If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Phantogram Album : Ceremony Quick Description : First new music in a while from the alt-electro act. Why You Should Listen : Phantogram is always great, and this is no different. Overall Thoughts : It’s been a minute since we heard from Phantogram, but I’ll say this much – if what they put out is this high in quality every time they take this long to put out new music? Sign me up. It’s modern, it’s odd, it’s challenging without losing its accessibility, and it’s an unexpected yet welcome evolution from an act that has always been good-to-great. Recommendation : One of the best of the week. Artist : Georgia Album : Seeking Thrills Quick Description : Great mainstream pop from an indie artist. Why You Should Listen : There's a lot to love about this listen, and not just how danceable the whole thing is. Overall Thoughts : Mainstream pop has always been a little weird, sure, and even though Katy Perry is cosplaying our May Queen and Lady Gaga looks like she mig...

A slower week, but one with some pretty impactful releases. Album of the Week : Artist : V. V. Lightbody Album : Bathing Peach Quick Description : Debut solo project from a Chicago-area singer-songwriter. Why You Should Listen : You wish Lucy Dacus would tone it down a bit? Overall Thoughts : This is an album that is a little hard to describe. It's kind of folky, but has some edge to it? The project of Vivian McConnell, she clearly has some great songwriting chops that make you pay attention from the first few notes, and this kind of came out of nowhere for me in terms of how much I liked it. If you like the folky stuff, or even the more contemplative singer-songwriter efforts of late, you should give this a listen. Recommendation : Best release of the week. Artist : The Carters Album : Everything is Love Quick Description : Surprise-yet-anticipated collaboration between Beyonce and Jay-Z. Why You Should Listen : Love it or hate it, this is what people will be tal...

A supergroup consisting of members of Sleater-Kinney and R.E.M. is pretty much a dream match up around these parts, Jeff being obsessed with R.E.M. and me being obsessed with Sleater-Kinney. Filthy Friends is just that, featuring Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney on vocals and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck on guitar. The band also features Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, R.E.M.) on bass and keyboards, Kurt Boch (Young Fresh Fellows, Fastbacks) on guitar, and drums by Bill Rieflin (R.E.M., Ministry, Revolting Cocks). The pedigree of this band is insane. Their Record Store Day contribution, "Any Kind of Crowd," is now being offered digitally. If the phrase "Sleater-Kinney/R.E.M. supergroup" appeals to you, you're pretty much guaranteed to like it. The single goes a little more on the lighter, 90s poppier side of R.E.M. instead of the heavier Sleater-Kinney side of things. That's a bit of a disappointment for me (and probably a dream for Jeff), but the b-side,...

I have nothing against Pearl Jam, but I'm more than a little sick of them covering Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." Covers are usually special and unexpected. This is done at virtually (if not literally) every show Pearl Jam plays. Also, of Neil Young's entire catalog they choose "Rockin' in the Free World?" Can't they throw out "Cortez the Killer" or "Like a Hurricane" once in a while? It's getting to be their "Freebird" and it's not even their song. So why am I writing about it you ask? Maybe because when they performed it in Portland recently they had all three members of Sleater-Kinney on stage to perform it. All three members of Sleater-Kinney. They haven't been on a stage together in seven years. I love Wild Flag and all, but Sleater-Kinney reunion please now thank you? Also, Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey from The Minus Five were there, too. Did you ever think you'd see the day...