The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

*imagine picture of my This American Life coffee mug and a half eaten chocolate cigar next to laptop*

Happy Independence Day for all the Americans! And a happy belated Independence Day to the Canadians as well! Tis the mid point of the summer celebrations, how did that happen? And while it should be a week with Half Pints Whole Notes, my cohort needed a vacation so... there's none of that this week. There will be so much to jibber jabber about by the time we record again. Anyway... Enough of that. I'm here. I'm typing this now. Time to let off some musical steam before I burst.

Oooo! Ahhh!! Ohhh! Eeee! It's the List!*fireworks*

This week Smithsonian Folkways released an album of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer titled Songs My Mother Taught Me, it includes Fannie Lou Hamer singing and also interviews with her. Seems like an appropriate way to spend a bit of time this weekend.

Neil Young and Promis of the Real released The Monsanto Years this week as well, and I hope the album is as good as the singles I mentioned a few weeks back. The big buzz has been around Miguel and the album Wildheart this week. Yeah, it's not really a big big name week. I just had to go look at what other people were saying were big from this week, and honestly it's kinda a niche place this week. I'm wondering if it's because we're at the cusp of the album release date change. In the U.S. albums have traditionally come out on Tuesdays, but now in order to prevent surprise album releases (?) and get everyone united, internationally albums will come out on Friday starting next week. And perhaps that is why it's been harder to put together a pretty cohesive list each week (it just feels like it's been light for a few weeks now, not that it means I've caught up on listening to more or anything...). Anyway, there's a handful of rap albums from those who are maybe bigger than I know they are, but I'm not really in the know on that scene so I won't try to fake it. Jeez, where's the music? Let's talk lists...

I had a dream last night that I should assemble all releases with any mention of water

Man Overboard, Heavy Love - Angsty rock. Blink 182 and Green Day have to be their influences. I'm not going to check it, but I'm just going with it.

Being As An Ocean, Being As An Ocean - Metal. Yelling vocals. Intense. And talking. Then some smooth singing. I didn't say these would all go together but just my dream told me to get all the ones to do with water.

Beach Moon/Peach Moon, Kite Without A String - (I am currently eating a plain sugar cone, no ice cream in it. with bites of chocolate. Missing marshmallows though) This is my kind of music. If you've read long enough, or know me, you can guess it's got some links into some Microphones, Ugly Casanova, you know that sort of thing. Different jangly instruments and some repetition, some simplicity when you get down to it, simple melodies. Oh, and I would totally get a print of the album cover.

Dew-Scented, Intermination - it's a metal band? Yeah, it's metal. And it's called Dew-Scented. The song titles are typical metal fare, "Demon Seed" and "Radiation Sickness." Okay, huh.

Sea of Bees, Build A Boat To The Sun

Wavves x Cloud Nothings, No Life For Me - Rock with a bit of that CA feel.

Dan Svizeny, Whitecaps - That modern singer-songwriter thing we get with drums and effects adn not just your momma's singer-songwriter with piano or guitar anymore. It's got some promise

A side note - I am writing this like a fractured movie that is reassembled for an arty effect. That is to say, I have written this not from beginning to end, but beginning, end, middle, second middle, morning cake but there is no morning cake, end. Then this explanation. Sorry to my husband for all the continuous complaining of lack of sweets today. When I get on something, I just ride it to bedtime.

So there's that... Seriously, was I trying to write this  in my sleep last night? I don't know. but here are a couple other things that caught my ear this week..

Fraser A. Gorman, Slow Gum - Singer-Songwriter

The Bombshells, Bake Sale Hotties- You know, girls rocking out and such. Exactly what I expected when I turned it on

Youth Worship, LP1 - Just kinda rock, nothing really special or virtuosic but just solid.

I guess that's all I really have to say this week. I blame it on lack of morning cake or husband returning from morning run with a donut for me. I mean, he's out running by stores, just bring a buck and get me a donut, right? ;) So anyway, a bit more about the album date change-up, I'm sticking with my same way of doing things so I will be officially writing about the past week's releases every Friday from now on. But it's kinda cool still because I'll get more time to listen and think and dream about lists. If I didn't have a kid, I would entertain the thought of making the Friday Refrain some sort of personal marathon where I would compile and listen to as much music from midnight to noon every Friday and then report my findings because I think the results would be really interesting sometimes. But probably mostly just tired and lost. So I'll just stick to using the week to sort myself out. And still end up tired and lost after it all.

Well, I said I would write until my husband got done with his shower and here he is, dressed for the day. Time to wrap it up and Happy Listening and farewell new release Tuesdays!