If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Dream Nails Album : You Wish Quick Thoughts : A fun, fuzzy February listen, I didn't really know / remember Dream Nails before Ken sent this one over and it is just a really great alt-rock record. "This is Water" is a standout, for sure, but I definitely want to highlight "House of Bones," which has some great harmonization with the mechanically great instrumentation. Don't sleep on this one. Songs of Note : "This is Water," "Organoid," "House of Bones," "The Information" Artist : Ratboys Album : Singin' to an Empty Chair Quick Thoughts : Ratboys are always pretty great, but this new album feels like a massive step forward for them in all the best ways. In an era where bands like Wednesday can flit between genres without a moment's notice, Ratboys somehow finds a way to ensure their roots-informed indie rock remains consistent even when leaning further into any particular direction. Hone...

Artist : Ingvild Flottorp Album : It All Seems So Clear Quick Thoughts : This one absolutely came out of nowhere for me, and I'm so glad it exists. Ingvild Flottorp is the latest entry in the ever-growing list of Nordic musicians doing American roots music better than most American roots musicians. Flottorp is sort of a more upbeat Margo Price, with some faithful and traditional musical ideas to go along with a nice, fun, and modern feel. If you like roots music in any form, you owe it to yourself to listen to this album. She might just become your new favorite. Songs of Note : "(At Least I Got To) Stay Around," "I'll Be Alright," "Home," "In a Race" Artist : Lady Dan Album : I Am the Prophet Quick Thoughts : I don't recall exactly when or how I first tripped up on Lady Dan, but this debut from a southern singer-songwriter deserves a lot of attention. A country-tinged indie effort, the songs evoke a dark mood but with a dom...

This was a very weird release week, as the gap between good and bad was very, very wide. Only focusing on the good this week: Album of the Week : Artist : Maximilian Hecker Album : Wretched Love Songs Quick Description : Dream folky is back with a new album. Why You Should Listen : Hecker is basically unknown in the United States and should really be a more popular. Overall Thoughts : I don't know if this is meant to be a sequel of sorts to his debut, Infinite Love Songs (which is probably a top 20 album all time for me), but it is certainly reminiscent in a way a lot of his more recent work has not been. This is Hecker at his dreamy, light best, and I can totally see this as one of those albums I send over to my longtime friends and say "hey, remember that guy I was obsessed with 15 years ago?" Recommendation : A must-listen, and there's plenty of room on this bandwagon to boot. Artist : Pharis and Jason Romero Album : Sweet Old Religion Quick Descr...