Not a lot of big names this week-but a lot of good somewhat obscure artists that deserve a listen-the playlist is here

 Jamila Woods – Water Made Us-poet Jamilia Woods easily puts out the  best album of the week with Water Made Us.  This is very much a musical album that is sung, but because of her other talents in other mediums it creates a unique appeal with her delivery. It’s a jazzy-soulful album with a lot happening-and for the most part uplifting both lyrically and musically.  I could not wait to re-play this album. 

 L’Rain – I Killed Your Dog-or maybe this is the best album of the week. If so, I need to sit down with it more, but the potential is there. 16 tracks, but maybe 10 soulful and dreamy songs in their own space and with some odd and funny twists and turns.  There is a lot to absorb here and I need to take in on morning walk I think. Check it out though 

A Beacon School – yoyo- the follow up to 2018’s Colo that I liked a lot.  This is Patrick J. Smith who is a multi-instrumentalist.  This is lush dream pop with stellar production and where a lot of artists in this genre lose the songs in their quest for the sound-Smith comes up with both. This is very much worth a listen. 

 Celia – Complete In Box-first album from Celia. I cannot find much info about them, which is the trouble of being a new artists with one common name. I have listened to this album multiple times, because the lead song “Dopamine” is SO strong. The rest of the album never quite keeps up with that song, but it has grown on me quite a bit. “Dopamine” is a soaring dreamy song-nothing out of the ordinary-but it connects.  She runs through a lot of different pop tempos-kind of going for that “adult” pop-but “adult” being in their 20’s.  “Dumber” is a mid-tempo pop song that stands out, and the vocals really shine on the chorus.  The interesting song on here is “Born To Be British”, it’s a catchy Lucy Dacus type matter of fact lyrics song where they sing “you say you were born to be British, but I just find you pretentious”.  This is hits me hard, as I used to saythat  30 years ago. Check it out. 

 Allah-Las – Zuma 85-I kind of got burned out on this garage rock, stoner music bands awhile ago. It was fun for a bit, but became a bit uninspired to me. A lot of those groups just pump out so much stuff.  I had a co-worker put this on the other day and I found surprisingly enjoyable. It’s simple and cliche-but it’s fun-had me bopping around. There is a lot of good things happening here…kind of silly really…but it works. 

Abby Hamilton – #1 Zookeeper (of the San Diego Zoo)-Can’t find much on this person either. They have a website and bandcamp page with lots of merch and EP’s and such. This is the debut album as far as I can tell. Abby may have tried the country thing a bit more than this. This is songwriter-pop-and it’s quite good. This is another album that I am glad I gave a few listens to, as it took that long to sink it (which is a good thing).  It’s pretty straightforward singer-songwriter stuff, and her Kentucky comes out a bit (again, a good thing). The standout song is the title track which has a weird set up lyrically and honestly it doesn’t get any less weird lyrically and yet a very relatable song to those pining for a lost love. Check it out.  Abby will be at Slowdown on October 24th. 

Anna Hillburg – Tired Girls-this is where my obsessive listening to everything on the new release list pays off. This artist has like no listens on streaming services and I am not sure if I would have ever stumbled across it. Though, when it first started I was about to write it off as it has the 60’s hippy thing that sounds like it might play at a Dungeons and Dragons event, or a Monty Python skit about dragons or something. Then the horns kicked in and I was intrigued, then I kept listening and listening. It does have a sixties vibe to it, and has some interesting song structures, is very pleasant, and once this digs into you-it really digs into you.  Some may be a bit on the nose old school like “Girl, Girl Girl” which I swore was a cover, but maybe because it sounds like a lot of other things-it’s an infectious song though.  Also, the horns!  

Flamingods – Head of Pomegranate-never listened to this band, but they have been around a minute. They mix psych rock, Middle Eastern, synths and a little funk together. Sounds like a horrible soup, but it’s very good. Fun, hook filled songs without any of the pretentious stuff that usually comes along the first ingredient.  

Upchuck – Bite the Hand That Feeds-low-fi punkish band out of Atlanta. Honestly, not usually my thing, but it is throwing me back to my younger years and giving me comfort. It’s good for what it is, but a little goes a long way. 

Gotts Street Park – On the Inside-new album from the jazz-hip-hop soul collective. Very nice listen 

Jenn Champion – The Last Night of Sadness –follow up to 2018’s  Single Rider album that I liked a lot. She is a pop-singer songwriter that makes well crafted synth based musically. Her songs have a lot of nice space in them and create tension at times. I really like the sound of this and look forward to digging into it more. 

Uni Boys – Buy This Now! -retro power-pop by the numbers. Too on the nose-but a fun listen. 

Margo Price – Strays II-the leftovers from her latest album Strays, leftovers are good. 

 

Albums I Also Liked

John Dwyer, Kyp Malone, YoshimiO, Tom Dolas, Andres Renteria, Heather Lockie, Brad Caulins, Ciriza, and Archis Carey – RITUAL/HABIT/CEREMONY

 Hooveriii – Pointe

 Tex Crick – Sweet Dreamin’

 Blue Ocean – Fertile State

Troye Sivan – Something to Give Each Other

Laura Misch – Sample the Sky

Mali Velasquez – I’m Green

Squirrel Flower – Tomorrow’s Fire

Roger Eno – the skies, they shift like chords

Munya -Jardin 

Kacey Johansing – Year Away

 Land of Talk – Performances

 Spencer Krug – I Just Drew This Knife

IRONTOM – GEL pt. 1

John Scofield – Uncle John’s Band

Helena Deland – Goodnight Summerland

Husbands – Cuatro

Federico Aubele – Time Drips On My Bed

 Maple Glider – I Get Into Trouble

Twin Temple – God Is Dead

 Dear Dear – death of a fairytale

Metric – Formentera II

Goat – Medicine

Black Mekon – NEAT!

The Bones of J.R. Jones – Slow Lighting

Chelsea Cutler – Stellaria

 CMAT – Crazymad

OT The Real & AraabMUZIK – Zombie

Faith Healer – The Hand That Fits the Glove

Other Albums That Were Not My Thing, But Might Be Yours

VARG – Ewige Wacht

Sarah Morrison – Attachment Figure

PAPA – Dig Yourself or Dig a Hole

Thetan – Grand Ole Agony

Muzi – uMUZI

Offset – Set It Off

 Terra Lightfoot – Healing Power

 Mondo Generator – We Stand Against You

Ken Carson – A Great Chaos

 Krieg – Ruiner

Spiteful Bum – Spiteful Lives Forever

Hannah Wicklund – The Prize

 Ronnie Atkins – Trinity

Free Throw – Lessons That We Swear to Keep

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – The Name Chapter: FREEFALL

IVE – I’VE MINE E

Gavin DeGraw – A Classic Christmas

Bad Bunny – Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana

Beartooth – The Surface

 Venera (feat. James Shaffer of Korn) – Vener

Rebel Yell – Desolation

Aditya Prakash – IsolashunÅrabrot – Of Darkness and Light

The Menzingers – Some Of It Was True

Blood Lightning – Blood Lightning

Body Void – Atrocity Machine

Creeper – Sanguivore

††† (Crosses) – Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.

Mike Donovan – Mike Donovan Meets the Mighty Flashlight

Milliseconds (feat. members of The Dismemberment Plan) – So This Is How It Happens

Paul Wall and Termanology – Start, Finish, Repeat

Eric Sardinas – Midnight Junction

The Dollyrots – Night Owls

The Drums – Jonny

Phil Manzanera and Andy Mack (of Roxy Music) – AM PM

Gucci Mane – Breath of Fresh Air

 Holly Humberstone – Paint My Bedroom Black

Johnny Mathis – Christmas Time is Here