Heir – And So I Watch You From Afar – Mostly instrumental, semi-improvisational rock band from Ireland, if you wanna give them a shot, start with “The Secret Kings I Know” – B
Giants – Andreya Trianase – Soulful diva’s sophomore effort is powerful stuff -somebody stick her with Rudimental, since Flying Lotus isn’t commercial enough to do the job – B
California Nights – Best Coast – Superb guitar dazed songs of love lost and found in the night sun – A-
futuresoul – Boney James – Making the sax your lead instrument doesn’t make your soul futuristic, but it doesn’t hurt either. This has lots of delicious low key and higher key moments, though a little goes a long way – C+
Some Type Of love – Charlie Puth – Charlie sang the hook to Wiz’s “See You Again” and so is currently stuck at the top of the Billboard 200, a good time for this Jersey answer to Sam Smith Youtube sensation to come into his own. This is a terrific EP, especially the Meghan Trainor duet on “Marvin Gaye” – B+
Traveller – Chris Stapleton – Country songwriter Chris sure can write em, this is the real deal country balladeering that needs no excuse at all and no time no announce itself. Two drinking song, a devil song, travelling tracks and lots and lots of heartache, superb playing (the best harp since David Barnes) and songs, songs and songs. George Strait should cover every one – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-
Jackie – Ciara – Named after her mother, this Queen of crunk has all the rhythmic smartiness you’d hope for on her sixth album, plus the best song Pitbull has been involved with since “Timber” – B
Anxiety’s Kiss – Coliseum – When hardcore bands grow up, they either go deeper into the form or they evolve out. This evolves out, it is classic the way Fucked Up are classic though without the Who jones – B-
Born Under Saturn – Django Django – Electronic psyche pop – C+
DREI – Emika – I coulda sworn she was from Oslo… electronic mood pop – B-
Send Two Sunsets – Gacha – Electronic ambient sounds… pretty but snoozy – C+
Hannah Miller – Hannah Miller – Bluesy singer songwriter, needs to change tempos occasionally. “Fighting” is a keeper – C+
It’s All Just Pretend – Ivan & Alyosha – Sounds like Dawes only quieter – C+
Hypnophobia – Jacco Gardner – All my power pop buddies will enjoy this go for baroque pop stuff. Me? I don’t much care for prog rock by any other name – C
Non-Believers – Mac McCaughan – As vanity projects go, this one from the unique voiced Superchunk singer isn’t one, instead it’s a collection of mildly paced pop rock songs. Figure Mac listened to “Digging For Something” acoustic and decided he could pull off an album worth. He managed it and this is a very lovely well worth the effort album, though, not untypically, the lyrics tend to obscure rather than illuminate his meaning. The break on “Our Way Free” is a must hear … plus he just signed Stickles so he gets an immediate upgrade – B+
II – Metz – Canadian punk rockers who turn the corner into white noise and hardcore on their sophomore effort. “I.O.U.” is a keeper, “Spit You Out” has the riff of their future – B
MCIII – Mikal Cronin – Sounds like buddy Ty Segal with better song selection, and more 60s Cali rock in his make up – B
Wilder Mind – Mumford And Songs – Owes some to Coldplay and some to the National as well, though quite why they messed with their own unique and popular sound to copy somebody else’s I have no idea. “Broad Shouldered Beasts” is excellent – B
The Waterfall – My Morning Jacket – When they say it is MMJ’s best work in years, what they mean is it is better than Circuital… which it is, but so are more things. A lovely, low key, very melodic break up album that will come to life on stage – B
Fated – Nosaj Thing – If I was doing a song of the week, it would be the one here with Chance The Rapper, “Cold Stares”. I’m not and this sort of youthful Flying Lotus without the jazz vibes, can be a little on the slight side – B-
Danger In The Club – Palma Violets – Sophomore jinx bites this UK rock band, a singsong wiseass woozy disappointment without a “Best Of Friends” to pull em through – C
Pale Honey – Pale Honey – Swedish girl rock band duo: look great, sound great, good songs, cool attitude, minimalistic without being lame, good album – B
Lost In New York – Penguin Prison – A relation to Holy Ghost! soundwise, it is like an alternative mainstream disco sound – B+
Rose Windows – Rose Windows – A little all over the place, but when they concentrate their commune power, they sound pretty good … I said when – C+
I Can’t Imagine – Shelby Lynne – Lovely, warm, singer songwriterly, she is like Rickie Lee Jones goes country, or her sister after EST – B
Crypt Of The Devil – Six Feet Under – Guess, just guess – C+
Sprinter- Torres – Heavy duty indie pop, loud and moody singer songwriter – C+
The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets – Van Hunt – Van’s father was a pimp, and here Van gets new r&b on all fours on this crowd funded stealth run at the sound of soul: as angular as anything as anything you’ll hear… I wonder why the music establishment haven’t championed it? Maybe because he doesn’t play nice – B+
After listening to Chris Stapleton Traveller, I have to say he’s as close to traditional country as I’ve heard in a long time. Most of the pop arrangements that fill the country charts are pretty unlistenable, neither rock nor country, but an incestuous offspring with the worst traits of both parents.
My only criticism would be to back off the big drum sound in favor of brushes and a muted kick, and lose the overdriven guitars, both of which lean the music toward Skynyrd territory (which, compared to a lot of the dreck out of Nashville, isn’t a bad thing). Too bad the hipster Americana sound has become its own thing, because these songs cry out for a cleaner arrangement. My rating: B+
Thanks Roger, now where is your Jason Isbell comment