Weekend Music Roundup!

The weekend has arrived and so has my ramblings on music that I've been grooving. Last weekend, I featured mostly older albums, so this week I'm talking about most new releases. Some of my favorite albums of the spring, and therefore 2019, are on this list. Some were expected, others surprised me. This is mostly indie rock, though there some metal, some soul folk, and whatever you'd classify the talented Amanda Palmer as. Hopefully there's something in here for you to discover. Enjoy.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Brian Jonestown Massacre: It's always odd to me when a band waits 25 years to release a self-titled album, especially a band that has put so much creativity into album titles in the past, but whatever. This album is another brilliant piece of neo-psychedelia influenced by the 60's and their own quarter decade of material. The band has been really active over the past five years, active and in top form. Sure, they never stray far from what they do best, but that's okay, neither do the Stones. As with most of their albums, there really isn't a bad track, as it all seems to fit a groove. Some stand outs are "Drained," "Cannot Be Saved," "We Never Had a Chance," "Too Sad to Tell," and the brilliant "A Word." Another must-have record from the San Fran icons.

Amanda Palmer - There Will Be No Intermission: The newest album from the prolific artist is her first truly solo record in three years. I've always been hit or miss with her work. She's made some of my all time favorite records as collaborations (Evelyn Evelyn, I Can Spin a Rainbow) but have found myself disappointed with other work of hers. This is definitely NOT a disappointment. Easily one of the most deeply honest and culturally relevant records of the year. Amanda doesn't hold back anything as she shares her thoughts on the world we live in, poetically expressing the personal struggles and anxieties many of us face.

Roberta Flack - First Take: The debut album from the legendary soul singer was released in 1969. I recently picked up a nice vinyl copy of this record for a few bucks and absolutely love it. This has the sound of when jazz, soul, and 60's folk briefly met for a split moment in time and it's amazing. From the opening number, "Compared to What," you know you're in for a treat. While so many were celebrating the Summer of Love, the African American community was in the grips of despair in many areas, and this captures that feeling two years before Marvin Gaye's historic What's Going On. Other standout tracks for me are "I Told Jesus," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and the cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye." 

Superseed - Superseed: Released last month, this is the debut album from the UK hard rock band. I liked the 90's alt rock sound of this record, it's a sound that you don't hear too much these days and it was nice to know someone out there is still doing it. On the other hand, it's a 90's alt rock sound that seems to belong in an arena, and therefore, not anything terribly original. All that said, it's a quality rock album, one that I think is destined to some teenager's favorite record.  

The Cinematic Orchestra - To Believe: The first album in seven years for the London indie band. It was over a decade ago when their album Ma Fleur caught my attention and imagination with its downtempo post rock beauty. The band hasn't been very active since then, veering farther into nu jazz and soundtrack recordings. This is a bit of a comeback album, which once again captures the art of their best work. A mix of guest vocalists creates a bit of trip-hop vibe reminiscent of Morcheeba and it all comes together for a really satisfying listen that should be taken as a whole rather than track listings.

Sea Wolf - Old World Romance Selects and Outtakes: The L.A. based indie band has not released any new material in five years, so I thought it might be a good time to listen to this EP that came out six years, following their third album (Old World Romance) released a year earlier. I had mixed feelings about that album, but this more curated EP is pretty flawless. They have a beautiful folk vibe that reminds me more of bands from the Pacific Northwest, areas like Portland and Washington state. Definitely worth checking out if you've enjoyed anything from this band before.