It's been mentioned before, but new GoGo Penguin s/t is absoultely mesmerizing and beautiful. Vinyl is perfect too, such a great sound, highly recommended!
I thought Honest Life was one of the best albums of 2016 but her follow ups, while good, haven’t had the same magic for me. I’ve only heard Old Flowers once so far but it sounds more like Honest Life, if not so immediately engaging. Another great album in 2016 was Lori McKenna’s The Bird & The Rifle, and like CMA the follow up didn’t blow me away, but The Balladeer after a few listens seems like a great return to form.
The debut album Silhouettes by Shadow Show is my current favorite of 2020 with its blend of psych/garage rock/girl group styles. The album has both a rawness to provides some kick and a dreaminess that would seem almost contradictory. This is great sounding on vinyl.
Still my favorite of the year: A good case can be made for Run the Jewels' latest, it's definitely right up there and both will stand the test of time, but Apple's is the one I find myself returning to the most. It reveals more and more each time.
Ditto! I'm going to double dip for both Fiona and RTJ4. Bought the digital versions and plan on buying the cds!
I concur, and if that's not crazy enough for you, here's another item that shockingly just landed on my 2020 Top Five shortlist: "The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll" With 29 years between albums, the Furs could have handed any halfway competent familiar-sounding set of murky tunes to the devoted fanbase and made a respectable bag of money off it. But no, they unapologetically swung for the fences and . . . somehow made a contemporary record that can still sit at the cool kids' table with the best work of their highwire days. YMMV.
Mentioned the (relatively) new Michal Jacaszek Music for Film album in his one and lonely thread started for the KWIATY record a few years ago, but bears repeating here, this is a very nice album. It's a collection of music he's done for films and TV, beautiful set of songs, and surprisingly cohesive too. It's easily been my most listened to music over the last couple weeks. Really nice sound too, I was thinking of getting the vinyl, but really no need, DR12 on the digital and very well done, sounds great... Jacaszek - KWIATY (2017 experimental/ambient/classical/electronica/jazz)
This is really great. If I had to characterize it I'd say it sounds a bit like speed-reduced and remixed Basinski-esque disintegration tapes of a melancholic contemporary classical ensemble in the vein of Chopin. Definitely going to purchase this album.
Bailterspace - Concret Bailterspace are NZ music legends and this album might just be one of their best. What a treat. While it's not as heavy, if you've been enjoying the new one from HUM, you might enjoy this too.
I've really been enjoying the new HUM and Boris albums, so this will be right up the alley I'm living in right now.
almost zero love on this site for a great British Band, British Sea Power; one of my favourite groups ever.
Soft Palms is the brainchild of Julia Kugel (The Coathangers, White Woods) and husband/musician Scott Montoya The album is a feast of rich sounds and simple, comforting melodies threading together scrappy dream pop and ethereal torch songs into a sultry, spacey, and sublime journey towards brighter horizons. “My goal was to create something that sounded like a mental hug, a sonic embrace,” Kugel says. “Everything can feel so wild and out of control; we really wanted to create something you could sink into and use to calm those emotions.” Baddy Oh Then Then Oh Then Then, by Soft Palms Rain & Thunder Rain & Thunder, by Soft Palms
On first listen, I'd say that it's pretty heavy. I always loved these guys. I don't remember such a strong FALL influence in the vocals. Sounds great.
Looks like you can download their entire discography (24 albums) at Bandcamp for 70 bucks, which works out to roughly $3 per album.
The Fiona Apple disc and `The Lemonade Stand' from Tenille Townes are my two favourites so far in 2020. And, oh gosh, the Marcus King solo debut. D'uh, how could I forget Bob Dylan?!
The new Fontaines D.C. record is very good. Feels more cohesive than ‘Dogrel’, though ‘Dogrel’ maybe has more stand-out tracks.
