Hanni El Katib – Moonlight
Sultry grooves, breve and yet savory. Thumps right along. Guitar driven, and perhaps overly rhythmic for lead guitar. Bravado resounds and overpowers. Striking impressionistic, grounded in power chords and simple drums with predictable fills. Straight forwardness feeds the head bobbing catchy vibe of the album.
RIYL: The Black Keys, The White Stripes, Thin Lizzy
Dan Mangan + Blacksmith – Club Meds
Something important is brewing on this album. Each song combines an intellectualization of Mangan’s personal place within music as a historical dialogue with an emotional outpouring from raw instrumentation. The album sounds like a man who is contemplating the prospects of embarking upon an epic journey or conquest upon which he begins to embark. As he contemplates though, he slowly realizes his journey has already begun and he no longer has the option to turn back.
RIYL: Explosions in The Sky, Radiohead, The National
Sleater-Kinney – No Cities to Love
Destroys all stereotypes as a “reunion” album. THIS IS NOT A VICTORY LAP. Energetic and raw as ever, recalls their debut album. Very fun, very confrontational.
RIYL: Bikini Kill, DEVO, Beat Happening
The Decembrists – What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Decembrists turn to a less epic style for a lot of their newest album. Apart from that, this album feels like good old Decembrists harking about mythology and weightier questions. At points Meloy’s delivery sounds too distinctly “Meloy-esqu” with his serious name-dropping and his poignant pronunciation. He overemphasizes syllables and gives a strong sense of importance to his worth.
RIYL: Belle & Sebastian, Of Monsters and Men, Mythology
Guster – Evermotion
Guster may conjure up a lot of middle/high-school nostalgia, of music tastes shaped by Scrubs and Apple commercials. Guster have since moved away from major-label status, and have adopted a new ensemble of sounds. There are still moments of the “alternative” you’re used to (hand percussion, xylophones, etc.) but there’s bouncy synths and steel drums too. “Simple Machine” carries a driving 80’s-style energy that is refreshing in what is classically labeled as “alternative” music. Give Evermotion a whirl.
RIYL: The Shins, Hot Chip, OK Go, “Mr. Roboto”