Album: Switcheroo
Quick Thoughts: Everything about this package feels unhinged, and yet this is a real favorite of the week. This isn't quite dance / electronic, but it's not your standard listen either. Opening track, "Funny Music," gives a sort of weird dissoance to start us out before it gets rolling; "Piss Artist" is as chaotic as you'd imagine, and the whole package is just one that's a delight. One of the favorites of the week.
Songs of Note: "Funny Music," "Spit," "Piss Artist," "Tiramisu," "Pluto is not a planet it's a restaurant"
Album: Life Behind Bars
Quick Thoughts: Vandoliers are back and they are Not Happy. This is an overt, angry, political record in so many ways and the sort of rage that streams from its pores is a welcome addition to this summer, and it doesn't hurt that the songs are great, too. Don't skip this one, it's a welcome return and perfect for this point in time.
Songs of Note: "Dead Canary," "Life Behind Bars," "Thoughts and Prayers," "Valencia," "Jim's Barn"
Album: Here We Lie
Quick Thoughts: A local debut worth watching, this has all the hallmarks of an early aughts indie blogger hit in all the best ways. Sort of like an early Beulah, this stuck with me almost from the start and wouldn't let go, and when I was listening back to the collected playlist later over the weekend the songs got me hooked all over again. A required listen, because this band deserves great things.
Songs of Note: "lines seem severed," "all promises will break eventually," "nowhere in your eyes," "not where we were," "when I was by your side"
Album: Winged Victory
Quick Thoughts: I texted Ken that I didn't think a queer Johnny Cash would work as well as it does when Willi Carlisle does it. For many purveyors of country music, it's the honesty and transparency that comes along with the most successful records, and Willi Carlisle has made a record that is distinctly, uniquely his in all the best ways. If you're not singing "Cryin' These Cocksucking Tears" all week long, you're doing it wrong.
Songs of Note: "Winged Victory," "The Cottonwood Tree," "Cryin' These Cocksucking Tears," "Big Butt Billy, "Old Bill Pickett"
Album: Late Great
Quick Thoughts: And here comes Laura Stevenson, ready to ruin our summer with another gorgeous, heartbreaking record that feels as essential as anything she's put out in her solo career. The album is a revelation in so many ways, and not just because she's operating on a whole different level than most other singer-songwriters right now. She's the best-kept secret in indie rock right now and this is just such a solid listen.
Songs of Note: "#1," "I Want to Remember It All," "I Couldn't Sleep," "Instant Comfort," "Late Great"
Album: Liquid Compactor
Quick Thoughts: Penny and the Pits feel like they were snatched out of Matt Pinfield's CD holder. Epic-esque alt-rock that sounds like Speedy Ortiz fed through The Breeders, it's such a great listen. "Thick Black Gloves" in particular is a favorite of the week in its weird, wonderful glory. Check it out.
Songs of Note: "Montenegro on Ice," "Eutychus," "Thick Black Gloves," "Headcrusher," "Placeholder"
Album: Virgin
Quick Thoughts: It's easy to consider Virgin the bratification of her sound, but the sort of confessional stance that Charli XCX brought to last summer's event feels like it's front and center here in an inescapable way. That said, this is Lorde's most challenging record in a lot of ways both in terms of topic and tone (and I think not having Jack Antonoff on this thing helps), and given that she's spent half her life as an a-ist pop star, you don't get this level of introspection on a pop record. There's a lot of grappling with gender and identity and what have you that I am completely unqualified to discuss, but this is a really incredible record on a lot of levels and deserves a listen.
Songs of Note: "Hammer," "What Was That," "Shapeshifter," "Current Affairs,"
Of note:
* Pig Pen - Mental Madness (The Bear star's hardcore band.)
* Freedom Fry - Best Friend (Delightfully chill.)
* Wavves - Spun (Solid indie power pop.)
* Smut - Tomorrow Comes Crashing
* Kat Hasty - The Time of Your Life
* Jasmine Guffond - Muzak for the Encouragement of Unproductivity
* Jane Sheldon - flowermuscle
* Durand Jones and The Indications - Flowers
* Tropos - Switches
* Durry - This Movie Sucks
* Nick Leon - A Tropical Entropy
* Frankie Cosmos - Different Talking
* Fishbone - Stockholm Syndrome
* Juno Eclipse - Blue With You
* Pan American and Michael Grigoni - New World, Lonely Ride
* Pan American and Kramer - Interior of an Edifice Under the Sea
* Smote - Clyppan
* Daisy the Great - The Rubber Teeth Talk
* Litloya - LitLoya
* Ringlets - The Lord is My German Shepherd
* Sharpie Smile - The Staircase
* Mission to the Sun - Seven Years
* Electric Citizen - EC4
* Sister Sadie - All Will Be Well
* Door Eater - Try
* Jeanines - How Long Can It Last
* Akira Kosemura - Mirai
* Greet Death - Die in Love
* Brighde Chaimbeul - Sunwise
* Mt. Joy - Hope We Have Fun
* Black Sites (Helena Hauff and F#X) - R4
* Lightheaded - Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming
* TDJ - TDJ
* Spider Kitten - The Truth is Caustic to Love
* Hot Milk - Corporation P.O.P.
EPs:
* Nina - Meraki Nina
* Wet World - Gush
* Sofii - I want this feeling to last forever
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* Blonde Redhead - The Shadow of the Guest
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