If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Weakened Friends Album : Quitter Quick Thoughts : Ah, Weakened Friends. No local/regional act has gotten better and better over time than this band, and while their debut album was a favorite in these parts, this new record is somehow even better. Song after song after song is an absolute winner, and the extra polish is just icing on an already delicious cake. I say "this should be their breakthrough" a lot, but this should really put this band on the map. An absolutely stellar release, and I'm interested in seeing how many year-end lists this ends up on. Songs of Note : "Bargain Bin," "Quitter," "Everything is Better," "Tunnels" Artist : Yucky Duster Album : III Quick Thoughts : Yucky Duster is another underrated band that I really enjoy and doesn't get enough love. This final, posthumous collection of indie rock tracks keeps the band on the trajectory they've been on for some time, and the songs are ...

My top album of 2016 is Ladyhawke's Wild Things . It's my favorite album this year. It's the album I listened to the most this year. There was a moment about a month after this came out where I posted on Facebook something along the lines of "All I do is listen to Ladyhawke now" because I was so addicted to this album. When I wasn't listening to Wild Things , I went back to her older albums and listened to those instead. When I put on my playlist of current obsessions , my wife asked me why I listen to Ladyhawke so much since her songs were probably taking up 10% of the playlist most of the summer. Literally as I write this, my Spotify end-of-year recap came in my email, and three songs from this album are my top three tracks. According to Spotify, I'm in the top 1% of Ladyhawke listeners, apparently. Can you tell I love this album? It's the perfect pop rock album, for sure. It's polished but still feels fresh, it's got melodies ...

Another really busy release week! Album of the Week : Artist : Ladyhawke Album : Wild Things Quick Description : Tight, well-crafted indie rock. Why You Should Listen : Ladyhawke's first two albums are interesting and great, so this was a must listen anyway. Overall Thoughts : I'm a new convert to Ladyhake, who does a type of indie rock I really love. There's a little bit of fuzz on the edges, the melodies addictive, the whole nine yards. While Wild Things is perhaps a little more polished than it needs to be (especially compared to her earlier albums), this is an incredibly solid release with a lot going for it. As with many albums, you'll know if it's for you within the first few moments, but this is really a highlight of the week. Recommendation : Best album of the week for sure. Artist : The Claypool Lennon Delirium Album : Monolith of Phobos Quick Description : Collaboration between Les Claypool (Primus) and Sean Lennon. Why You Should Listen...