Album: Only God Was Above Us Artist: Vampire Weekend Release Date: April 5, 2024 Label: Columbia Favorite Tracks:
Ice Cream Piano
Capricorn
Connect
Gen-X Cops
Mary Boone
Thoughts:
Only God Was Above Us is something of a return to form after 2019’s Father of the Bride, which was essentially an Ezra Koenig solo album with a jam band ethos. It sounds like the band’s early albums as if the melodies and drumfills of those early albums are being interpolated and remixed. This is not to say it is not original but their is a familiarity to it. Appropriately the album’s theme deals with the past, specifically New York City in the 20th century. The songs are a musical journey from cynicism to optimism.
Album: Halfsies Artist: Lizzie No Release Date: January 19, 2024 Label: Miss Freedomland Favorite Tracks:
Halfsies
The Heartbreak Store
Done
Annie Oakley
Babylon
Thoughts:
Lizzie No is a singer/songwriter, guitarist, and harpist from New Jersey who is broadly categorized as an Americana artist. But as it says on their website “genre is a construct” and Lizzie No cannot be so easily pinned down. No refers to her album as a video game in which a character named Miss Freedom goes on a journey through America touching upon the Black and LGBTQ experience. No’s voice is captivating throughout and their lyrics make this an album worth revisiting to get the full message.
It’s been a long time since I was in my 20s but this song is nonetheless relatable. Anyway, I’m in American in the 20s. Winnetka Bowling League are based out of Los Angeles and their debut album Sha La La is out on May 31.
This month we have two solo albums from women artists who became known for their work leading bands.
Album: Hole in My Head Artist: Laura Jane Grace Release Date: February 16, 2024 Label: Polyvinyl Favorite Tracks:
Hole In My Head
Dysphoria Hoodie
Punk Rock In Basements
Thoughts:
The second solo outing from Laura Jane Grace sees the Against Me! band leader taking an acoustic approach to punk rock to good effect. Since coming out as transgender a dozen years ago, Grace has been a strong voice (literally, her singing voice is one of her most effective talents) for trans rights. This album is less overtly political though and focused on celebrating trans joy and every day life.
Rating: ***1/2
Album: What Now Artist: Brittany Howard Release Date: February 9, 2024 Label: Island Favorite Tracks:
Earth Sign
I Don’t
Prove it To You
Power to Undo
Thoughts:
The second solo album for the Alabama Shakes’ leader might be called a “headphone album” because of the many layers and nuances of its sound. Howard also has a grab bag approach to genre ranging from 70s soul, to Prince-esque funk, to electronic dance music. It all flows together into one creative whole, tied together by singing bowls between each track.
Rating: ***
Some other albums I listened to this month but didn’t enjoy enough to write a review. I’ve liked music from all of these artists in the past, but their new albums all feel downbeat with none of the edge that first attracted me to their music. That said, I wouldn’t say any of these albums are bad, they’re just not for me.
Indie singer/songwriter Katy Kirby sings a sinuous song with a sinister undertone for this song of the week. “Hand to Hand” is featured on Kirby’s upcoming album Blue Raspberry, due out on January 26.
Kicking off the new year with new music, here’s a track from gglum, the project of 21-year-old London-based artist Ella Smoker. Known for ‘bedroom pop,’ this track has a lot more oomph than that dreamy genre usually implies.
I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022. The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously.
Album: Illinois Artist: Sufjan Stevens Release Date: July 4, 2005 Label: Asthmatic Kitty/Secretly Canadian and Rough Trade Favorite Tracks:
Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (Part I: The World’s Columbian Exposition – Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream)
Chicago
Casimir Pulaski Day
The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!
The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders” (Part I: The Great Frontier – Part II: Come to Me Only with Playthings Now)
Thoughts: There was a HUGE buzz for this album in 2005 that introduced me to the music of Sufjan Stevens. I haven’t listened to it in a long time, but it all feels familiar like visiting with an old friend. This was the second concept album that Stevens based on a state, part of a purported 50-state project that Stevens has played down in ensuing years since he hasn’t made another. The album is full of references to Illinois, including Abraham Lincoln, the Black Hawk War, John Wayne Gacy, Casimir Pulaski Day, Superman, and the World’s Columbian Exposition, yet the songs are nevertheless introspective and deal deeply with Stevens’ Christian faith. The musical orchestration and choral harmonies are what makes the album really stand out. It definitely stands up as one of the great albums of it’s decade. Rating: ****1/2
My favorite band of this year, boygenius, offer their rendition of one of my all-time favorite songs, “The Parting Glass.” They are joined by the Irish folk due Ye Vagabonds who previously appeared on my favorite songs of 2022. The song is a charity single recorded in the memory of Sinead O’Connor.
I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022. The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously.
Album: Turn Out the Lights Artist: Julien Baker Release Date: October 27, 2017 Label: Matador Favorite Tracks:
Appointments
Turn Out the Lights
Sour Breath
Everything to Help You Sleep
Claws in Your Back
Thoughts:
With the boygenius album one of my favorites of this year, I thought it worthwhile to check out the individual members’ solo project. Baker’s sophomore album features songs that start off spare with Baker’s voice accompanied by a solo guitar and/or piano but build up to orchestrated denouements. The music accompanies Baker’s deeply personal lyrics. It’s melancholy but still maintains hope. Honestly this music is right up my alley.
When your musical influences are Roy Orbison and New Wave music from the 1980s you’re going to end up sounding like Brigitte Calls Me Baby (okay, maybe there’s a little lot of Morrissey in there too).
Panorama of the Mountains 