Sound Advice- 24. April. 2024
The flood of great 2024 releases continues! Today we're taking a look at the latest from Cloud Nothings, Pearl Jam, Maggie Rogers, and more.
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Longtime readers may recall that I reviewed 100 new (to me) records last year. Because I’m a glutton for punishment love music, I’m doing it again this year. This is the latest in the series.
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a look at several records, including the latest from, well, all kinds of artists.
Every year, I celebrate all the great music we’ve been gifted while worrying that next year will see the other shoe drop. I did that last December and have been proven wrong every month since. Not only are there a ton of releases steadily coming out, but there’s also been a ton of great stuff, no matter your tastes. It’s almost overwhelming— but in all the best ways. Below are a few of the releases that have caught my attention recently.
Let’s get into it!
Brothertiger- Fundamentals Vol. V Hearing John Jagos play often feels like you fell into a time machine and landed back in the 80s—it’s worth noting that he’s also done an album of Tears for Fears covers. That’s high praise, by the way. Jagos, who performs as Brothertiger, has just completed Volume 5 in his Fundamentals series/ Like its predecessors, the tracks here are a product of the (definitely not 80s) live streams he does on platforms like Twitch. Somehow, these tracks emerge fully formed, with improvised synths painting gorgeous soundscapes in the same wheelhouse as artists like Washed Out. This isn't the first time his work has been lauded on this page—he’s previously shown up here and here. Hopefully, it won’t be the last.
For your playlist: ‘Jordan’s Room,’ ‘Aero Essen’
Cloud Nothings- Final Summer (Pure Noise) It’s been 10 years since Cleveland indie rockers Cloud Nothings gifted us the classic Here and Nowhere Else, their all-gas- and- no-brakes third record. Final Summer is, again, a record that runs at 4000 rpm. That speed never comes at the cost of melody; the record is stuffed with hooks around every corner, starting with the blistering opening title track. ‘On Running Through The Campus,’ frontman Dylan Baldi asks, ‘Can you believe how far I have come?” The answer is inevitably yes.
For your playlist: ‘Final Summer,’ ‘The Golden Halo’
Ilithios- Every Bird Ever (Totally Real!) For their sophomore record, the Brooklyn band takes on the challenges every generation faces, using birds as symbols. From dance floor bangers to anthemic expansive tracks, Ilithios (and many friends from the NYC scene) have created a record that will make you want to take on the world. Ilithios translates to “idiot” in Greek, but Every Bird Ever proves the band is anything but.
For your playlist: ‘Athens,’ ‘Old’
Khruangbin- A La Sala (Dead Oceans) There is a meme coursing through social media that says Khruangbin’s discography is really just one long song. A La Sala doesn't make much of a counterpoint; it’s more of the same from the Houston trip. Slinky grooves and airy guitars. In other words, it is the perfect soundtrack for your next dinner party. It might be more of the same, but if that formula works, why change it?
For your playlist: ‘Pon Pon,’ ‘Three from Two’
Pearl Jam- Dark Matter (Monkey Wrench/Republic) If you ever want to feel old, sit in a breakroom and have a coworker cue up the Woodstock ‘99 documentary. Then, have everyone around the table ask you what it was like to be around in ‘99. Not at Woodstock (I wasn’t there), but around…as in alive. Oof. And if you’re a true glutton for punishment, this is your reminder that Pearl Jam’s ‘Alive’ turns 33 later this year. I feel pretty lucky to have seen them back then, and I am delighted that the band has returned to form with Dark Matter. From rippers like “React, Respond” to more wistful tracks like ‘Wreckage,” the band is back and has made (IMO) their most complete record since Vs.
Pearl Jam has never been afraid to experiment, often with mixed results. That didn’t happen here. I don’t know that a band hurtling toward middle age needed to make a statement record, but this sure feels like one, and we’re all the better for it.
For your playlist: ‘React, Respond,’ ‘Won’t Tell’
The Reds, Pinks, and Purples- Unwishing Well (Slumberland) Slumberland never seems to miss, and neither does Glenn Donaldson. One of the most prolific artists on this side of Robert Pollard, Donaldson is back with more of what he does best: putting a dreamy, sometimes melancholy spin on beautiful pop sounds. Unwishsing Well is 10 intimately arranged tracks. If Mark Eitzel was the Bay Area’s proverbial tortured artist, Donaldson is just bummed. Yet, even when he’s taking shots at the pop culture machine on tracks like ‘Your Worst Song Is Your Greatest Hit,’ he makes it sound lovely.
For your playlist: ‘Your Worst Song Is Your Greatest Hit,’ ‘Nothing Between the Lines At All’
Maggie Rogers- Don’t Forget Me (Debay Sounds) The world was introduced to Maggie Rogers several years ago when a video surfaced of her as an NYU undergrad stunning Pharrell Wiliams with a demo of her track ‘Alaska.’ It’s one of those moments that’s the stuff of legends, but you don’t need the sound on to know what’s happening— just watching his reaction tells the entire story.
But you should have the volume up ‘cause Rogers has an exquisite voice. Flash forward eight years, and that same wide-eyed student is back with Don't Forget Me, her third studio LP and follow-up to 2022’s Surrender. For those of you who thought that record was lightning in a bottle, I’m pleased to tell you lightning’s stuck twice. If Rogers was once a wide-eyed undergrad, Don’t Forget Me finds her clear-eyed. She knows what she wants and how to get there.
Given the album's weight, it’s hard to believe the record was written & recorded over only a few days. Ian Fitchuk was behind the boards and brought out Rogers's strengths well. Her voice is exceptional, but so is the music. It has heft but never gets bogged down or turns too far into itself. Lead single ‘So Sick of Dreaming’ sounds as at home in your favorite coffee shop as it does turned up in your car. Don’t be surprised to find yourself bopping along. As her demo ends, Pharrell looks at her and says ‘I have no notes.” Neither do I. This is a strong record from front to back and has probably already booked a spot on my year-end best-of list.
For your playlist: ‘So Sick of Dreaming,’ ‘The Kill’
Laetitia Sadier- Rooting For Love (Drag City) This is exactly the sort of ornate, intricate work you expect from Sadier. It’s not a Stereolab record, but it sure feels like it in parts— in all the best ways. The arrangements are just right, and the tangents and hooks are right where you need them. It’s light and airy, even if/when the lyrics are anything but.
Rooting for Love has many of the same loungy depths Sterolab plumbed so well, but there is no question this is Sadier’s record.
For your playlist: ‘Une Autre Attente,’ ‘Don’t Forget You’re Mine’
Soft Kill- Escape Forever (Rough Trade) My on-ramp to this band was while on an off-ramp. I mean that literally. I was listening to the WSUM on the way home from work when ‘My Section’ started thundering through my speakers. I hit the exit and immediately pulled over to see what I was listening to. Turns out they had played here in town the night before— so my streak of missing good shows is (more or less) intact.
Escape Forever is chaotic, bombastic dark wave post-punk in just the right amounts. There are bruising guitar riffs and enticing synths everywhere you turn. The record goes from 0 to 100 and back to 0 again without warning. There are a few samples and voice clips that I could do without, but they don’t take away from the record. The world might be in a flat spin, but we can still dance. Grab your eyeliner and cloves, and get ready to hit the dance floor.
For your playlist: ‘I Wish You’d Go,’ ‘My Section’
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As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on any (or all) of these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
Khruangbin could change nothing and I’d still keep showing up. It’s exactly the kind of vibe I’m always in the mood for. ❤️
A giant list of albums you like? Seems like a weird idea for a post...
Seriously, there is plenty here that I need to either get to (Cloud Nothings), dig into more (Maggie Rogers), or give a try (many of these). And yes, Dark Matter is a damn good PJ album.