Let’s hear it for the New Year, and for the return of New Release Friday. I stepped away from reviewing new music last year, even though there were quite a few stellar albums that came out in 2018. I missed many of them until weeks (or months) after they were released. I don’t plan on letting that happen again.
Plus, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to listen, and discover (and re-discover), more music. So, part of that is definitely going to help fuel this weekly feature.
I’m going to leave each week open, meaning I won’t be limiting it to Top 5 New Releases, nor will it be confined to just albums. I will highlight notable singles, and re-issues, as well.
Let me know of any new music you’re listening to, and loving, in the comments. Or you can email me at lyriquediscordesubmissions@gmail.com.
New Release Friday – January 4, 2019
Albums:
The Blue Bird by Mark Deutrom
Three-Sentence Review: Best known for his work with The Melvins, Deutrom’s new album, The Blue Bird, starts off 2019 with a blues-meets-psychedelia-meets prog rock-meets-punk poly-sensibility, and thirteen tracks worthy of heavy-play. Comparisons have been made to early Pink Floyd (“Nothing Out There” especially), and 90’s grunge (especially due to Mark’s Chris Cornell vocal similarities). There is darkness here, flicked with hopeful light, reminiscent of stars in the night sky, the kind seen clearly in the middle of the desert sometime around midnight – that’s the image that listening to this album conjures up to me.
Initial Favorite Track(s): “Radiant Gravity”, “Nothing Out There”, and “Hell is a City”
Rating (1-5 Stars): 5
“Nothing Out There”
Prehysteria by T-Rextasy
Three-Sentence Review: Alright, full disclosure, I was initially attracted to this album (and band) because of their clever band name, and T-Rex reference (I forever love T-Rex), that said, I’ve stuck around and played this album a few times over because of how catchy, fun, and yes, clever, it is. More 80’s New Wave Girlband than 90’s Riot Grrrl band (though there is a bit of 90’s ska here), there is definitely something Generation Z in the style, songwriting, and sensibility here. Prehysteria is the band’s sophomore release; I’m curious where they go from here – and I’m even more curious to see them play live sometime.
Initial Favorite Track(s): “Coffee?”, “Rip Van Vintage”, and “Baby”
Rating (1-5 Stars): 4
“Rip Van Vintage”
Ode To a Friend by Old Sea Brigade
Three-Sentence Review: The more I listen to Ode To a Friend, by Old Sea Brigade (Ben Cramer’s debut full-length album), the more I love it – each song builds on the next, and seeps in beneath my skin with each play. The album is dedicated to singer/songwriter Ben Cramer’s best friend, who died unexpectedly last year. There is sadness in all of the Indie Folk/Americana tracks on the album, but there is also that kind of beauty that remembering someone brings, especially when it is memories of someone as important, and loved, as a best friend.
Initial Favorite Track(s): “Seen a Ghost”, “Western Eyes”, and “Cigarette”
Rating (1-5 Stars): 5
“Feel You”
Re-issues:
The Western Tapes, 1983 by Lone Justice
Three-Sentence Review: As the title may suggest, The Western Tapes, 1983, is more “Country Western” than other Lone Justice, or Maria McKee albums, but it definitely holds up and shines a spotlight on McKee’s vocal excellence (especially the track “Don’t Toss Us Away”). Though this re-issue came out in November of last year, it was just today that I stumbled on it while perusing the New Release albums for this week – so, to me, it counts. This album was the debut of Lone Justice, recorded very soon after musician and producer Marvin Etzioni discovered Lone Justice band members Maria McKee and Ryan Hedgecock playing George Jones and Hank Williams covers in a club, in 1982.
Initial Favorite Track(s): “Don’t Toss Us Away”, “Drugstore Cowboy”, and “How Lonesome Life Has Been”
Rating (1-5 Stars): 4
“Drugstore Cowboy”
Singles:
“Let Me Down” by Lasse Friis and Bettye LaVette
