So, my run through the new and newish stuff I've listened to over the weekend and today...
Bobby Lee - his second album in a few months. Twangy guitar instrumentals. As I've said before, he reminds of Richard Hawley without vocals. Very good anyway!
Lana Del Rey - well up to the expected standard. As always, she has that slightly odd Twin Peaks vibe to her music. A proper talent.
Loretta Lynn - rerecorded songs from across her career. Some excellent duets (Margo Price and Tanya Tucker). Good.
Fimber Bravo - he's basically the go to man when anyone in UK music wants a steel drum player. This is his sound made into danceable electronica and it's bloody excellent.
The City Champs - likeable enough instrumental tracks from a retro soul/jazz/rock combo. They get compared to Booker T (in their publicity).
Janet Simpson - very strong Americana. A bit of a Lucinda Williams vibe at times. Could be one for
@Mickdundee
William Doyle - starts of brilliantly and doesn't quite keep it up. It's Doyle moving further away from his out and out electronica with vocals to not quite Radiohead really.
New Bums - a bit of a superduo as it's Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance and Donovan Quinn of Skygreen Leopards. I like this a lot. There are touches of folk, touches of psychedelia and also of post-punk. Nice!
Chad Vangaalen - entertaining, somewhat Beatles endebted psych-rock.
John Dwyer (and some other people) - probably enjoyable to record, not that enjoyable to listen to. Sort of free jazz improv thing that goes skronk and weelb and blartifart a lot. On the plus side, it's quite brief.
Mint Julep - I like this. It won't change my life but I like it. Dreampop with the emphasis on the pop bit.
The Bell Orchestre - mates, and in a couple of cases, members, of Arcade Fire, I believe. This is instrumental rock. It's really good.
Middle Kids - s'alright. Pleasantly put together low key pop songs. A little ballad heavy.
AA Williams - a lockdown covers album. It's very good. A mix of songs you'll know and others you may not. She's got a great voice and gives them her usual sparse quasi-Goth treatment.
No Cover (Carpark Records 21st Anniversary Covers Comp) - this came out back in November, I believe. Artists on Carpark covering others on the lable. Mostly names I've not heard but Dan Deacon, The Beths, Sad13 and Dent May are on there.
Hedvig Mollestad Trio - rocking jazz metal type thing, as Hedvig's previous stuff has been. Spellbinding at times.
Arcade Fire & Owen Pallett - original film score so filmic instrumentals. A decent diversion but not essential.
Album of the week: There's strong competition but Lana Del Rey gets it with Fimber Bravo runner up and Janet Simpson taking bronze.
