If It's Too Loud...

Lots of new releases this week combined with some poor time management for this weekend for me means we're going to do a more highlights-based First Listen this week as opposed to the more traditional. Album of the Week : Artist : Stef Chura Album : Messes Quick Description : Liz Phair-style alt-rock. Why You Should Listen : The bar has been set for 2017's music, and it's only January. Overall Thoughts : I spent way too much time saying "this album should not be this good" while listening to it. Ken was really, really into the lead singles, and I thought they were fine and all, but they didn't outright blow my mind. It turns out that Messes makes a lot more sense as a cohesive whole. There's a tone and structure to the album that really needs to be digested and the whole thing just works. Chura knows how to write a song, and the fact that this album largely hits that 90s-alt rock sweet spot in so many ways doesn't hurt, either. Overall, a...

A lot of new releases to get through this week, so let's not waste any time: Elvis Costello and The Roots - Wise Up Ghost : Probably the most anticipated release around these parts is the Costello/Roots collaboration Wise Up Ghost . Elvis Costello has never been shy about trying other genres out, and this is surprisingly not what I expected. It's got its R&B hints, to be sure, but it almost feels like a structured jazz record in a sense, and The Roots have a significant amount of influence on the proceedings. It's definitely an interesting listen, but I'll be honest - as a fan of both Costello and The Roots, I can't say whether or not I'm actually enjoying this one. Mark Lanegan - Imitations : My first exposure to Mark Lanegan was when Screaming Trees opened for Oasis way back in 1994 or 1995. Since then, I've heard him on plenty of things, but my exposure to him has mostly been his collaborations with Belle & Sebastian's Isobel Campbell....