The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...
What an up and down week this week. Baby stuff, podcast, a stubborn cold, but also a good massage, sporadic spring break days (travelling to students means many different school districts and many different days off - Yay? or Yay!) - so yeah. But one thing I know, when The List has been in the hundreds for a few weeks, one week of 60-some feels like a breeze. A springy breeze even. *insert cough fit* Sigh.
What have we got here? Well, rapper Kendrick Lamar released To Pimp A Butterfly and if you catch Half Pints Whole Notes this week, you'll know I feel the need to relisten to this album again. Modest Mouse is back with Strangers to Ourselves having crossed the ocean of indie/alt rock to pseudo-pop fame they now bring back that old familiarity of Modest Mouse with them but it's different now. Popular Electronic Rock and what other genres can they muster with their music? AWOLNATION released Run and it's got some goods in there. Poppy and fun Marina & the Diamonds is back with Froot and all I can think is Toucan Sam when I see that. Oh and if you're a Glen Hansard fan, you might have missed this covers ep he did, It Was Triumph We Once Proposed... Songs of Jason Molina. So go check that out to get your charming Irish fix. Speaking of covers, Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield cover a bunch of Elliott Smith in the aptly named Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliot Smith.
My head is cloudy no cute lists but here's some things...
Is Tropical, Black Anything Pt. 2 - a conundrum of sound: crunchy gritty guitar, dancey kind of sounds, simple vocals, but all together so complex.
Django Django, "Reflections" - Oh man, each single makes me more and more excited for this full release. I love Django Django. I am waiting in anticipation.
San Cisco, Gracetown - If you were a fan of this band previously with their last album or just that super catchy song, "Awkward," go ahead and find more catchy fun songs on this new album.
William Elliott Whitmore, "Civilizations" - Americana singer-songwriter and a good song. So go to it if you like those first descriptors.
Marcus Miller, Afrodeezia - jazzy and upbeat
Wand, Golem - psychedelic but more than that rock. It's tied with Houndmouth for hands down favorite of the week.
Houndmouth, Little Neon Limelight - We say it on the podcast, but I'll say it again, my husband pinned it right - heavily influenced by The Band but they take that and make it their own and it's good. I could just keep listening.
Moonspell, Extinct - a little metal for the weekend
Tobias Jesso Jr., Goon - There's something more to this charming indie rock singer-songwriter
Nic Hessler, Soft Connections - not singer-songwriter. Full up band on this one with some songs with pep. Need to give it a full listen but it caught my ear.
The Bomb, The Axis of Awesome - do you like The Offspring or that sort of rock? Then you should give this a go.
Songs and albums abound springing from the aural atmosphere with aplomb. Grab one and take it home with you. You'll be glad you did.
Man, this cold. It's got me all foofy and cobwebs. Happy Listening!