I'm still on the not very talkative train. But I want to share my two favorite songs off of BANKS's new album, III, which came out a couple weeks ago.
The first is the opening track, Till Now.
And the second is the closing track, What About Love. This one in particular has been on repeat a lot. Other than these two, the album is decent. It's probably her worst to date, I'd say 1st was super strong and it's been downhill from there. But it's still a good album. Definitely worth listening to. A few times, even.
So this week has not gotten much better, workwise. It's just a pretty shitty week. But I'm glad Nikki is here so I can relax and unwind in the evenings by going out and doing stuff together, rather than sitting at home alone and letting it all fester. So that's good. But the good thing is new songs which I'll share with you.
Up first is Brittany Howard. You may know her as the singer for Alabama Shakes, and she is now getting ready to release a solo album. It'll be called Jaime, after her sister who passed away when she was a teenager, and will be out next month. She had previously released a really weird song called History Repeats, which I was not a huge fan of. But the new single, Stay High, is really nice. Some beautiful vocals on this one. I'm used to her being much more rough on the Alabama Shakes stuff, but this one is super soulful and super chill. And it's got Terry Crews in the music video, so what's not to love?
The other new find for the week is Billy Lemos, a producer from Iowa or Ohio or Illinois or one of those states. I don't remember. Anyway his new song Dive In came up on a playlist and I have it on repeat this week. Not sure what it's from or what the guy is doing, but he's already got a couple EPs out that re just ok. But this song is fantastic.
I just spent the weekend in the Gold Coast with my friend Nikki who's just arrived. But then I came back last night and slept really shittily and I'm too tired to think enough to write about it. So I'm just gonna give you some pretty music.
I'm gonna share 2 artists who put out very pretty albums recently. Despite being very pretty, the albums were just ok. A bit same-samey for me. But still some great songs. So let's start out very chill with BEA1991's song loser wins.
So BEA1991 is apparently the renaming of the Dutch artist formerly known as BEA, who now has an album out called Brand New Adult under this new name. And like I said, it's super pretty. But the prettiest is definitely the closing track, the dream. This one's been on repeat. That little piano loop just gets me. And then the little dings and dongs that come in about halfway. And literally everything else about it. Just so relaxing and pretty and dreamy.
Then we've got Red White and Black, by far the best song on Jesca Hoop's newest album Stonechild. Which also has amazing cover art. I love it. And the album is also really nice. Actually both this album and BEA1991's album I do really like sometimes. It really depends on my mood. When I'm in the right mood I'll happily listen to the whole thing. But if I'm not, then it does get a bit same-samey. But Jesca Hoop's got some great vocal arrangements in this one (props up to Lucius for also being featured on the album). But nothing beats Red White and Black. Another one that sits on repeat.
This week was a bit all over the place, emotionally. High highs and low lows. Pretty stressful week at work, but it was balanced out by 3 fantastic concerts. Monday was definitely the worst day at work, because all the trouble I've been having with one employee for the last year has come to a head. So I was feeling pretty shitty. But then I went to see Friendly Fires and danced my blues away. Literally. But I know it was bad because I normally don't drink at concerts, but I drank a pretty decent amount that night, and for maybe the second time ever in my life I actually wanted to get wasted. Like had the strong desire to do so. But I did not do so.
So our first song for the day is Run The Wild Flowers, the newest single from Friendly Fires. Just came out today (or maybe yesterday), and it's a good one.
Monday was the worst, but the rest of the week was also pretty stressful. Just trying to finalize a couple of pretty time-sensitive things which had big values of money riding on them and which could upset many people. But it's all sort of worked out so far. And today was a really good day. Probably in part due to the James Blake and Childish Gambino concerts I also went to. Both of which were fantastic. I knew James Blake would be, because I've seen him before and I love him and would be happy to just sit there and listen to him sing all night with a piano and no real show. So that was a given. Then I had very high expectations for Childish Gambino, and was not disappointed. In fact, my high expectations were exceeded. I love Donald Glover, but honestly not crazy about Childish Gambino. I like him well enough, but not crazy about him. But live is a whole other story. He just blew it out of the park. And the set and the lights and the show were incredible. Seriously the best light system I've ever seen at any show. I was mesmerized.
And then last night my friend Anna had a dinner party, and I finally got to meet all of her friends she's been telling me about for the last year, and they were awesome. I was exhausted and thought I'd stay for like 2 hours, but in the end it was really nice and I was there till like 10. And to think I almost flaked!
Also, it's been a year since I got here! This week was 1 year. Crazy. It's gone so fast.
Ok, but now on to the real reason we're here, which is the Mercury Prize. The finalists were announced yesterday, and it's kind of a weird list, I think. There's some really good British albums that should be on there, if you ask me, that aren't. Like James Blake. But then there's stuff like Foals (they're always on there. Deservedly so). And stuff like black midi. I don't really know what to say about black midi. They are very strange. So let's start with ducter, which is maybe low level strange?
This one was not a grower. This one I liked right away. But this band is a grower. And they're still growing on me. They remind me of like a million things, but nothing I can lay my finger on. And the album, Schlagenheim, is.... weird. But good. Really good. I think? I'm not sure yet. But I'm going to keep listening. And that's why I think they should win the Mercury Prize this year. Anyway, here's another great song: western.
I do not particularly want to write a blog today. I'm just very tired. It has been a long week at work. The only thing that has made the week better is the wonderful concerts I've been to (3 shows, Mon, Tues and Wed). And I have some new music to share, but I still need to figure out exactly which songs. But I have a bit of time at work to fill so I'm gonna finish some old posts I wanted to share.
Which means today you get Bibio. This guy is pretty weird and pretty all over the place. Which is not a bad way to describe someone, coming from me. But this guy is also very hit or miss. But he's put out a new album this year (every album he makes seriously sounds like a different artist) and it's pretty nice. It's called Ribbons. And that's pretty much all I've got today. Brain just officially stopped. Luckily I get to home in an hour. Anyway here's one good song called Curls.
And here's another good song called Old Graffiiti.
This week has felt extremely long. I spent Monday and Tuesday in Auckland, flying back Wednesday morning, and then didn't come into the office Wednesday. And yesterday just had one meeting in the morning before coming in for the afternoon. So I've actually only had a day and a half in the office. But for some reason, it's just felt so long. No idea why.
I did also go to one concert this week, which was a great one. Double billing of Warpaint and Foals. Warpaint was opening, which makes sense since they haven't released music in a few years, and Foals just put out an album this year. A great one. And they have another coming in September. But I still think Warpaint is my favorite of the two, and I would love to have seen a full set from them, not just an elongated opening set. Only sad part about it is neither band played the songs I really wanted to hear (Elephants and Undertow from Warpaint, Out of the Woods and This Orient from Foals). But still, overall great show. And tonight is Local Natives! Should have been SZA, and I still have a SZA ticket that's going to waste, sadly, since it's not sold out and I can't find anyone to buy mine. Sad also cause I would love to see her, but I think she'll be back here before Local Natives are. Plus I'm super excited to see Local Natives because it's Local Natives, and it's in a super tiny venue. That was also a big deciding factor. No idea when I'll get the chance to see them in such an intimate venue again.
OK, so on to a bit of music. We'll start with Blood Cultures. I found them the same time that I found Fell Runner, who I shared last week. They're not as mind-blowingly amazing as Fell Runner, but the first song I heard, Best For You, which is their latest single, is extremely strong. And they're very interesting. Apparently they always wear balaclavas and nobody knows who they are, not even their publicist. They just want you to listen to their music. So let's start listening.
Best for You is off some future album called Oh Uncertainty! A Universe Despairs, that's coming out in September. There are a couple other singles out already, but they're just ok. Luckily they do already have one album out called Happy Birthday, from back in 2017. It's a pretty solid album, actually. They apparently got a bunch of buzz going with it as well, then disappeared. One of the songs that I like was particularly popular, I've read, and that's Mercury Child.
The other one I really do love by them, though, is Moon. Great track. Actually, I think I'm going to go listen to this album again. Just for good measure.
I'm also sharing my song of the week, which has been Gnarbone. This is off Until The Tide Creeps In, the debut album from Brighton brother-sister duo Penelope Isles. They just put out the album last Friday, and I have yet to give it a really proper listen. From the cursory one I did give it, it was nice, but Gnarbone was definitely the standout track. Reminds me of Broken Social Scene. But the rest of the album didn't. So maybe just not what I expected, but anyway definitely going to be listening again.
This has felt like the longest week ever. I already told you there's a lot of travel these days, but I sometimes have these day trips to nearby cities, usually Brisbane, sometimes Melbourne. This week I had both. They generally entail a 6am flight and getting home between 6 and 10pm. So very long days, which takes away from doing anything fun. And they often also involve sitting in an airport for hours if I finish up my meetings early. Which is what happened Wednesday, plus an hour and a half delay. Good times. So yeah, it's been a long week. And I am so ready for the weekend.
And before the weekend, here's a bit of music. I'm playing catch-up on new tracks from when I was home. We'll start out with Flume, who I'm not such a huge fan of, but he's got a new single called Let You Know, with vocals by Hannah Reid of London Grammar. And it's a great song. Should be the first track from some new album, and if this is the direction he's heading, then I may actually really like this one.
Then we move to Sweden, where we have a Deployed, the first track from Holding On To A Dream, the new album from sir Was. He's apparently put out a couple of releases previously, but I'd never heard of him. And now he comes along with this great, little track, featuring none other than Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon.
Lastly, instead of playing you producers who are featuring someone from another band, let's flip it and give you someone who's gone solo from her band. That would be Caroline Polacheck. She's getting ready to release an album using her own name for the first time. But she was (still is?) the singer for Chairlift. And has put out a solo album previously, but under a stage name. And now that I know who she is, I can totally recognize the voice. Anyway, she's got her first single under her own name, and it's called Door, and it's real pretty.
This has been (and will continue to be) a crazy month for travel. Like the busiest I've had since moving to Australia. It's like I'm back in Asia!
I got home from the US on Monday morning last week, and on Tuesday was on a plane to Auckland for a couple of nights. And then this week I had to go to Brisbane Monday and Melbourne yesterday. Next week it's back to Auckland for a couple of nights, and again to Brisbane the week after that. And then my friend Nikki is coming so we're going away for the 2 weekends she's here. And then she leaves around August 9 and a week later I'm going to New Zealand again for the Wellington food festival, and a week after that it's off to Europe for 2 weeks for work and a wedding, and then back here and I'll probably have to be back in New Zealand like right away after that, and at the end of September it's Thailand for a week with my sister, and then a week after that back to Germany again for some meetings, and then it's mid-October! I don't think I have any other trips I know of between now and then.... Not that I can think of at the moment... But I do feel like I'm missing something...
And at the same time, I've signed up for Hinge, another dating app, which seems to actually work quite well, so I'm trying to go on dates. Which with my schedule is not easy. But the way Hinge works, you can see who likes you even if you don't like them. And it turns out Jewish women like me! Which is convenient. I like them too. Now I just need to actually find time to meet them.
I also do not have as much time as I would like for music. I always fall behind when I'm travelling. But I have recently found an amazing band called Fell Runner, who I am very excited about. They're an LA band, and the closest thing I can think of is Adult Jazz. So, weird. But we all know I love weird! First up is Same Way. Wonderful weirdness, a bit all over the place, but so interesting and tasty.
So Same Way is off of their debut album, Talking, which came out last month. Which, much like Adult Jazz did when they released their debut, may end up in my top 10 this year. Cause I love this album. It's not only Adult Jazz-y, but there's also a lot of Dirty Projectors in there. And both of these are excellent comparisons. What's not to love, really? Interestingly, my other favorite track off the song is the title track, Talking, which, as you may have guessed, is a spoken track. I hate spoken tracks. Generally speaking anyway. But there's so much more to this than just talking. It's not singing either, though. It's just crazy. So crazy. And so good. Those guitars! The whole album is so good.
I'm back from the US and just going to drop in a couple of songs here that really kind of need no introduction. During my trip I did not have the time I usually have (at the office and in the car alone) to listen to my music, so I have some catching up to do. I do have a couple of wonderful new things to share with you, but I'm going to share a few wonderful, new things from not-new people who don't need much of an introduction.
And first up is Thom Yorke, who you probably know, but just in case he's in the singer from Radiohead. He put out a new album last week, Anima, which is fantastic. And the opening track, Traffic, is fantastic. The whole thing is gorgeous, but Traffic in particular is wonderful. And I've noticed that he does a great job with opening tracks. When I heard it, the exact same thing happened to me as when I listened to Amok, the album by his supergroup Atoms for Peace. I actually remember it vividly. I was in Kenya on a business trip and I was staying in a hotel that I don't normally stay in (and actually it was the only time I ever stayed there) and I when I got into the room and got onto wifi I put on the album that had just been released, the opening track Before Your Very Eyes came on, and I immediately went "oh shit." In fact, I'm talking about it so much, I'm just going to add the song to the blog post, which was not my intention.
So good, right? Well the same thing happened with Traffic when I heard that. Maybe not as quickly, the "oh shit" probably came in at 0:38 when that low, bassline thing starts. And this time I was in my car leaving the office. Not as fun. But just as good, musically.
And you know what? Since we're on incredible opening tracks by Thom Yorke, I'll throw in The Eraser as well. It's the opening track off of his first solo album, The Eraser, back in like 2006. And also gorgeous. Not an immediate "oh shit" moment like the other two songs. And actually, maybe no "oh shit" moment. But just in general, what a gorgeous song.
And then we're going to talk about The National. I've already put them on the blog recently, when they put out the first single from the new album, I Am Easy To Find. But especially when I was home I listened to the album a lot. I think it's definitely their best work since High Violet. I love how they've incorporated all kinds of new, female vocalists into it. I really just love everything about this album. Definitely a contender for 2019's top spot. And while I was home they released Australia tour dates. For March 2020. It's crazy that they released it so early, but what's even crazier is they're going to play 2 nights in the same venue Elton John is playing. And I think Elton John only gets one night. But I could be wrong about that. But anyway, it's insane. I know they're big for an indie band, but never thought they were Elton John big. I still don't think they are. But I bought tickets for both nights, because I love them so much and they're one of the best concerts I've ever been to. So I'm going to share Oblivions with you, which may be my favorite track on the album.
Actually, it's not my favorite. I love it. But I think Where Is Her Head is my favorite. But ask me again tomorrow, it will probably change. So in the spirit of this blog post which ended up much longer and with much more music than I intended, I'll also throw Where Is Her Head in for good measure.
