Memorial Day weekend - or as this climate would know it: the weekend we finally feel safe enough to really invest in outdoor plants. Picnics, parades, a time to reflect and respect, and hopefully a little sun.
It's been a sunny week for music. Coldplay released their anticipated new album, Ghost Stories. Conor Oberst came out with Upside Down Mountain and Phillip Phillips released his sophomore effort, Behind The Light. The Roots released ...and then you shoot your cousin sans Elvis Costello this time. Plus War released Evolutionary. Minnesota also gets a couple of shout-outs this week with Haley Bonar's Last War, and The Okee Dokee Brothers' Through The Woods.
Want some new 80's music?
White Sea, In Cold Blood
Machinista, Xenoglossy
Brett, Brett - Okay, so this one isn't quite 80s as the first two but it is very electronic-y
Some Music for Outside
Note: This ranges quite a bit in styles, so check the list or give it a 3 song listen to decide for yourself.
The Soundcarriers, Entropicalia - Summer sun and warmth.
Jolie Holland, Wine Dark Sea - A little mix of everything, this one has me intrigued and ready for another listen.
Lonesome Shack, More Primitive - Gritty singing and blues guitar, just has that BBQ feel to me.
Martin Wind, Turn Out The Stars
Hollis Brown, Get Loaded - It's the entire Velvet Underground album of the same name covered with slight changes in interpretation and it's good.
Sorceress, Dose - Self-proclaimed Electronic Funk, I took that classification because I was having some trouble genrefying it myself. But I liked what I listened to so far.
The To-Listen
A little unwieldy this week, mostly due to the fact I was sticking to a strictly 3 Song diet on the new albums of the week, but none the less - here are the ones I found intriguing but need a little more before I can decide.
Comet Control, Comet Control
Bo Ningen, III - Prog Rockish metal with a fleck of Mars Volta
Bry Webb, Free Will - Laid back in a way that piqued my interest
Hobocop, Half Man Half Cop - Fuzzy rock that I want to pay more attention to before deciding yay/nay
Kate Tempest, Everybody Down
Malaena Cadiz, Deep Below Heaven
Urbindex, Walsh - Electronica that made it to my To-Listen list. Has that edge I like.
Tyson Meade, Tomorrow in Progress
Traxman, Da Mind of Traxman, Vol. 2
Emma Ruth Rundle, Some Heavy Ocean
Syd Arthur, Sound Mirror - A touch of a vintage sound to it.
Everymen, Givin' Up On Free Jazz
The Happy Couple, Into The Woods - I liked 2 of the 3 songs, which are good odds, but 2/3 lands it on the To-Listen.
Tearjerker, Hiding
So there you have it. Happy listening and a restful weekend!
Friday Refrain is a weekly post regarding what new releases have caught my ear for the week. I try to compile a pretty comprehensive list of releases of the week and see what is available for me to listen to on the web. This is just my non-scientific, highly-subjective, randomly-listened-to list of stuff from the week. Oh, and I don’t always listen to lyrics or look at album art/music videos, so appropriateness is left up to the listener