Thursday, October 31, 2024

First Listen: New Releases for 25 October 2024

Artist: Rain on Fridays
Album: Death to Affection
Quick Thoughts: This came out of nowhere and blew my socks off. It's indie alt/punk, sometimes on the screamy side, but the angst and noise comes across so well and in such a great, fun way that I didn't expect. "Banshee" is a true highlight, but the whole album is not only one of the best of the week, but perhaps one of the best of the year.
Songs of Note: "Phonophobia," "We Are So Alike," "Banshee," "Clusterfuck," "Knock Out"

Artist: Tyler, The Creator
Album: CHROMAKOPIA
Quick Thoughts: Tyler, The Creator doesn't always work for me. The sort of doomy dark rap isn't always my thing, but people genuinely love this guy. CHROMAKOPIA makes it make sense for me - it has mood vibes similar to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but with some of the sonic stretches we've seen from more recent Childish Gambino records. I love this album, and if you haven't been on the bandwagon this is a pretty decent place to give it another shot.
Songs of Note: "St. Chroma," "Rah Tah Tah," "I Killed You," "Sticky," "Thought I Was Dead," "Balloon"

Artist: Amythyst Kiah
Album: Still + Bright
Quick Thoughts: If there's any drawback to this gorgeous folk-adjacent record, it's that it's too gorgeous. All the tastemakers have clearly figured out how great Amythyst Kiah truly is, and while "Black Myself" was a breakthrough in many regards a few years back, this album is a definite play toward a mainstream that should absolutely embrace her for the excellent songwriter and performer she is. A great listen.
Songs of Note: "Play God and Destroy the World," "S P A C E," "Empire of Love," "I Will Not Go Down," "Die Slowly Without Complaint," "Dead Stars," "Never Alone"

Artist: Hilken Mancini Band
Album: Hilken Mancini Band
Quick Thoughts: Ken sent this one over and I don't want it to get lost in the shuffle, because there's a level of indie pop expertise here that keeps me coming back. It feels like a 2000s-era Parasol record in all the right ways, and is worth your time this week.
Songs of Note: "Set My Sights," "Up 2 11," "Blackout," "Ghost"

Artist: Mulu
Album: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Dope
Quick Thoughts: It feels weird to note another rap album when Tyler's taking up so much oxygen, but this was a great rap album that feels like an underground secret, and I was sold midway through "Fumes." Don't let this slip through the cracks.
Songs of Note: "Fumes," "Get Loud," "Acidic"

Artist: Jeff Kolar
Album: Rock Speaker Garden
Quick Thoughts: Ambient / experimental stuff is hard to review here because it's so difficult to really describe what's going on. If I had to compare this to anything, it's like if William Basinski did the score for Caves of Qud, which is probably a reference only I would get. If you like broadening the horizons of your listening, give this a shot. You'll know pretty quick whether this is for you.
Songs of Note: "Granite"

Artist: Laura Marling
Album: Patterns in Repeat
Quick Thoughts: Laura Marling continues to excel at her version of folk music, and this harkens back to the 1960s golden age in its instrumentation and delivery. Very high quality folk record in a busy week, give it a shot.
Songs of Note: "Your Girl," "No One's Gonna Love You Like I Can," "Caroline"

Artist: Tess Parks
Album: Pomegranate
Quick Thoughts: Also wanted to highlight Tess Sparks's latest, because she is carrying the flag of Dandys-era drone rock so wonderfully in this record, and that is decidedly For Me. Might be for you, too.
Songs of Note: "Bagpipe Blues," "California Dreaming," "Lemon Poppy," "Surround"

Artist: Amyl and The Sniffers
Album: Cartoon Darkness
Quick Thoughts: I try not to read other reviews when I'm pulling these updates together, but it seems like a lot of fans are down on the latest from Amyl and the Sniffers. They shouldn't be - it's the right mix of angsty proto-feminist punk that they're so good at, and there are so many winners on this record that it doesn't deserve the criticism. Make time.
Songs of Note: "Tiny Bikini," "It's Mine," "U Should Not Be Doing That"

Artist: Soccer Mommy
Album: Evergreen
Quick Thoughts: Another act that's consistently wonderful, what's stunning is that there are a number of songs here that work so well and get stuck in your head so quickly without realizing it. Plus, a shout-out to "Abigail," which is an ode to her Stardew Valley girlfriend, and if that isn't one of the more adorable subjects...
Songs of Note: "Abigail," "M," "Driver," "Changes," "Salt in Wound," "Anchor"

Of note:

* Generic Animal - Il canto dell'asino (Solid Italian alt-rock; translates to "The Ass Song")
* Anya Marina - Asteroid (Lots to enjoy in this folky effort.)
* Kit Orion - Bottle Grin (A ton of great moments in this local release.)
* Pom Pom Squad - Mirror Starts Moving Without Me (Solid, polished effort - "Downfall" is a great tune.)
* Hammock - From the Void
* Underworld - Strawberry Hotel
* The Eggmen Whoooooo! - Fuzzy Eggs, Please
* Bongloard - DYTYR?
* Tristan Arp - a pool, a portal
* Hayley Mary - Roman XS
* sssiv - sssiv 1
* Theis Thaws - Fifteen Days
* Two Shell - Two Shell
* Pixies - The Night the Zombies Came
* Moin - You Never End
* Beth Lee - Hardly Matters
* Alice Longyu Gao - Assembling Symbols Into My Own Poetry
* HOO - III
* The Courettes - The Soul Of... the Fabulous Courettes
* Townsel Turner - Blood Oath
* Jake and the Rambling Blade - True Love
* Flock - Flock II
* Machinedrum - 3FOR82_D3LUX3
* Fashion Club - A Love You Cannot Shake
* Luci Dead Limb - Palm Feeder
* Fievel is Glauque - Rong Weicknes
* BLACKSTARKIDS - Heaven On Urf
* Rett Madison - One More for Jackie
* St. Lenox - Ten Modern American Work Songs
* Night Crickets - How It Ends
* Brooke Candy - Spiral
* ALVILIDA - C'est Deja L'heure
* Elke - Divine Urge
* Jackie Extreme - the fire inside
* AK/DK - Strange Loops
* Mope Grooves - Box of Dark Roses
* Bercuses - Bercuses
* instant crush - I'm Sorry I Didn't Bite My Tongue
* Halsey - The Great Impersonator
* Hammock - From the Void
* Meryl Streek - Songs for the Deceased
* Katie Gavin - What a Relief
* Anna McLellan - Electric Bouquet
* Charlotte Jacobs - a t l a s
* The Dinosaur's Skin - I Dig You
* trauma ray - Chameleon
* Miranda and the Beat - Can't Take It
* Fancy Hagood - American Spirit
* Josiah and the Bonnevilles - Country Covers II
* Steve Roden - transmissions (voices of objects and skies)
* Che Noir - The Lotus Child
* Courtesy - intimate yell
* Overheard - Intertwined
* Joy Buzzer - Pleased to Meet You
* computer machine - "untitled_folder" hasn't been accepted by stores. Stores don't accept artist names & album names that are generic. You need to use the name of your band, group, etc. Normal band/artist/album names.

EPs:

* Charming Disaster - Dance Me to the End of Bela Lugosi's Lovesong
* Seventh Cloud and Velvet - split EP
* Hot Water Music and Quicksand - split EP
* Her New Knife - chrome is lullaby
* googly eyes - Starlet
* Waldskin - Wrong Party
* Kynsy - Utopia
* Loyal Lobos - Loba Vol. 2
* She's in Parties - Puppet Show
* Shredders - Serious Dudes
* The Sewing Club - Care
* Tom Caruana and Professor Elemental - Screampunk - A Halloween EP
* Alex Stolze - Raash
* birdz - Forest Isolation

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Problem Patterns - Blouse Clubland
* College Music Presents: PhotoSynthesis
* Tonight I'll Go Down Swingin': A Tribute to Don Heffington

Also out:

* God Make Me Sexy
* Ben Folds - Sleigher

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