New Music Releases Thread



The Self Esteem record is pop perfection. She puts on a brilliant live show as well so if you enjoyed this then go see her on tour next month.

I've got the following on my list to work through this weekend:

Parquet Courts
Trace Mountains
Spirit Was
Adeline Hotel
Helado Negro
 
Self Esteem top of my list.

For Those I Love last night was absolutely outstanding. Incredibly emotional gig as well. If anyone skipped this record earlier in the year I'd recommend going back and listening. Comfortably album of the year.
Well, we saw For Those I Love last night at Manchester Dear Institute and, like you say, it was an incredible performance - like no performance I've ever seen before as it was so raw and powerful. There were lots of his friends from Ireland there which added to it. I have never been to a gig where so many people were wiping away tears as the walked out. Amazing gig.
 
A proper bumper week of new releases. My take on what I've listened to:

Deerhoof: a standard Deerhoof album. Cutesy vocals, discordant guitars, some lovely pop moments, some irritating bits, an unexpected cover of 'Remember You're a Womble'. (Note: one of these 'facts' may not be true)
Skinny Lister: A good album, probably their best since 'Down on Deptford Broadway'. Some folky stuff, some punky stuff, some songs that sound a bit like Madness.
My Morning Jacket: solid. No great departures from what's gone before. Worth a listen.
La Luz: I'm enjoying this a lot. Reminds me a little of The Breeders. High quality alt-rock with surfy undertones.
Circuit des Yeux: interesting. Horns, strings, quasi-operatic vocals. Quite experimental!
Clinic: excellent, as usual. They're one of Britain's most underrated bands. Doesn't really deviate from their usual but the songs are really strong.
Mildred Maude: instrumental sort of shoegaze/post-rock from Cornwall. I'm not sure about the band name but the album is excellent.
Self Esteem: an album that delivers on the promise of the singles. Probably released at the wrong time of year as, lyrics aside, it's got quite a summery feel. Up there!
Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Cuban pianist meets Senegalese kora player and magic ensues. I think this is their second album together. Both excellent musicians.
Grouper: intriguing, sort of arthousey indie stuff. Reminds me a little of Big Thief at their most abstract. Good.
Bedouine: a week later than announced. This is a very accomplished album of almost folk songs. She's got a terrific voice.
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: part 2 of B sides and rareities. As it's focussed around their later stuff, a lot of it tends to be quite quiet (the scary goth influence has long since gone). Some tracks are things that didn't make the cut for albums, others alternate versions (the live version of 'Push the Sky Away' with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a marvel).
Jarvis Cocker: it's Jarvis but in French (the sonfs are covers of French hits of yore) and seems to accompany the new Wes Anderson film. Enjoyable without being essential.
Nubya Garcia: remixes of her debut album. Well worth a listen. As with all such things, I should probably listen to it and the original album alongside one another but this holds up well on its own.
Guided By Voices: it's a good Guided By Voices album. There are less false start songs than usual, well structured alt-rock songs.
Hand Habits: a bit more full band than previous releases. There's a sort of War On Drugs sheen to the production. Strong songs.
Jackson & Sellers: two country stars getting together and rocking out. What's not to like?
Orquesta Akokan: they're a Cuban collective and this is a superb album of very danceable Latin jazz. Excellent!
Parquet Courts: they've diversified from their original Pavement gone a bit punky thing. Some of it's a bit lo-fi and abstract, a couple of songs sound like The Beta Band, the single "Walking at a Downtown Pace" is one of the songs of the year. Very good!
The Surfing Magazines: two thirds of The Wave Pictures, the bloke from Slow Club and another fella. Good time indie rock and roll that's maybe a bit more upbeat than The Wave Pictues. Good.
Lana Del Rey: it's a bit Lana by numbers. Not a bad album but not a great one. From what I can tell, a lot of these are songs that didn't make the cut for earlier albums and it kind of shows. Her first mis-step?
Helado Negro: easy going, Latin influenced slacker indie stuff. Pretty good.
Soccer96: stern electronica. A little disappointing after last year's genius 'I Was Gonna Fight Fascism' single.

Album of the Week: a high quality week but it has to go to Self Esteem. The Nick Cave & the bad Seeds album is bloody brilliant but, ultimately, it's a compilation. I'd pick out Orquesta Akokan as something that people should seek out as well.
 
A mystery to ponder. The Guardian album reviews today: Self Esteem's album gets 5 stars, Helado Negro gets 4 stars, Lana Del Rey gets 3 stars. Which is their album of the week?
I don't think they mean 'album of the week' as in 'best album of the week', more as in 'most anticipated/discussion-worthy album of the week'
 
Disappointed by Lana Del Rey. Will probably give it another go as nodded off and missed a couple of songs.
Parquet Courts and Clinic both sounded decent without being blown away. I also thought there was a strong Talking Heads influence on parts of Parquet Courts record. Was also reminded of The Rapture.
 
A bit of a quieter week for new releases. We have albums from Jerry Cantrell, Lotic, Marissa Nadler, Mastodon, Mick Jenkins, Richard Ashcroft, The War On Drugs, They Might Be Giants, Tori Amos, Linda Fredriksson, Nightmares On Wax, Lily Konigsberg, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Lunar Vacation, Ashley Shadow, Philip Frobos, Hayes Carll and Billy Bragg.
 
A bit of a quieter week for new releases. We have albums from Jerry Cantrell, Lotic, Marissa Nadler, Mastodon, Mick Jenkins, Richard Ashcroft, The War On Drugs, They Might Be Giants, Tori Amos, Linda Fredriksson, Nightmares On Wax, Lily Konigsberg, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Lunar Vacation, Ashley Shadow, Philip Frobos, Hayes Carll and Billy Bragg.
Marissa Nadler for me, and I’ll probably give the new Chris Rea one a cursory listen
 
A bit of a quieter week for new releases. We have albums from Jerry Cantrell, Lotic, Marissa Nadler, Mastodon, Mick Jenkins, Richard Ashcroft, The War On Drugs, They Might Be Giants, Tori Amos, Linda Fredriksson, Nightmares On Wax, Lily Konigsberg, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Lunar Vacation, Ashley Shadow, Philip Frobos, Hayes Carll and Billy Bragg.
Quite a slow week after last week’s bonanza. WoD, TMBG and Billy Bragg for me I suppose.
 

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