I've got a lot to check out here. The only one of these albums I've listened to (and not all the way through at that!) is the Pearl Jam release. I've been meaning to put together a playlist of all the albums that feature multiple cuts I like. I fear I spend so much time on individual cuts that I miss out on a number of additional tunes from the same albums. There's SO much to listen to! That said, I've liked a lot of cuts on the latest from Everything Everything, The Dream Eaters, Guster, Justice, Lenny Kravitz, Kasabian (not officially released yet but the singles are pretty great), Cage the Elephant, & Alfie Templeman.
So so much to listen to! I know I say it a lot, but it's overwhelming in all the best ways. That said, the new Lenny Kravitz is one that I've been meaning to get to for awhile now. It sounds like I've been missing out.
Also, you might've already seen this, but there was a great write up in the NYT about Cage The Elephant and Matt Shultz' return from from the brink.
Yes! It's better to have a lot of music choices than only a few! The Kravitz album is a bit all over the map but I often like that approach. The styles and genres of music on it vary pretty wildly but there are some real gems and Kravitz's voice sounds as great as ever.
Damn, man, you are very good at listening to the latest indie/alternative releases. I'm too focused on digging through the World music, Soul, Funk, Boogie, and Jazz, sections of used record stores. That said, I did find a pretty groovy folk album yesterday, but it's from 1967! 😆
I do listen to new music, tho. I swear! 😎
Side note - I occasionally see Mascis around town, and not too long ago, he and a buddy were seated next to my wife and I at a jazz bar in downtown Portland.
I found a very nice original pressing of Peter Walker's 'Rainy Day Raga' (Walker was Timothy Leary's music director during his psychedelic explorations). This album reminds me a lot of early Sandy Bull.
We were at Jack London Revue when seated next to Mascis. But I've also seen him at the grocery store! Hey, even a rock star has to go to Fred Meyer!
+1 for The Paranoid Style. Great band for an election year.
God bless Pearl Jam. They're gonna be the next Rolling Stones. They're gonna still be going at 85 and finally win the lawsuit against Ticketmaster and build a giant concert barge out in the middle of the ocean where they play 6 sets a day for 5 bitcoin or a monthly pass for 100 bitcoin.
Not too go too far into the weeds, but I had tickets to a Ticketmaster show last night that was first delayed for weather, then ultimately "postponed." They were very late in delivering in any updates, but very quick to remind us that they weren't offering refunds. To be fair, I know nobody controls the weather (yet), but there were severe warnings in place as early as yesterday morning.
And 100% yes on the Paranoid Style. If any group is built for an election year, it's them.
I program it. We've been streaming since March while we jump through some hoops to get our tower up (which wouldn't matter to anyone who doesn't live here ;-). We have live hosts on tap for when we actually start broadcasting but our small population necessitates a lot of automation. After a long career in institutional public radio I'm having the time of my life. Here's the link: http://s2.radio.co/s23cdc84fb/listen
The only records on your list that I’ve listened to are Bodega, Cloud Nothings and Maggie Rogers. All great but none would make my top cut. I need to go back and have a listen to some of the others. I’ve been keeping and adding to a playlist of contenders for top album of the year and I’ve been back through it today. Yard Act - Where’s My Utopia? And Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Part 1 are definitely up there along with the Vanity Metrics EP.
Other potential candidates are:
All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade - The Libertines
A Pick Up Full Of Pink Carnations - The Vaccines
Pathetic Apathetic - Indoor Pets
Still Nervous - Bad Nerves
Hold My Hand, God Damn It - Gaffa Tape Sandy
Engines of Honey - Bull
Repackaged - Sex Mex
It’s a bit punk heavy but there have been so many great albums released in that genre. It’s going to be hard whittling it down at the end of the year! So many other good albums so far I’ve not included.
There's quite a few here that are new to me. Thanks for getting them on my radar! And I'm with you; whittling everything down come December is going to be tough!
Looking forward to digging into more of these. The Bodega album is really fun. Geez, I'd already forgotten about the new PJ record. There's so much good stuff out this year, it's impossible to keep track!
Maggie Rogers’s album has that retro ‘90s feel to my Gen X ears. And I am really digging the new PJ album. Wreckage is the standout single of the release, though they chose “Dark Matter” as the first single. Their upcoming shows at MSG and Fenway will put me at 20 shows. 🤩🤘🏻🎶
Great list! Dark Matter and Final Summer are definitely on my list too.
I strayed from the PJ fold even before No Code came out. Seeing them live about 10 years ago on the Lightning Bolt tour brought me back.
Same here.! Was it really 10 years ago (...he said, almost afraid to go look it up)?
I've got a lot to check out here. The only one of these albums I've listened to (and not all the way through at that!) is the Pearl Jam release. I've been meaning to put together a playlist of all the albums that feature multiple cuts I like. I fear I spend so much time on individual cuts that I miss out on a number of additional tunes from the same albums. There's SO much to listen to! That said, I've liked a lot of cuts on the latest from Everything Everything, The Dream Eaters, Guster, Justice, Lenny Kravitz, Kasabian (not officially released yet but the singles are pretty great), Cage the Elephant, & Alfie Templeman.
So so much to listen to! I know I say it a lot, but it's overwhelming in all the best ways. That said, the new Lenny Kravitz is one that I've been meaning to get to for awhile now. It sounds like I've been missing out.
Also, you might've already seen this, but there was a great write up in the NYT about Cage The Elephant and Matt Shultz' return from from the brink.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/19/arts/music/cage-the-elephant-neon-pill.html?unlocked_article_code=1.100.r2uz.bN_acUDusALQ&smid=url-share
Yes! It's better to have a lot of music choices than only a few! The Kravitz album is a bit all over the map but I often like that approach. The styles and genres of music on it vary pretty wildly but there are some real gems and Kravitz's voice sounds as great as ever.
Tigers Blood! Great list. Have to check out the Oldham set still.
Thank you! Definitely check it out when you have some time. It's a gem.
Damn, man, you are very good at listening to the latest indie/alternative releases. I'm too focused on digging through the World music, Soul, Funk, Boogie, and Jazz, sections of used record stores. That said, I did find a pretty groovy folk album yesterday, but it's from 1967! 😆
I do listen to new music, tho. I swear! 😎
Side note - I occasionally see Mascis around town, and not too long ago, he and a buddy were seated next to my wife and I at a jazz bar in downtown Portland.
Lol. Likewise I swear I listen to older stuff as well! What record did you find?
Also: if you're comfortable sharing, what jazz bar?
I found a very nice original pressing of Peter Walker's 'Rainy Day Raga' (Walker was Timothy Leary's music director during his psychedelic explorations). This album reminds me a lot of early Sandy Bull.
We were at Jack London Revue when seated next to Mascis. But I've also seen him at the grocery store! Hey, even a rock star has to go to Fred Meyer!
Lol. This is true!
Gizmo!
Sorry, not especially music-related today, but.. Gizmo!
Yes! He told me it'd been too long since I'd included a picture of him.
+1 for The Paranoid Style. Great band for an election year.
God bless Pearl Jam. They're gonna be the next Rolling Stones. They're gonna still be going at 85 and finally win the lawsuit against Ticketmaster and build a giant concert barge out in the middle of the ocean where they play 6 sets a day for 5 bitcoin or a monthly pass for 100 bitcoin.
Hilarious. You win the internet today, Joaquin!
That comes with a substantial cash award, right ?
Yes! Allow 6-8 weeks for processing. If you have any questions, please contact Director of the Internet, Kevin Alexander.
Lol. I wouldn't bet against that.
Not too go too far into the weeds, but I had tickets to a Ticketmaster show last night that was first delayed for weather, then ultimately "postponed." They were very late in delivering in any updates, but very quick to remind us that they weren't offering refunds. To be fair, I know nobody controls the weather (yet), but there were severe warnings in place as early as yesterday morning.
And 100% yes on the Paranoid Style. If any group is built for an election year, it's them.
Best adds at my station KBZR - The Last Dinner Party, La Luz, Francis of Delirium, Winnetka Bowling League
Baker City! Fantastic. Do you live out that way, or are you streaming it?
I program it. We've been streaming since March while we jump through some hoops to get our tower up (which wouldn't matter to anyone who doesn't live here ;-). We have live hosts on tap for when we actually start broadcasting but our small population necessitates a lot of automation. After a long career in institutional public radio I'm having the time of my life. Here's the link: http://s2.radio.co/s23cdc84fb/listen
Right on! Thanks for the link.
The only records on your list that I’ve listened to are Bodega, Cloud Nothings and Maggie Rogers. All great but none would make my top cut. I need to go back and have a listen to some of the others. I’ve been keeping and adding to a playlist of contenders for top album of the year and I’ve been back through it today. Yard Act - Where’s My Utopia? And Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Part 1 are definitely up there along with the Vanity Metrics EP.
Other potential candidates are:
All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade - The Libertines
A Pick Up Full Of Pink Carnations - The Vaccines
Pathetic Apathetic - Indoor Pets
Still Nervous - Bad Nerves
Hold My Hand, God Damn It - Gaffa Tape Sandy
Engines of Honey - Bull
Repackaged - Sex Mex
It’s a bit punk heavy but there have been so many great albums released in that genre. It’s going to be hard whittling it down at the end of the year! So many other good albums so far I’ve not included.
There's quite a few here that are new to me. Thanks for getting them on my radar! And I'm with you; whittling everything down come December is going to be tough!
A lot of new music here for me to explore, with very little overlap with anything that’s been on my radar.
Here’s a list of my favorites so far this year (unranked) with top 5 contenders having an asterisk:
- Big Sigh* by Marika Hackman
- Madra by New Dad
- Bite Down* by Rosali
- A La Sala by Khruangbin
- Don’t Forget Me* by Maggie Rogers
- Dream Talk by Still Corners
- Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves
- People Who Aren’t There Anymore by Future Islands
- On the Lips by Molly Lewis
- Real Power by Gossip
- Big Swimmer* by King Hannah
- Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free by Bonny Light Horseman
Madra! I knew I'd forgotten one. It's fantastic. "Deeper Well" is right there as well for me, but I keep (unfairly) comparing it to 'Golden Hour.'
Golden Hour did set a very high bar
It sure did! Maybe I just liked the idea of a record written while newly in love? I dunno.
Looking forward to digging into more of these. The Bodega album is really fun. Geez, I'd already forgotten about the new PJ record. There's so much good stuff out this year, it's impossible to keep track!
That's why I'm here! :)
Maggie Rogers’s album has that retro ‘90s feel to my Gen X ears. And I am really digging the new PJ album. Wreckage is the standout single of the release, though they chose “Dark Matter” as the first single. Their upcoming shows at MSG and Fenway will put me at 20 shows. 🤩🤘🏻🎶
I've been wracking my brain trying to remember who Rogers reminds me of, and I'm still drawing a blank.
Great call on 'Wreckage." I would've tapped that as a lead single too; maybe they just wanted to come out of the gate fast this time?
Maggie gives me a Shawn Colvin vibe 〰️〰️〰️