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

Good Friday to all! (get it? Cuz it's Good Friday? See what I did there? Anyway...) What a release week. So many big ones on the indie/alt scene. And it's been another fortweek so last night my friend Josh and I recorded our seventh episode of Half Pints Whole Notes. We agree on 4 albums, drink a spicy beer and then Josh lets off some steam. And secretly I learned why I need to keep better notes - so I don't forget bands I've been listening to when on the spot. (or that Sufjan Steven's album is The BQE. How did I forget that? How?)

In between thing, I'm eating lunch while entertaining my baby and writing this and I think I ate a baby carrot with one end being the stem end. Ugh. The List.

Rapper Ludacris is back with Ludaversal. Death Cab For Cutie released Kintsugi, and Sufjan Stevens is out with the grieving album of Carrie & Lowell. Former Hootie & the Blowfish member Darius Rucker is solo with Southern Style. And Ringo Starr is back with Postcards From Paradise.

Get your dance on this week with Madeon, Adventure. Flash back to earlier EDM times with The Prodigy, The Day Is My Enemy. And get your 80s on with any of these new releases: Lower Dens, Escape From Evil; Reptar, Lurid Glow; or The Soft Moon, Deeper.

But really, it's spring and so I know we're all just going to put on The Kinks and call it a day, right? Because that's the thing to do when the air gets warm and the windows get opened - put on The Kinks and spring clean the place. Hopefully, at least because I'm still working on this work/family balance and need to jet. Part of the family is over tomorrow for ham, eggs and hunting. Happy Listening!

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

"There's something in the basement."

That is what I just texted to my husband. So ominous. Well, not quite. I know it's some sort of rodent - mouse, or chipmunk. But enough to grab my son and hightail it out of there, stuff towels under the door so that whatever it is stays down there this time. Not like Tuesday. Tuesday, my cat caught a chipmunk, and through a hilarity of hijinks, we chased it around the house until I chased it out.

If you are the same chipmunk, thing in my basement, you are not very smart. Also, how do you know how to use the internet? Are you some sort of children's fictional character? Ah well. You can be safe to assume this will be short.

This week, musically what happened this week? Well, Toto is back with a couple of the original members now I guess with Toto XIV and they're excited about it so it's in my To-Listen pile. And what's with the surprise albums lately? Rapper Earl Sweatshirt sprung I Don't Shit, I Don't Go Outside. What's Kevin Eubanks been doing now that he no longer has Jay Leno's show? Well, he's still making music, namely with Stanley Jordan on their new album, Duets. Kidz Bop 28 is out too so get your kids those safe pop songs now. Laura Marling who has an impressive amount of albums for her age is out back again with Short Movie. As is Nellie McKay with My Weekly Reader. And Van Morrison released Duets: Re-Working the Catalogue.

Man, there's a lot of semi-big stuff:

Courtney Barnett, who I think of as the female Australian version of Art Brut, is out with Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

Chastity Belt has Time To Go Home

Buena Vista Social Club with Lost & Found

Rapper Action Bronson with Mr. Wonderful

Been around for a long time The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is back with Freedom Tower: No Wave Dance Party 2015

Okay baby crying, rodent in the basement, litter box needs to come upstairs. I have to flee. Chilly Gonzalez Chambers is pretty great instrumental music. And I'm digging the afrobeat jazz stuff of Atanga Boom, Atanga Boom. So there's a couple more to throw on this weekend. Good luck to all and Happy Listening!

Wait! I'm From Barcelona I forgot it on the list, but they have a new album out. Check it out. I love them. Please come to Minnesota!

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

What an up and down week this week. Baby stuff, podcast, a stubborn cold, but also a good massage, sporadic spring break days (travelling to students means many different school districts and many different days off - Yay? or Yay!) - so yeah. But one thing I know, when The List has been in the hundreds for a few weeks, one week of 60-some feels like a breeze. A springy breeze even. *insert cough fit* Sigh.

Ah ah ah choothelist!

What have we got here? Well, rapper Kendrick Lamar released To Pimp A Butterfly and if you catch Half Pints Whole Notes this week, you'll know I feel the need to relisten to this album again. Modest Mouse is back with Strangers to Ourselves having crossed the ocean of indie/alt rock to pseudo-pop fame they now bring back that old familiarity of Modest Mouse with them but it's different now. Popular Electronic Rock and what other genres can they muster with their music? AWOLNATION released Run and it's got some goods in there. Poppy and fun Marina & the Diamonds is back with Froot and all I can think is Toucan Sam when I see that. Oh and if you're a Glen Hansard fan, you might have missed this covers ep he did, It Was Triumph We Once Proposed... Songs of Jason Molina. So go check that out to get your charming Irish fix. Speaking of covers, Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield cover a bunch of Elliott Smith in the aptly named Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliot Smith.

My head is cloudy no cute lists but here's some things...

Is Tropical, Black Anything Pt. 2 - a conundrum of sound: crunchy gritty guitar, dancey kind of sounds, simple vocals, but all together so complex.

Django Django, "Reflections" - Oh man, each single makes me more and more excited for this full release. I love Django Django. I am waiting in anticipation.

San Cisco, Gracetown - If you were a fan of this band previously with their last album or just that super catchy song, "Awkward," go ahead and find more catchy fun songs on this new album.

William Elliott Whitmore, "Civilizations" - Americana singer-songwriter and a good song. So go to it if you like those first descriptors.

Marcus Miller, Afrodeezia - jazzy and upbeat

Wand, Golem - psychedelic but more than that rock. It's tied with Houndmouth for hands down favorite of the week.

Houndmouth, Little Neon Limelight - We say it on the podcast, but I'll say it again, my husband pinned it right - heavily influenced by The Band but they take that and make it their own and it's good. I could just keep listening.

Moonspell, Extinct - a little metal for the weekend

Tobias Jesso Jr., Goon - There's something more to this charming indie rock singer-songwriter

Nic Hessler, Soft Connections - not singer-songwriter. Full up band on this one with some songs with pep. Need to give it a full listen but it caught my ear.

The Bomb, The Axis of Awesome - do you like The Offspring or that sort of rock? Then you should give this a go.

Songs and albums abound springing from the aural atmosphere with aplomb. Grab one and take it home with you. You'll be glad you did.

Man, this cold. It's got me all foofy and cobwebs. Happy Listening!

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

Ahoy mateys! Avast it is Friday! Well, it's gorgeous here, the sun is shining, birds chirping, cars zooming by, So I'll make it short and sweet.

The big ones: pop legend Madonna, Rebel Heart; pop country star Luke Bryan, Spring Break... Checkin' Out; hip hop dude Action Bronson, Mr. Wonderful; "You Go To My Head," a single from jazz singer Cassandra Wilson's upcoming album;

The List.

Things I Liked (for various reasons I may or may not divulge)

Unlike Pluto, Palace

Sasha Siem, Most of the Boys

Pafko, Legend is Back

Mikal Cronin, ii) Gold

Monster High, Party Like A Monster

Aero Flynn, Aero Flynn

Will Butler, Policy

Things I'm giving a further listen

Harms Way, Rust

Never Young, Never Young

No Spill Blood, Heavy Electricity

Tremblay, Porcelaine

Lightouts, More Than Ever

Evans the Death, Expect Delays

But admittedly I didn't get far into the list this week. Almost halfway but not quite. Anyhoo, I told you, short and sweet. Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Listening!

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

Happy Friday to all! Do you feel it in the air? Spring is on its way and the bitter cold is retreating. I love that day we turn the corner and put the below zero weather behind us (hopefully). Well, it's been another two weeks, so it was time for my friend Josh and I to hole up in the seedy basement bar and record another episode of Half-Pints, Whole-Notes. This week, we talk about new releases and Pre-1900 music. Check it out at the website or through your favorite podcast listening thingy.

Purity Ring finally released Breathing World this week. Brandi Carlile is back with The Firewatcher's Daughter and it's a pretty great album. She is a force to be reckoned with live and I think this album showcases her talent well. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released Chasing Yesterday and staying on that indie rock side we've got Of Montreal with Aureate Gloom. Pop star Kelly Clarkson released Piece By Piece as well. And I think that about does it for the big guys.

And even though you still haven't finished last week's, here is the list.

Invasion of the Singer-Songwriters

Just seems like there are more than usual this week. In order from country/americanaish to rockish. Okay, so maybe I'm a little loose with the idea of singer-songwriter this week. It's just the word that keeps popping into my head.

Liz Madden, Legacy - folksy and Irish at times.

Gill Landry, Gill Landry - for some old-style americana

Ryan Culwell, Flatlands - more country sounding

Dorthia Cottrell, Dorthia Cottrell - A lady, a guitar and some singing. A little twang hangs around in there.

Lady Lazarus, Miracles - a lady and a piano and sparsity

Dom La Nena, Soyo - Simple sweet and beautiful.

Best Girl Athlete, Carve Every Word - Another sweeter sound with more instrumentation but still has that singer-songwriter vibe to it I think.

Buxton, Half A Native - Alt rock americana sound.

Best Girl Athlete, Carve Every Word - probably one of those that isn't really singer-songwriter but I just felt it so I went with it.

Lilly Hiatt, Royal Blue - Picking it up now, adding some oomph and pep to the music.

Holly Miranda, Holly Miranda - only one track is available on Spotify but this shows promise.

Lady Lamb The Beekeeper, After - A force to reckon with. Love her voice, her lyrics, her style.

Something else...

Gateway Drugs, Magick Spells - rock.

Eula, Wool Sucking - one of the examples of why I invented the term "Playground of Rock"

Prinze George, Prinze George - Not what I thought it would be. It's a poppy little thing.

Yung, Alter - Again, rock.

Coastal, Beneath the Snow and Streetlights - Keep this in mind for next winter. It will be great for that first snow.

July Talk, July Talk - It's a deep gritty guy and a sweet sounding female. At first I wasn't sure but then I kept listening and I think I started to get it.

Vincent D'onofrio/Dana Lyn, Slim Bone Head Volt - Oh I wish this was on Spotify but it's not. You can hear two tracks on soundcloud. Go here to read about this. I want it. So great.

And now it's time to take off my writing shoes and put on my hanging out shoes, switch my cardigans out and sing a song as I leave through the door. Hopefully you'll find the right level of singer-songwriter for your weekend and Happy Listening!