Weekend Music Roundup

 

The weekend has arrived once again, though in all honesty, it feels as though last weekend simply led into this one, with the holiday and then three snow days, very little happened to give the illusion of time passing on a calendar. Yet, it has. And so, I'm dutifully bound to share with you thoughts on albums that I've listened to recently. This list includes two 2021 releases which I've found to be excellent and a couple of older albums that I recently picked up. Enjoy.

Jen Gloekner - Mouth of Mars: Released in 2010, this is the second album from singer songwriter out of Iowa, who has since released a third one a few years back. There was a used autographed copy at the local shop for only couple of bucks and I decided to give it a chance...and what a beautiful album it is. This reminds me of many things, from Portishead to Ruby Throat to Emma Ruth Rundel. I love taking a chance on something that I don't know and it turns out wonderful. 

Kevin Ayers - Joy of a Toy: The debut solo album from the Soft Machine's founding bass/guitar player was released in '69. The band is well represented on this album, which, along with their debut, is one of the founding Canterbury Scene psychedelic albums. Being a fan of the Soft Machine's debut album released the year prior, I was excited to see the Music On Vinyl reissue in the local shop. There's a heavy Syd Barrett influence on this and sounds a lot like early Floyd singles. "The Clarietta Rag," "Girl on a Swing," "Song for Insane Times," and "Stop This Train" are my personal favorites. 

 

 

Langhorne Slim - Strawberry Mansion: The eighth album from New York, by way of Langhorne, PA, indie artist is perhaps the finest of his impressive career. It's been five years since his last effort, and in that time he has honed his songwriting to reveal a deeper side of himself. This feels to me like the trajectory of other great indie americana artists such as Jason Molina and Jeff Tweedy. Langhorne has always been one of the top tier, but this album ensures that he is worthy of mention in the same breath. "Panic Attack," "High Class," and the title track are among my many favorites. 

This Frontier Needs Heroes - Go With the Flow: For the past decade and more, Brad Lauretti has been playing the world under this moniker. Back in the earliest of the '00s, Brad and I ran with the same crew in NYC and I have many fond memories of shooting the shit with him in any number of bars as we were both trying to find our place in the world of art, he as a singer songwriter and me as writer. Though I haven't seen him in many many years, we're still "Friends" on the FB and I've followed his career. This newest album is pretty much a masterpiece and reminds me a lot of Mark Eitzel. Check out his Bandcamp site linking above. 

Black Sabbath - Walpurgis: This bootleg of the 1970 Peel Session has been around digitally for a long time, and I probably reviewed it here years ago. It was recently pressed on vinyl and I purchased a copy. It was recorded between the band's first and second album and contains early versions of some tracks, most notably the original version of "Warpigs" (the title track) which was about witchcraft instead of war. As with almost all "Peel Sessions" recordings, it's really a must have for fans and functions not so much as radio session but EP in the band's catalog. 

Comet Gain - Holloway Sweethearts EP: Released in the Fall of 1994, this is the second EP from the Oxford garage pop band. Quiet some time back, I found their entire catalog online and had been curious about this band for awhile. One of those late '90s bands that has a small cult following, this is the evolution of jangle pop a decade after it's heyday, a sound that became infused with lo-fi garage, which gives it a great quality. These are top notch tracks, with a kind of honesty that Belle and Sebastian displayed at the same time, but this with a rougher edge. It's just a taste, and I'm excited to explore them a little deeper.