My Top 5 New Releases :: New Music Friday :: Week of 9/12/16

1. Shape Shift with Me :: Against Me!

Three-Sentence Review: I have big love for Against Me! and Laura Jane Grace, and many of the AM! albums were in heavy rotation this past summer, for me, especially in my car. I’m excited about, and digging their newest album – and have been anticipating it since the early release of “destined to be a summer must” song, “333”. There is emotional depth with the rifts and the raucous rock, a combination I’ve come to expect, and happy to see continue – a definite contender for my list of 2016 favorites.

Initial Favorite Track(s): “333”, “Dead Rats” and “All This (And More)”

Rating (1-5 Stars): 5+

333

2. Redemption & Ruin :: The Devil Makes Three

Three-Sentence Review: Americana drowning in twang and drunken nights and women and the devil (some would say those two are the same). This is a “take with three shots of Bourbon” kind of an album, play loudly and contemplate the existence of angels and devils  (brush the losing hand off your shoulder) and love, while loaded. Driving to this album is pretty keen, too, maybe sans the three shots I recommended before – just sayin’.

Initial Favorite Track(s): “Chase the Feeling”, “I’m Gonna Get High”, and “Waiting Around to Die”

Rating (1-5 Stars): 5+

Waiting Around to Die

3. Secular Hymns :: Madeleine Peyroux

Three-Sentence Review: Oh my stars this is good – Madeleine’s voice with these songs – her chosen “secular” songs. A sonic spiritual experience, best shaken and stirred, especially if you are inclined to wear your heart a-dangling on your sleeve. This one requires whiskey, kissing, and nights that go on until the morning.

Initial Favorite Track(s): “Got You On My Mind”, “If the Sea was Whiskey” and “More Time”

Rating (1-5 Stars): 5+

If the Sea was Whiskey

4. Kindly Now :: Keaton Henson

Three-Sentence Review: Keaton sometimes gets me, hitting those squishy, emotional spots, making me cry, and other times he veers a bit too far into the hipster zone – when he hits the spot though…I feel it. This new album has the same hit/miss feel to me. There are some emotional punches here, songs that are stripped and delicate and beautiful, and there are some that just feel  a bit too much of the contrived cool, and a bit too “one note”.

Initial Favorite Track(s): “Old Lovers in Dressing Rooms” and “How Could I Have Known”

Rating (1-5 Stars): 4-

Alright

5. We’re All Gonna Die :: Dawes

Three-Sentence Review: Oh Dawes, you know I love you, you know how long I’ve loved you, and how many live shows, long drives, and replays we’ve shared, so maybe you’ll understand how much I want to love this album…but, I don’t. Its hard for me, I think, especially when I fell hard and fast for your last album, and loved every-single-song on it, and maybe that’s part of the problem, maybe we need to get to know each other more, maybe this one is a slow paced contender that will get me later, I don’t know. There are a few stand-outs, songs I liked well enough, but this is the first time I’ve had a mediocre and disconnected feeling about any of your albums – I won’t give up yet though, maybe more listens will change my mind.

Initial Favorite Track(s): “Roll with the Punches”, “Roll Tide” and “When the Tequila Runs Out”

Rating (1-5 Stars): 3

When the Tequila Runs Out