I'm here only for the discourse. My favorite part is when all the misogynists show up and make it seem like if you don't like her music you're one of them. Always a fun wrinkle.
I respect your opinion almost as much as I respect the motherfuckin' craft, but you're talking to someone who was never going to like it. Which is fine! I only chafe at her being called a genius, which is just not the case.
Anyone else in here also heard the new LDR through...various ways and means? I'm not a fan so I only listened to the first 3 songs and it's definitely a Lana Del Rey album. I'm patiently awaiting the market correction to the initial overcorrection to the LDR backlash, because she's fine and NFR! was wildly overrated. People calling her a generationally talented songwriter are really overselling her schtick though.
Anyways, this New Pagans sounds pretty good! Shout out to that Harmony Woods album, which is fantastic, and shout out to some outdoor concerts being announced in CT!
So I'm a big fan of his first two albums and I stand up for the third, which I think is much better than the credit it's been given. Caer was...not good, but I'm excited for new Twin Shadow music nonetheless. That said, this ain't it man.
First they came for Dr. Suess, and I stayed silent. And then they came for a Mumford and Son bro, and yet I remained silent. And then they came for me because I said a bunch of racist shit and stormed the capitol, and there was no one left to uncancel me.
Valerie June rules and more people around these parts should be looking forward to this release. For y'all who don't know...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN35g4eLQgg
This sounds pretty rad. New Valerie June is something to get excited about though, she makes primo "weather's warming up" music with a truly unique and excellent voice.
Also, I saw on twitter a prominent music critic say their current AOTY is being surprise-dropped on Friday and I'm super excited to see who the hell they could be talking about.
I see what you're getting at and 100% agree, mostly because I think Lucy makes the best - and ironically, most accessible - music of the bunch, and yet has seen the least amount of mainstream success. Aside from your main point, though, I also think Phoebe's proximity to LA and famous people (discussed in great detail on another thread), her willingness to proactively engage in/seek out that world, and of course her "quirky" online/offline persona, probably all play a role as well.
OK so I'm probably in the minority here who thinks that everything Annie's put out since Actress has seen diminishing returns. Something about the funk/horns/synth thing, for me, just doesn't vibe with her songwriting and voice. That said, this song RULES. It's pretty much coke-Bowie cosplay, but not in a derivative way, more celebrating the sound and moving it into the modern era. I'm really hoping she expands that awesome slinky guitar part to a full on solo in the live shows, because it's a great spot for it. This has me more excited for a new St. Vincent album then I've been in a long time.
Yea the first single I listed to turned me off of it, but I decided to give it a spin when I was out of ideas last week and it's not what I was expecting at all.
The thing about Japanese Breakfast is that Zauner is so good with melody that it really doesn't matter what sound she's trying on, the songs are going to be good. Which is to say, this is good.
Nothing much for me this week, but I'll use this space to get out a mea culpa re: Katy Kirby, who I slightly maligned last week as being in the vein of another Phoebe Bridgers, Haley Hendrixcksxsxsx (sp?), Adrienne Lenker indie singer-songwriter but whose album is much weirder and more diverse and interesting in sound than I was projecting onto it. What a great little album, guys!
On a separate note, my brother turned me onto this performance, which is just stone cold, mild-melting stuff. The laugh when the keyboard player knows he nailed it? Those motherfucking DRUMS? Just insane, and I urge you all to give it a full and complete listen if you want to feel good today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ_s5IsQc
Honestly, if Beach House wanted to just go ahead and release an hour's worth of gorgeous ambient music like what's featured in those clips, instead of an official LP, I would still be super into it and would probably buy it on vinyl so I could eat edibles and blast it from the big speakers. Come on Beach House, we NEED this.
Wow this is pretty damn great! I mean, it's a great song so unless you do something really weird the cover will also probably be at least good. That said, normalize the different vocal inflection Katie puts on this song in the chorus when she plays it live, people.
Agreed on Murder Ballads and The Boatman's Call - both are great but too much of what they do I think for a new listener. The caveat here is that, other than "Red Right Hand," I'm pretty sure "Stagger Lee" was the first Cave song I heard and it blew me away. Still makes me laugh to this day. What a song.
Great answer. These are definitely the places to start, though I'd throw in a shout out for Dig Yourself, even though it's not his best, because I think it's one of his most accessible and combines lusty gothic Nick Cave with nasty rock Nick Cave. I also think it's wildly underrated but that's just me. Just avoid sad piano Nick Cave until you get into it, because without context that version can come off as pretty corny. Abattoir/Lyre is probably the #1 place to start though, with Let Love In at #2.
I'm actually now weirdly convinced that the live album they released last year is the best thing they've ever put out. I'm mildly obsessed with it. If you haven't gotten around to that one yet, highly recommended.
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