Happy Sunday-here is this weeks album list, some thoughts and HERE is this weeks playlist. Give it a follow as it changes every week. Enjoy!
Andrew Bird Trio – Sunday Morning Put-On—Not going to lie, I was pretty excited for a new Andrew Bird album when I saw it listed a while back, even though he has been knocking out albums and projects nonstop. He has been on a roll, and some of his latest albums have inspired me to physically complete his recorded output on vinyl in my collection. It is not an easy task, as I do not order online and he has a lot of stuff out. Probably will never make it, but I like the hunt, and he is now an artist that I want to be a completest with. So, I went in expecting new Bird compositions, but instead I am getting standards that Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra, and Dinah Shore made famous. Now, this is by no means a bad thing, but it was not expected. Bird and his trio of Alan Hampton and Ted Poor perform these songs pretty straight considering Bird’s penchant to experiment a bit, but Bird’s style of plucking and singing will always make anything he does sound like a Bird song. It’s an extremely pleasant listen, though I tend to not pull out albums of vocal standards very often personally. I will have to grab a copy though, which is one of the con’s of putting someone on your completest list.
mui zyu – nothing or something to die for-this is the second full length album from mui zyu under this name. It’s bedroom pop synth pop, but not in the darkwave or art rock way. It’s a singer-songwriter style, though the music can be wonky and off kilter at times. There are a lot of strings, and it’s kind of got a fantastical feel to it musically. The song titles and subject matter are a little odd: “what’s the password baby bird” and “speak up, sponge” etc. mui zyu is crafting interesting and appealing songs for those that like slightly odd and off bedroom pop music, though mui zyu’s music is more accessible than most. Check it out.
Lenny Kravitz – Blue Electric Light-I have had this album for a couple of weeks now, and I have played it a lot. Like a lot. I am a Lenny fan. I bought his first album, Let Love Rule, on cassette when I was a teen. I loved the follow-up as well. Then I fell off until 2011’s Black and White America, which I think is a very overlooked album. I always wanted Lenny to be more of the artist he was on those first two albums, not the Grand Funk Railroad-classic rock guy. I have a young co-worker who is exploring a lot of Lenny, and they have been playing some of those albums I wrote off, and they are actually much better than I remember. I have found myself embracing his entire catalog more and more. I was looking forward to this album, and for the most part, it has delivered. There are a couple cringe songs on here, but he has really delivered a mainstream soul, pop, and rock album that stands up to repeated listens. This is not going to win over any critics or anything; most would hate it, but Blue Electric Light is full of hooky cheese ball cliches and absolutely nothing original, yet I keep playing it as it’s very enjoyable. There is SO much Prince on this album, from the Kiss-like “TK-421” to the Sign O The Times-style beats on "Heaven." “Honey” is a light soul song that glides and sticks in your head, and “Human” is a soaring soulful pop track that comes straight from the Hall & Oates era in the 80’s. “Let It Ride” is a dark synth song and again very Prince, but in Prince’s “Camile” persona or some of his later tracks like “Black Sweat." Some people might really dislike this album, but I am going to put it on again. It's a really fun listen.
DIIV-Frog In Boiling Water-fourth album from DIIV, which is weird to say as it feels like so much more. This is the follow up to Deceiver, which many will say is their definitive album years from now, and many fans of that album might not like Frog In a Boiling Water. The subject matter is still dark, mainly dealing with weird political and cultural craziness, but the music is certainly lighter, more appealing, and more accessible. This isn’t pop shoegaze, but the melodies and music will appeal more to those who like a little light in the dark. It’s a good listen, I need to spend a little more time with it to see how it sinks in and dig into the lyrics a bit more-with some hesitation there.
Finom – Not God-this is the Chicago band OHMME. I guess they had to change their name for legal reasons? That’s not good. Honestly, I would not have known this was coming out if I hadn’t scanned through pretty much everything that comes out every week and immediately recognized their sound. Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart sound good together. I don’t know how else to put it. They do kind of avant garde and off kilter vocals in places, yet somehow they come up with hooky indie pop songs that you want to play over and over. Especially on their first two albums, which are standard favorites of mine that get played often. They have a sound, and that sound is very much in effect here, but on the first couple of listens, I am not quite getting those classic indie hooky pop songs that I want to play over and over again immediately. Not to say this isn’t good, it is, but I think it’s going to take repeated listens for this to sink in. They have a sound, but this time they have a different vibe, and that can be a good thing. Jeff Tweedy produces this album, which may have a lot to do with that. Check it out.
Album List for May 24th
Abram’s-Blue City
Aja – Ajasphère Vol. II
Aquaserge – La fin de l’economie
Astrid S – Joyride
Luke Black-Chainsaws In Paradise
Bess Atwell – Light Sleeper
Bill MacKay – Locust Land
Brian Eno, Holger Czukay (of Can), and J. Peter Schwalm (of Slop Shop) – Sushi! Roti! Reibekuchen!
Capstan – The Mosaic
Carlos Niño & Friends – Placenta
Cosmo Midnight – Stop Thinking Start Feeling
Cluttered Flesh-Love At First Site
Dafna-Paradox Of Choice
Don’t Thank Me Spank Megan-Self Titled
EvilDead – Toxic Grace
Faux Real – Faux Ever
Field Guide – Rootin’ For Ya
Gastr del Sol (feat. Jim O’Rourke and David Grubbs) – We Have Dozens of Titles
Girl and Girl – Call A Doctor
Kiesza – Dancing and Crying: Vol 1
Kim Richey – Every New Beginning
Kyle Andrews – The Whims of a Manic Moon
La Luz – News of the Universe
Low Hum – Terra Incognita
MoonKill – MoonKill
Motorists – Touched by the Stuff
Nathaniel Russell – Songs Of
Nathy Peluso – GRASA
Paul Weller – 66
Kati Ran-Sala
Rami Gabriel – That’s What I’ve Been Sayin’
RM (of BTS) – Right Place, Wrong Person
Rotting Christ – ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ (Pro Xristoy)
Sango – North Vol.
Samana-Samana
Sentiment Dissolve-The Orwellian Dream
Shenseea – Never Gets Late Here
Smoke DZA-Your All Welcome
Tim Easton – Find Your Way
Tiny Habits – All For Something
Travis Denning – Roads That Go Nowhere
Trail of Tears-Winds of Disdain
Twenty One Pilots – Clancy
Vale of Pnath-Between The Workds of Life
Verdehammer-God Slayer
Vince Staples – Dark Times
Vintage Culture – Promised Land
Wallows – Model
Young Jesus – The Fool