Just finished listening to Mitski's new album - Be the Cowboy. I thought it was excellent. I haven't played the brilliant Puberty 2 in quite a while - need to revisit that one to compare. But my first impression is that 'Be the Cowboy' has a crisper, more poppy/commercial sound, while Puberty 2 was darker and more raw production-wise.
Speaking of “Coachella indie,” the Little Dark Age song is probably the best pop song I heard this year to date.
Really enjoyed this one. Trying to figure out if I’m going to catch her when she comes through. An absolutely huge load of shows on the calendar is the only thing giving me pause.
Played the new Jon Hassell record a couple or three times last night and this morning, nice record, whenever I get it out it gets a number of plays, just makes a really nice soundtrack. Just moved on the recent Shadow People by The Limiñanas, which can also work as a soundtrack, though a bit different, more like a late 60s Ennio Morricone soundtrack, with some psychedelia and Velvet Underground, and a bit of Serge Gainsborg too. Cool record.
This is Common Sage - they exhibit some classic 90s emo vibes. Kinda like that “savage cabbage leaf” Halo Benders song.
I hope this is good - despite not being familiar with her work, I now have a copy of this album thanks to the fine folks at Vinyl Me Please. It’s sure a nice package, in any event. Anyway, broadly speaking this sort of aligns with the one-woman bands whose LPs I've quite enjoyed this year - or rather perhaps, bands centered around one woman’s vision. Stuff like Soccer Mommy, Frankie Cosmos, Snail Mail, and Melody’s Echo Chamber, whose new album Bon Voyage is pretty great. In its psych edges and hairpin stylistic/tempo turns, it kind of makes me think of a more pop version of early Mercury Rev, if they weren’t so stoned.
Ry Cooder - The Prodigal Son John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John Neil Young - Roxy (Tonight's the Night Live) Ashley McBryde - Girl Going Nowhere Bob Dylan - Live 1962-1966
I saw that mentioned earlier in the thread and gave it a spin on Spotify recently, I really enjoyed it but so far have only managed to squeeze in one full playthrough of it, however.
Stuff I've enjoyed from this year (in no particular order) include: -Moaning - Moaning -Black Panther - Music from and Inspired by 'Black Panther' -J. Cole - KOD -Jay Rock - Redemption -Pusha T - DAYTONA -The Carters - Everything is Love -Amen Dunes - Freedom -Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel -Kali Uchis - Isolation -Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs -Beach House - 7
I haven't heard a ton of new albums this year, but of the ones I've heard, Ray Lamontagne's Part of the Light is easily the best.
Fabulous album, listened to it while I was at the gym this morning, came home and ordered it immediately. Hits every sweet spot that I can think of.
