Weekend Music Roundup

Welcome the first Roundup of the Fall! The weather is true to the calendar this weekend, gifting us with perfect early autumn weather, my favorite weather for listening to music. This week I take a look at some new releases that I'm excited about, as well as an old favorite. There's a mix of music on here, and a few lesser known artists. Hopefully you'll have some time to find something new to check out. Enjoy.

Emma Ruth Rundle - On Dark Horses: This is the L.A. based singer songwriter's follow-up to 2016's fantastic "Marked For Death," one of my favorite albums from that year. This record channels the same gloomy vibe as the previous, with incredibly crafted songs of sadness. Verging almost on Dark Wave, this is a bleak folk record that is nearly perfect for grey days. "Control," "Dead Set Eyes," and "Light Song" are my favorites on this stellar album. 

Murder By Death - The Other Shore: This is the ninth album from the gothic country outfit out of Indiana, and their first in three years. I've been a fan of this band for fifteen years, since their second album from 20003. Over the past several years, they sort of fell into a lull, but I'm happy to say this album sees them coming out of that, with this strongest effort in ten years. "True Dark," "Stone," "I Have Arrived," and "Last Night on Earth" are my personal favorites. 

John Lennon - The John Lennon Collection: Released two years after his death, this was meant to be a greatest collection of Lennon's solo work, though I would argue a bit with the track listing (nothing from Plastic Ono Band? really?). Despite that, this is a wonderful collection of Lennon's second life after the disbanding of that outfit he got his start with. Usually, I avoid collections like this, but this album was given to me by a friend, and it's a welcome addition my Lennon collection, though it should never be a sole stand-in for his work. 

Older Sun - Older Sun: The debut album from the San Fran heavy rock band is heavily inspired by early 70's and late 60's heavy psych. Being that I love that genre, I was naturally looking forward to hearing this record. It's pretty standard hard blues rock with minimal psych elements. My biggest problem with this record was that the singer doesn't really have the chops to deliver the soulful vocals that the album is going for. It's not that he can't sing, it's just that it felt a little flat for the power of the music. "Sometimes" was my favorite track where I think the sound all came together the best.

The Internet - Hive Mind: This is the fourth album from the L.A. neo-soul outfit, but my first encounter with them. This is one of those genre mash-up kind of albums that reminds me of efforts in the '90s to mix soul, R&B, and hip hop. This feels like a cross between trip-hop bands like Morcheeba crossed with Brand New Heavies. This is a great groove record that keeps the vibe going throughout. "Come Together," "Stay the Night," and "Look What U Started" are my personal favorites on this album that is totally L.A. all the way.