New Release Tuesday :: September 23, 2014
1. Too Bright :: Perfume Genius
Three-Sentence Review: Music so beautiful it makes me cry, songs that hit me viscerally, deep under the skin, tearing at those often untouched emotionally complex parts of myself and then the next song comes around to kick and scream at me, in the best way, getting me moving in reckless abandon, still feeling, but with more action. Mike Hadreas’ voice is perfect for this emotional roller-coaster of an album, full of dark and twisted emotional pop music. This album gives me chills everywhere.
Initial Favorite Track(s): I Decline, Queen and Fool and pretty much ALL of the songs
Rating (1-5 Stars): 5+
Queen :: Perfume Genius
Three-Sentence Review: The debut album by Tweedy, a side project formed by Jeff Tweedy and his son Spencer is epic. The album’s title, Sukierae, is the nickname of Spencer’s Mother, and Jeff’s wife who was diagnosed this year with Cancer, and what a tribute to her this is, complex, emotionally rich and hopeful sounding. Something about this album reminds me of the film Boyhood (and not just because Summer Noon is in the movie), if it were played out in songs, it is that kind of epic, that kind of storytelling, and that kind of moving.
Initial Favorite Track(s): High as Hello, Summer Noon and New Moon
Rating (1-5 Stars): 5
Summer Noon :: Tweedy
3. Harvest of Gold :: Gossling
Three-Sentence Review: This album captured me immediately, from the first Stina Nordenstam/Lenka/Julia Stone vocal stylings, to the ebb and flow of stripped back sound that builds into something emotionally strong and dancable. This is yet one more artist and album that makes me delighted to deem 2014 the year of amazing female musical artists and albums – seriously, so there have been so many amazing releases by women in music this year! There are some fantastic uptempo tracks on this album, but my favorites are the starker, more intimate numbers like A Lover’s Spat and Pulse (which reminds me of Martin Gore’s solo effort from the late 80’s, A Matter of Feeling), which showcase Helen Croome’s delicately gorgeous voice.
Initial Favorite Track(s): Big Love, Pulse and A Lover’s Spat
Rating (1-5 Stars): 5
Harvest of Gold
Pulse
Three-Sentence Review: This album is “made for the movies” as the music is so completely cinematic that I end up closing my eyes, losing myself in the songs, finding myself caught up in movie scenes made-up in my mind to these chill-inducing, emotionally-grabbing songs. This album is sensual sounding, seductive and hypnotic, reminding me of Hoosier, Keaton Henson, Sigur Ros and something uniquely theirs. I honestly just want to disappear into this album for a few hours and come out the other side inspired to create, which to me is an amazing way to feel about an album.
Initial Favorite Track(s): Nara, Every Other Freckle and The Gospel of John Hurt
Rating (1-5 Stars): 5
Every Other Freckle (Girl) :: Alt-J
Every Other Freckle (Boy) :: Alt-J
Three-Sentence Review: I’ve been waiting for a new album from Lights as I’ve loved and played Siberia so often, and this album already is playing promises in my ears – electropop armed with stellar storytelling. Cheers to the year of amazing albums from female artists – this is yet another one. I am so into the first song that I had to play it three times before I went on to the next!
Initial Favorite Track(s): Portal, Oil and Water and Don’t Go Home Without Me
Rating (1-5 Stars): 4
Portal :: Lights
