Whoa. More than two months since my last post on this blog. A lot has happened in the meantime. I went on a Canadian road trip, took pictures at Rock im Park 2019 (you can click here for day 1, day 2 and day 3) and wrote a review of the Southside Festival. After that, work and everyday routine took over. And of course, the new season of Stranger Things wanted to be watched! What an emotional final episode! I still have to cry when I think of it.
In the meantime, a bunch of records came out which I think have a good chance of making it into my top ten of the year. So here we go. What have I been listening to during those past eight weeks?
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
With their sophomore album, Charly Bliss find the ideal balance between energy and melody. The Powerpop jewel starts out with the dazzling "Blown To Bits" and it's impossible to escape the catchy harmonies and Eva Hendricks' velvet voice. The tight mix of guitars, bass and drum drives the tunes forward and makes you wanna dance. As you listen more carefully, you'll notice that the lyrics deal with rather serious topics, from sexual harassment to broken relationships. Producer Joe Chiccarelli (The Shins, My Morning Jacket) did a splendid job. One of my fave records so far this year!
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The National - I'm Easy To Find
I still haven't listened to this record as much as I should have, that I'll admit. But I don't think that The National can do anything wrong at this point. The eighth studio album of the indie rock pundits is not afraid to question traditional songwriting structures and to take risks. At the same time, Matt Berninger (whose voice sends shivers down my spine everytime I hear it) shares the mic with singers like Sharon Van Etten. A record that needs time and rewards you with an out of this world feeling. I'll take the time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hot Water Music - Shake Up The Shadows
It's always good to hear new music by Hot Water Music, even if it is "only" a five song EP. The new songs are best enjoyed with headphones - so you can enjoy Jason Black's dribbling bass in "By Any Means". Some people say that Hot Water Music don't surprise you anymore, but that's a silly statement. They have their trademark sound, so why alter that style just for the sake of changing it? "I know the madness has all become the normal" is an accurate line in the title track, and Chuck Ragan sounds as if he knew we may be seeing this madness lingering for a while. "Denatured" features vocals by Chris Wollard who is otherwise still taking a time out to focus on his health. Glad to hear his coarse vocals here.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Baroness - Gold & Grey
The powerful sound of Baroness has accompanied me since the spectacular double album "Yellow & Green" in 2012. Maybe that is why I can fully enjoy the new record by the US metal outfit - while others prefer the harsher debut album to the musically diverse new album. I think Baroness have done an unbelievably fantastic job in putting together an album that is heavy, groovy, clever and innovative. There are shredding guitars, but there are also jazzy vibes, Krautrock notions and simply too much styles to take it all in by just listening to it once. It's a record that keeps on growing and unfolding, giving you the chance to explorer it layer for layer. Gina Gleason is a perfect to John Baizley - both as a guitar player and as a singer. With the colour saga coming to an end, you can't help but be excited what will come.
Calexico and Iron & Wine - Years To Burn
It makes perfect sense. Calexico and Iron & Wine have a lot in common, but at the same time, they have enough stylistic contrasts to make for a rich musical collaboration. "Years To Burn" is the second recorded testimony of this meaningful bond (after "In The Reins" 2005). Eight songs full of introspection and wonder present themselves to you, the listener, and you best turn of the notifications on your cellphone to experience them in all their glory and without exterior confounding factors.
The Raconteurs - Help Us Stranger
My heart jumped when I first heard that Jack White and Brendan Benson will be putting out a new album, I had been waiting for this news so long that I couldn't nearly believe it was finally happening. "Consolers of the Lonely" was released in 2008 and featured epic tracks like "The Switch and the Spur". And while sometimes "comeback" records don't live up to the expectations, this one does. Songs like "Only Child" glow with nostalgia, while "Thoughts and Prayers" is aimed at the meaningless phrase that keeps being repeated after mass shootings in the US.
The Black Keys - Let's Rock
The first Black Keys song I listened to was "10 A.M. Automatic" - including the funny weird video. Since their 2004 debut, the bluesrock duo has been seen soaring to headliner status. With their new album "Let's Rock" they appear like kings leaning back and taking a look at their realm. No need for hits or singles, let's just rock - the vibe is clear and feasible. Dan Auerbach's guitar and Patrick Carney's drums make it clear that sometimes it just takes two people to generate that sounds that drive your brain to release Dopamine.
Chamberlain - Some Other Sky EP
While listening to this song, I kept thinking: Reminds me of The Gaslight Anthem. Then Brian Fallon posted a list of his influences on Instagram and Chamberlain were included there. I'd never listened to Chamberlain before, although I reviewed Adam Rubensteins solo record in 2013. But the new song and the 7 inch made me want to explore the musical oeuvre of the indie rock band. "The Moon My Saddle" was part of my Canadian road trip soundtrack.
Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit's "The Midnight Organ Fight"
Outstanding musicians like Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) and Benjamin Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie) present their take on Frightened Rabbit songs from their 2008 album "The Midnight Organ Fight". Actually the release was planned earlier. Now with Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchisons having taken his own life in May 2018, this feels like a posthume tribute to the scottish indie rock genius. The different approaches to the songs are amazing. A part of the money made from this album will be given to a mental health charity also named Tiny Changes. So rather than just streaming it somewhere, get the record.
In the meantime, a bunch of records came out which I think have a good chance of making it into my top ten of the year. So here we go. What have I been listening to during those past eight weeks?
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
With their sophomore album, Charly Bliss find the ideal balance between energy and melody. The Powerpop jewel starts out with the dazzling "Blown To Bits" and it's impossible to escape the catchy harmonies and Eva Hendricks' velvet voice. The tight mix of guitars, bass and drum drives the tunes forward and makes you wanna dance. As you listen more carefully, you'll notice that the lyrics deal with rather serious topics, from sexual harassment to broken relationships. Producer Joe Chiccarelli (The Shins, My Morning Jacket) did a splendid job. One of my fave records so far this year!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The National - I'm Easy To Find
I still haven't listened to this record as much as I should have, that I'll admit. But I don't think that The National can do anything wrong at this point. The eighth studio album of the indie rock pundits is not afraid to question traditional songwriting structures and to take risks. At the same time, Matt Berninger (whose voice sends shivers down my spine everytime I hear it) shares the mic with singers like Sharon Van Etten. A record that needs time and rewards you with an out of this world feeling. I'll take the time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It's always good to hear new music by Hot Water Music, even if it is "only" a five song EP. The new songs are best enjoyed with headphones - so you can enjoy Jason Black's dribbling bass in "By Any Means". Some people say that Hot Water Music don't surprise you anymore, but that's a silly statement. They have their trademark sound, so why alter that style just for the sake of changing it? "I know the madness has all become the normal" is an accurate line in the title track, and Chuck Ragan sounds as if he knew we may be seeing this madness lingering for a while. "Denatured" features vocals by Chris Wollard who is otherwise still taking a time out to focus on his health. Glad to hear his coarse vocals here.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The powerful sound of Baroness has accompanied me since the spectacular double album "Yellow & Green" in 2012. Maybe that is why I can fully enjoy the new record by the US metal outfit - while others prefer the harsher debut album to the musically diverse new album. I think Baroness have done an unbelievably fantastic job in putting together an album that is heavy, groovy, clever and innovative. There are shredding guitars, but there are also jazzy vibes, Krautrock notions and simply too much styles to take it all in by just listening to it once. It's a record that keeps on growing and unfolding, giving you the chance to explorer it layer for layer. Gina Gleason is a perfect to John Baizley - both as a guitar player and as a singer. With the colour saga coming to an end, you can't help but be excited what will come.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Calexico and Iron & Wine - Years To Burn
It makes perfect sense. Calexico and Iron & Wine have a lot in common, but at the same time, they have enough stylistic contrasts to make for a rich musical collaboration. "Years To Burn" is the second recorded testimony of this meaningful bond (after "In The Reins" 2005). Eight songs full of introspection and wonder present themselves to you, the listener, and you best turn of the notifications on your cellphone to experience them in all their glory and without exterior confounding factors.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Raconteurs - Help Us Stranger
My heart jumped when I first heard that Jack White and Brendan Benson will be putting out a new album, I had been waiting for this news so long that I couldn't nearly believe it was finally happening. "Consolers of the Lonely" was released in 2008 and featured epic tracks like "The Switch and the Spur". And while sometimes "comeback" records don't live up to the expectations, this one does. Songs like "Only Child" glow with nostalgia, while "Thoughts and Prayers" is aimed at the meaningless phrase that keeps being repeated after mass shootings in the US.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Black Keys - Let's Rock
The first Black Keys song I listened to was "10 A.M. Automatic" - including the funny weird video. Since their 2004 debut, the bluesrock duo has been seen soaring to headliner status. With their new album "Let's Rock" they appear like kings leaning back and taking a look at their realm. No need for hits or singles, let's just rock - the vibe is clear and feasible. Dan Auerbach's guitar and Patrick Carney's drums make it clear that sometimes it just takes two people to generate that sounds that drive your brain to release Dopamine.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Chamberlain - Some Other Sky EP
While listening to this song, I kept thinking: Reminds me of The Gaslight Anthem. Then Brian Fallon posted a list of his influences on Instagram and Chamberlain were included there. I'd never listened to Chamberlain before, although I reviewed Adam Rubensteins solo record in 2013. But the new song and the 7 inch made me want to explore the musical oeuvre of the indie rock band. "The Moon My Saddle" was part of my Canadian road trip soundtrack.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit's "The Midnight Organ Fight"
Outstanding musicians like Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) and Benjamin Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie) present their take on Frightened Rabbit songs from their 2008 album "The Midnight Organ Fight". Actually the release was planned earlier. Now with Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchisons having taken his own life in May 2018, this feels like a posthume tribute to the scottish indie rock genius. The different approaches to the songs are amazing. A part of the money made from this album will be given to a mental health charity also named Tiny Changes. So rather than just streaming it somewhere, get the record.