Weekend Music Roundup

The weekend has arrived! My music ramblings this week span quite a few genres. Most of what is listed here are new releases, though there are two albums from the past represented as they were new listens/ acquisitions to the collection. There's some folk, some garage rock, Americana, dream pop, and hard rock to check out. A couple of nice surprises here that I just stumbled across. Hopefully you'll have some time in these dog days of summer to find new music too. Enjoy.

Jim James - Uniform Distortion: The newest solo album from My Morning Jacket singer is his third and follows 2016's fantastic Eternally Even. Having loved his previous solo records, I was eagerly looking forward to this album. I had hoped for another neo-psych voyage as unforgettable as his last record, but this one is different. Certainly more in-line with My Morning Jacket's link to Americana roots, this has more of blues inspired country feel. Once I got over it not being what I'd hoped for, this album really grew on me. "Throwback," "Yes to Everything," and "Over and Over" are standouts for me. 

Dead Moon - Trash and Burn: Throughout the '90s, this Oregon garage rock band was steadily releasing albums, all of which unnoticed by me and those in the circles I ran with. Over the past eight months, I've become a huge fan and am still astounded as to how this band never crossed my path. This is one of the band's last albums, there was one released after, and being from 2000, takes on more a garage rock feel, a sound which would dominate the indie scene in the coming years. It once again shows this band was a good 5-10 years ahead of the trend. I can't recommend this band enough. They are one that certainly deserved and deserves a larger audience. 

Suburban Dirts - I Want Blood: The third album from the UK Americana band is one that really grew on me during the course of the album. The opening tracks were pretty standard alt-country, though well-done, but as the album progresses, it continues to get deeper and more unique. There is a great mix of strings and guitar, and some wonderfully darker tunes like "The Hunt." Other great tracks of "This Ain't No Place Like Home," "The Sadness," and "Where There's a Will." There are two great children's choir tracks that really add to the album. 

Rain Devil - The Joyful Apocalypse: The debut album from the Washington state heavy rock band is a solid effort. Taking influence from other bands of the north west like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, this is post-grunge stoner rock that hits all the right notes. This is angry heavy metal that is based in blues. A great debut and I can't wait to hear more from them. "Caravan of the Dead," "Drag Me Away," "My Own Hell" and the title track are standouts.

Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill: Released in 2008, this is my first taste of the ambient dream pop artist from Oregon. It borrows heavily from the sound that developed a decade before, blending ambient with shoegaze to create a dreamscape atmosphere that is ethereal yet engaging. All of the songs kind of blend together, which isn't surprising given that this genre has always been about mood and not about individual songs. This is the kind of eerie album that I think makes a great soundtrack for a grey autumn day. "Heavy Water/ I'd Rather Be Sleeping," and "A Cover Over" are my personal favorites.