The Friday Refrain: Your Weekly New Music Digest

Greetings! It's Friday again. Already. And we went to the library today so there is a stack of cookbooks just staring at me. I probably shouldn't have put them right next to me. I just want to lay down on the couch and start reading. But first things first.

Today in music we have two HUGE reissues: Prince's Purple Rain and Radiohead's Ok Computer. Popular Rockers with a kicking stage show Imagine Dragons released Evolve today. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco fame released Together At Last. Yonder Mountain String Band return with Love Ain't Love. Vince Staples released Big Fish Theory and Bone Thugs N Harmony have New Waves out today as well. DJ Khaled is Grateful. Finally, my excitement for today is for The Deslondes a few weeks back they had a single out that I really enjoyed and today the full release is up for grabs, Hurry Home.

Hurry Home To My List of what came out last week.

Now for an oddity list. Since it's the Solstice time of year...

Solstice List

GospelbeacH, Another Summer of Love

Hidden Orchestra, Dawn Chorus

Lost Balloons, Hey Summer

UMFANG, Symbolic Use of Light

Palm, Shadow Expert

Peaking Lights, The Fifth State of Consciousness

White Suns, Psychic Drift

Dane Uno, Everything in the Dark Comes To Light

(Bonus: Winter's response - How Did We Get So Dark? Royal Blood)

If you want...

to listen to some tenuous, fragile indie music? Try Penelope Trappe, Penelope One

a voice like Edward Sharpe and laid back vintage rock? Michael Nau, Some Twist

some noisy rock? Jason Loewenstein, Spooky Action

some classic Mexican rancheras and corridos? Antonio Aguilar, A Diez Años De Su Adiós

amazingly textured, looped and buoyant music? Dustin Wong, Are Euphoria

Okay so there's some recommendations. I could probably give about 10 rock suggestions but time is a ticking a way and there are cookbooks to read, chicken to get out of the oven, and a logic puzzle sitting here taunting me. Oh yes, I live the exciting life. Check out the Spotify playlist below, follow me on twitter (@bunkamade), and all that jazz. Speaking of jazz, if you're in the Twin Cities don't forget it is also Jazz Fest this weekend! Or if you want to see a gender bender Pirates of Penzance, check out One Voice Mixed's production on Raspberry Island... But remember, stay hydrated, reapply that sunscreen, protect those ears and Happy Listening!

The Friday Refrain: Your Weekly New Music Digest

Hi-lo everyone. I'm just jumping in today because there are towering releases out today. First off Roger Waters who was in Pink Floyd released Is This The Life We Really Want? today. A modern musical phenom, Dan Auerbach released Waiting On A Song. Alt-J returns with  Relaxer. Punk rockers Flogging Molly release Life is Good. Chastity Belt are out with I Used To Spend So Much TIme Alone. Halsey releases her album today officially, even though Urban Outfitters put it out on shelves earlier this week, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. Benjamin Booker is back with Witness and let's stick with the singer-songwriter outfit because Marika Hackman also released an album today titled, I'm Not Your Man.

I'm not your List. Oh wait, yes it is the list of last week's releases compiled and genrefied by moi.

This week I looked at all those albums and this is what I found:

ROAD TRIP!

White Nails, First Trip

The Heliocentrics, A World of Masks

Sam Amidon, The Following Mountain

Lil Yachty, Teenage Emotions

Jimi Tents, I Can't Go Home

Jamie Saft, Loneliness Road

Darren Hayman, Thankful Villages, Vol 2

Climate

Kafuka, Laws of Nature

Alestorm, No Grave But the Sea

Thunder Dreamer, Capture

Bad Company, Burnin' Sky

Drew McDowall, Unnatural Channel

Avatarium, Hurricanes and Halos

Violence to Fade, Unstoppable Force

The Charlatans, Different Days

Steve Davis, Think Ahead

Bernard Fanning, Brutal Dawn

I like making the lists, it's like a puzzle out of albums. A creative mind teaser. Yep. I hope you find them amusing too. Check out the Spotify list for something to groove to this weekend and stop by csicon.fm to hear our latest episode of Pint Notes this weekend too! And if you're out enjoying the weather and music this weekend remember to protect your ears, reapply that sunscreen, stay hydrated and Happy Listening!

The Friday Refrain: Your Weekly New Music Digest

Welcome everyone to the Friday Refrain - we'll talk about what's out today, I'll give you the list of what I found was released last week, and then I'll leave you with a Spotify list. No fun lists because there is no nap today. So I'm going to go on a 3-5 mile walkabout in hopes of creating a perfect storm of sleepiness. But first - music!

Okay, the last few weeks have been pretty huge. This week quiets down a bit, as a holiday weekend normally will. Though the number of releases today was pretty high in my opinion. Danzig released Black Laden Crown which coincides with his festival of all things Danzig this weekend. I've read about that festival, it's pretty crazy sounding. I really can't wait to read the reviews. Anyway, Lil Yachty released Teenage Emotions. Justin Townes Earle is back with Kids in the Street, and Shakira returns with El Dorado. I think that's the big names, I might have forgotten to dogear any artists that I should include in this part and there is a toddler dancing up to me trying to be as patient as he can so there's no going back through right now.

Go through This List!

Well Josh his work cut out for him in researching for our show next week because I had a pile of like 10 albums that I liked, easily. If I were to throw together  a quick funny list, it would involve animals because just glancing I see Mountain Goats, Pumarosa, Dragonforce, Oxbow, Catz n Dogz... So half-hearted attempt there I guess. Anyway, have a nice weekend. Until next time, Happy Listening!

The Friday Refrain: Your Weekly New Music Digest

So it's Friday once again and I am here to divvy up some of the music release news. It's a pretty exciting release day, albeit in the shadow of Chris Cornell's death which I can't even wrap my head around. It is a good reminder that it doesn't matter who you are, your accomplishments in life, or whatever - the darkness of our minds can be all but too much. Find help. It may be scary, it may seem that no one cares, but it's not true. Reach out and you will be surprised. It sucks, it doesn't seem like it can work or happen, but help and caring can be found. There is more love in the world than all the darkness. Sucks that sometimes we have to strive to find it. But it's worth it. Get help if you need it or ask someone to help you find help. Anyway... I'll step off my soapbox now and proceed as usual.

It seems that New Kids on the Block and Seether was just the beginning of the iceburg of 90's and early 00's to have new releases: Faith Evans, wife of deceased Notorious B.I.G., is releasing Faith Evans & the Notorious B.I.G., The King & I. Snoop Dogg is back with Neva Left, and I hope it has a song as captivating as "Legend." And now back to the early 00's. You would not believe that today is May 19th two thousand SEVENTEEN when I say this next sentence, but it is and not 1999. Papa Roach releases Crooked Teeth today and Linkin Park returns with One More Light. (wasn't that super weird? Yeah.) Couple other big names before we get to the indie acts: Rascal Flatts follow up their Christmas album with Back To Us. Matisyahu released Undercurrent today, which I will be checking out as soon as I finish listening to my favorite new dance indie pop awesomeness band: MISTERWIVES and their newest Connect the Dots. (nothing will be as good as the previous album cover though) !!! return with  Shake the Shudder, and I always find it fun to see what that band is up to. Wavves release You're Welcome and retro songmaker Pokey LaFarge returns with Manic Revelations.

Revelate on This List: my aggregated list of last week's releases genrefied by me as much as I got listened to.

So it's another week where I'm all booked up - piano party, Pint Notes week, etc. So I've got the Spotify playlist up below and hopefully you'll find something that attracts your ears. Personally, I really like the Pavementy sounds of Spencer Radcliffe today. Or maybe the soulful singing of Don Bryant - a songwriter for years and now stepping behind the mic. Maybe you need some hard rock, then check out Snakecharmer. Maybe you need some metal? Try out Ulsect or White Ward. Whatever it is your ear is craving, I hope you find it and Happy Listening everybody!

The Friday Refrain: Your Weekly New Music Digest

Sunshine sunshine. How beautiful is looking out the window right now and what's more beautiful? The music I've been listening to this week. That was pretty cheesy but I'm leaving it. Today's releases are exciting for those who like to be reminded of their glory days and then there's a few newer bands too. Let's hit it: Dreamcar is a supergroup of AFI and No Doubt members playing new wave on the album also named Dreamcar. Paramore releases After Laughter. Todd Rundgren released White Knight. And kicking it back to my college days, Seether released Poison the Parish. Of Destiny's Child past, Letoya Luckett released Back 2 Life. Surrounded by issues they are workign through, PWR BTTM release Pagaent. One of my favorite newer bands Girlpool released Powerplant. Also Elf Power is back with Twitching in Time. Zac Brown Band declares Welcome Home  with their new album that is said to be a throw back to their older sound. And for the big finale today: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK released an EP today, Thankful. You're welcome teens from the 90's. You're Welcome.

And you're welcome to check out this list I aggregated of the releases from last week. Maybe you'll notice that 100 bands are genrefied. That's because I sampled 100 bands from last week. No wonder my ears are tired.

I promised lists. And lists you shall have.

Quite a few wolves in the last few weeks:

Wolfpakk, Wolves Reign

Cotton Wolf, Life in Analogue

Wolf Brigade, Run with the Hunted

Russ, There's Really A Wolf

Last week, people got questions

Peaness, Are You Sure?

Theme Park, Is This How it Starts?

Black Lips, Satan's Graffitti or God's Art?

Juan Maclean, Can You Ever Really Know Somebody?

Okay so I only did two but that's more than lately. Also, I almost did that thing where I write a letter using album titles to form the content because it could've been really interesting and funny this week. Unfortunately I don't quite have the time today. I am throwing together a Spotify list so check out bunkamade at Spotify or click through for the link.