Weekend Music Roundup

I'm guessing it's the weekend, but the days are all running together these days. It's been like a week long weekend, with some 'work-from-home' time thrown in. To say the least, this has been one of the oddest weeks in a long time. Needless to say, music has been a great escape to unknown places in this time of staying at home. It also means you have no excuse not to explore music you don't know. So get busy, and as always, enjoy.

Joe Cardamone - Holy War: Released online-only back in 2018, this is the first solo album from the mastermind behind Icarus Line, one of my favorite bands of all time. Always a seemingly doomed band, the ride ended officially when guitarist Alvin DeGuzman passed away in 2017. This solo album maintains the sense of disillusion that was always present in Cardomone's songs, but the aggression of their early recordings has evolved into something more sinister that lies under the surface. A fantastic record that captures the underbelly of L.A., a record that I can't believe I didn't hear until recently.

Tame Impala - The Slow Rush: This is the fourth album from the Perth neo-psych band, released a decade after their debut. I was initially very into this band, and enjoyed their first two albums. Their third album Currents, which came out in 2015, was the kind of album that soured me to the whole band. After a five year hiatus, they returned. I was not at all intrigued until I heard the lead single on the radio. This is definitely better than Currents, and sees the band moving their synth sound forward in interesting ways. What's interesting is that this is a sound that other bands were developing a decade ago, and when a band with a following does it, it becomes revolutionary. I'm not knocking them, they do it well, and this is probably going to be a pretty popular album this summer. It has that great sunny car ride feel to it.

Red House Painters - Red House Painters: Released in May '93, this is the first of two self-titled albums the San Fran based slowcore band released that year. Often referred to as the "rollercoaster" album to distinguish it from the "bridge" album, this is typically considered their best album, and is the album that made them a name on the indie scene. Mark Kozelek's voice is still pure here and though despairing as ever, there was still a sense of hopefulness in his youthful despair that has since seemed to fade. Having had the "bridge" for some time, it was nice to complete this set on vinyl, even though a lot of the songs are the "Retrospective" compilation CD that I've had since the '90s.  

Johnossi - Torch // Flame: The newest album from the Swedish indie guitar and drum duo comes 15 years after their debut and is the band's sixth album. This is one of those bands who debut was so great that I was bound to listen to everything they ever did. I've kept the self-promise and have seen this band stay consistent, never deviating too far from the indie rock sound they created years ago. This is a solid album, probably their best in years. Nothing earth-shattering, just good indie rock. 

The J.J. Johnson Quintet - J.J. In Person: Released in '58, toward the beginning of the Indianapolis trombonists career, this is one the best live jazz albums I've heard. Having played with Miles and Thelonious, J.J. was a top musician in the hard bob scene. Typically, it's the trumpeters who get all the attention, and for good reason, but the other instruments shouldn't be overlooked. At times upbeat, at times melancholic, J.J. can capture the mood flawlessly.

The Jam - All Mod Cons: The third album from Paul Weller's iconic mod new wave band was recent pick-up. Though I'm deeply obsessed with bands inspired by The Jam, and have enjoyed them in the past, my collection was severely lacking in their music. By this time, they've firmly established their sound, which is unique working class post-punk. "Mr. Clean," "English Rose," and "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" are standouts for me.