I really enjoyed this one.
Songs of Note: "Reverse Disguise," "Twilight," "Heat," "So Much Wine"
Album: Personal
Quick Thoughts: Holding down the pop forts in 2023 is Florrie, who put out a number of solid one-offs over the course of the last few years. Personal compiles those into a bright, beautiful package that feels no filler all killer, and provides a single-shot introduction to a singer-songwriter who will probably make serious waves with her debut album later this year.
Songs of Note: "Borderline," "Walk Away," "Falling Back to You," "Communicate," "Human"
Album: RAT WARS
Quick Thoughts: HEALTH fills in the gap for what I expect industrial music to sound like even though it doesn't sound quite like what others might, if that makes sense. Either way, the band has yet to miss, and RAT WARS is a brash, in-your-face rocker, with "CRACK METAL" in particular being a true favorite.
Songs of Note: "CRACK METAL," "DSM-V"
Album: Shoelace & A Knot
Quick Thoughts: The first release of 2024 and it's setting the bar insanely high. yungatita provides a gorgeous indie pop album with hints of Speedy Ortiz and Alvvays sprinkled among measured uses of drum machines and keyboards. I loved this album so much, and it's a great listen in the new year. Expect big things from this band.
Songs of Note: "Other," "Armchair," "Descenda," "Whiplash," "Pack It Up"
Album: Letter to Self
Quick Thoughts: I tripped up on SPRINTS a few years back with their all-timer "Manifesto", and I have waited impatiently for a full-length ever since. The Dublin band delivers with a rocker worthy of Bully and Wolf Alice with a much more brooding and punk-flavored tone. An amazing listen from a band quickly becoming one of my favorites.
Songs of Note: "Ticking," "Heavy," "Adore Adore Adore," "Can't Get Enough of It," "Literary Mind," "Up and Comer"
Album: Teeth
Quick Thoughts: My favorite EP that I missed was probably this one from Die Spitz. It's a grungy, dirty little record that sounds the way it looks on the cover, and that makes it outstanding. If you can listen to "Groping Dogs" without falling in love with this band, I don't know what to tell you. Can't wait for what comes next.
Songs of Note: "Groping Dogs Gushing Blood," "Chug," "Marrowbone," "Monkey Song"
Of note:
* Negative XP - Breakup Country (Solid power pop.)
* Babitha - Brighter Side of Blue (A fascinating roots-influenced record.)
* Trans-Canada Highwaymen - Explosive Hits Vol. 1 (Canadian supergroup covering Canadian singers/songwriters.)
* Titanic - Vidrio (Gorgeous, atmospheric record.)
* Tulipomania - Dreaming of Sleep
* The Armed - Perfect Saviors
* Spiritual Cramp - Spiritual Cramp
* Rose City Band - Garden Party
* Oh Stone and Will Younts - You Help Me Say It
* Alan Palomo - World of Hassle
* Wild Nothing - Hold
* sundots - Honeyspot
* Gumshoes - Cacophony
* Bunny X - Love Minus 80
* Breeze - Sour Grapes
* Wild Yonder - T.O.A.D.
* Unicorn Hunters - In the Light
* Infinite Chariots - Spirals
* on4word - Selected Aphex Works N64
* Thanks Light... - Wildcatting
* Elephant Seal - Arrest Your Ascent
* A Beacon School - yoyo
* Jittery Jack and Amy Griffin - Tonight's the Night
* Michael Nau - Accompany
* Dorothy Moskowitz - Rising to Eternity
* Reggie Pearl - Twilight Zone
* Body/Negative - everett
* Piers Faccini - Songs I Love Volume II
* Maceo Plex - '93
* Chad Crouch - Columbia Lowlands Soundwalk
* Katie Austra Stelmanis (a.k.a. Austra) - Swan Song
* Ball - Midnight Heat
* Otto Benson - Bobbery
* McKowski - Winter Guitar Hymnals From The Boneyard
* Magnitude - Of Days Renewed...
* Ray Davies - Dog Fights and Shootouts
* Ans M - Cicada Lullaby
* Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
* T'Challa King - The Disco
* Time Unlimited - Poetry in Motion
* Rett Madison - One for Jackie
* Amos Lee - Huneysuckle Switches: The Songs of Lucinda Williams
* Brandie Blaze - Broken Rainbows
* Wax Machine - The Sky Unfurls, The Dance Goes On
* Noonday Underground - Sing It From The Mountain
* The Second Hand Orchestra - So, this is Christmas...
* Chili Beans. - Welcome to My Castle
* Cassidy Paris - New Sensation
* Signal Quest - Hypermyth
* Seven Davis Jr. - Stranger Than Fiction
* Foam and Sand - Foam and Sand
* Krust - Irrational Numbers Vol 3
* Louis. - Indigo Child
* sun electric - Will the World Remember
* Analogue Monsta - Boom
* Small Crush - Penelope
* Wings of Desire - Life is Infinite
* 24thankyou - Everything I Was, Burning Slow
* The Pearl Harts - Love, Chaos
* Saltbreaker and The Lasso - Lake Mist
* Shedfromthebody - Amare
* Yasawa Group - Enter the Chrysalis
* Boyfriend Sushi Town - Player
* The Orwells - Friendly Fire
* The Novembers - The Novembers
* Follakzoid - V
* poem - The Candlelight Underneath Your Stars
* TTRRUUCES - JJUUIICES
* Chris Kage - Cycles
* Dense Blazing Star - Shield
* Hitsujibungaku - 12 hugs (like butterflies)
* Bory - Who's A Good Boy
EPs:
* Divorce - Get Mean (Rocking quick-hit EP.)
* James Kochalka Superstar - All Our Favorite Bands EP
* Lilyisthatyou - POP MUSIC
* Girl With a Hawk - keep 'er lit
* New Age Doom and Tuvaband - There Is No End
* We Are Joiners - NORA
* Florence Manifesto - After Many Pauses
* Ambulanz - II
* surf machine - 5000
* Mom's Home - What About What I Want
* G's Us - WHAT THEM DOGS DON;T KNOW THEY KNOW
* Murkage Dave - The City Needs a Remix
* Towa Bird - Live from Terminal 5
* Olafur Arnalds - It's 2am and i'm not tired
* Ajukaja and Maria Minerva - C U Again EP
* Orbital - Orbital 90s EP
* Fake Dad - Yerba Mala
* Prima Queen - Not the Baby
* Not Bad Not Well - Onomatopoeic Tongues EP
* Francois Joncour - Alta Pressao
* Wishy - Paradise
* Attic Ocean - the heavy blue and then after
* Idiot Saint Crazy Orchestra - Iscommunication
* Gupi - glow-zone
* Client_03 - Panic Multiplier
* Scintii - wetlands, harbours... and stations in between
* Kara Delik - Singularities IV
* Fleshwater - Sounds of Grieving
* Joshua - BRAIN IN A VAT
* Chrizz Holmes - The Cheat Code, Pt. 2
* The Wynotts - Way Back Now
* Can You Carry the Clouds Away - Annihilationn_S3ASON
* Ray Bull - Easy Way to Lose
* gWem - YM Rockerz
* Digo and Eric Escanes - D & E
* Small Isles - Everything on Memory
* Pile - Hot Air Balloon EP
* Siobhan Wilson - Cloe, Cur is Diuth
* Big PEeza - A Big Peeza Christmas
* How I Became Invisible - A Christmas EP
* Cam Lasky - Whisper, Vol. 4 - Ultimate Edition
* Griff - vert1go vol. 1
* Gentle Stranger - Inner Winter
* Mento Buru - East Bakersfield Christmas II
* Miya Folick - ROACH (Live and Acoustic)
* Keepsakes - Shallow Alcove
* Career Woman - dorm room demos vol. 2
* TLF Trio - New Songs & Variations
* CLOVES - HER
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* Chillhop Essentials Winter 2023
* Alison Goldfrapp - The Love Reinvention
* A State of Trance Year Mix 2023 (Mixed by Armin van Buren)
* Philip Selway - Live at Evolution Studios
* Eels - Eels So Good: Essential Eels Vol. 2
* Anjunadeep: The Yearbook 2023
* Best of Dreamstate: 2023
* DAYS like NIGHTS 2023
* Bunny X - Love Minus 80 (The Remixes)
* Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 (Live at the Hollywood Bowl)
* Big Thief - Masterpiece (2023 Remaster)
Also out:
* Arcwelder - Continue
* Key of Caustic - Unleashed
* The Boatsmen - Hard Livin'
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