Weekend Music Roundup

 

 

Welcome to another weekend and another rambling of music reviews. This week I listened to a few new releases that I had been excited about. I've also included some thoughts about a couple of vinyl pick-ups from the past month or so. It's a shorter list, but a good one. Hopefully there is something you feel compelled to check out. Enjoy.

Sivert Hoyem - Roses of Neurosis: Released in February, this EP is the first release from the Norwegian artist (Madrugada) in nearly half a decade. He is one of those artists that has been a house favorite of myself and the Missus for more than two decades and we both listened to this for the first time, at the same time. There's not much better than sharing something great with a music buddy. My opinion might be skewed at this point. I'm not sure he could make anything that I didn't love. Fantastic stuff. 

Mike Heron - Smiling Men with Bad Reputations: Released in '71, this is the founding member of The Incredible String Bands' first solo album. I came across this at the local shop and was pretty thrilled. It's got more of bluesy vibe than the psychedelic folk of ISB. It reminds me a lot of Dave Mason's All Alone Together or really any Traffic album for that matter. "Call me Diamond," "Flowers of the Forest," "Feast of Stephen," are "Warm Heart Pastry" are standouts on this thoroughly enjoyable album.

Karen Elson - Radio Redhead Vol. 1: During the height of the quarantine, Karen was sharing these covers online and they were wonderful. They've been put together and released as an EP back in December. I've been a fan of her music ever since her 2010 debut, The Ghost Who Walks blew me away. There's a quality of her voice that fits into a rare category for me. These beautiful covers capture that quality brilliantly.

Czarface - Czarface Meets Ghostface: Released in 2019, this is the sixth album by Inspectah Deck's post Wu outfit. It was going to be hard to top the previous years collaboration with MF Doom, so it was time to bring in the Ghostface Killah. What I love about Czarface albums is that each one feels like a different volume in a comic. They have similarities, but are subtly different. This one's beats are more "Bobby Digital" style and has a slightly more experimental feel. Another excellent addition. 

Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun: In the early '90s, the Omaha indie singer songwriter had a breakthrough hit with "Girlfriend". Three albums later, his sixth, the landscape had changed and brought him some mainstream attention with this indie jangle pop record in '95. I remember seeing this album everywhere at that time, the time when I found myself moving into Britpop and Hip Hop, away from this American indie sound. Recently, a friend was getting rid of CDs and this was in there. This is a solid album that reminds me of Brendon Benson's early work, and Elliot Smith's more poppy work.