Richard Ashcroft: Born To Be Strangers (Track of the Week)

The man who cast no shadow and writes songs as big as god's fist is back with his fifth solo album, Natural Rebel. And all of Wigan, Lancashire (indeed all of England) is rejoicing. Richard Ashcroft is a towering legend of Brit Rock and his latest effort does not disappoint. I'll have a full review coming soon but this is my favorite track...

Autumn Music Series: Holy Holy

Can a band from Australia capture that autumn sound that I love so much? Yes. Yes, they can. Holy Holy is a mega cool music duo from Down Under that does a fab job of creating musical soundscapes that remind me a great deal of the fall.

Here's my favorite track from 2015's When The Storms Would Come. 

Autumn Music Series: Doves

I miss Doves. The Cheshire lads are currently labeled as inactive. I'm hoping they activate soon because their music is perfect for a crunchy leaf walk. From 2005, here is one of my favorites.

We Were Promised Jetpacks: Impossible (Track of the Week)

Wonderful things come from Scotland and Edinburgh's We Were Promised Jetpacks are certainly a great example of why this axiom is true. I mean, how can you not like the name? I was promised a jet pack when I was a kid. Where is it?!!

Their fifth studio album, The More I Sleep the Less I Dream, dropped a few weeks ago and all 10 tracks are quite wonderful. The opening track is my pick for this week. It's dark yet triumphant!

The Modfather Finds Meaning: Paul Weller, True Meanings

Paul Weller is now in his fifth decade of making music and shows no signs of letting up. His solo career, now over 25 years, has seen a variety of musical explorations that have truly shown his growth mindset.

His fourteenth studio album, True Meanings, dropped last month and has been in regular rotation in my house, my car, and especially my iPhone. This time around, he's offering up 14 tracks of lush acoustical, orchestration that bring new meaning to the word beauty. Most of the tracks start off simply enough with his voice and guitar. Then they build up to majestic heights and we are left wondering if the next track will be just as good. Invariably, it's better.

Here's a great example...


And this is just the fifth track!

There is some Style Council heard here but mostly it's the Modfather reveling in his middle aged musical authority and wisdom. The second to last track, "May Love Travel With You," is autobiographical to me in many ways. Weller's music has brought me an amazing amount of love and joy in my life for over forty years. As he continues to break new ground and try new paths of aural exploration, I'll be right there with him.

Autumn Music Series: John Grant

Denver's own John Grant has made some fantastic music over the last 20 years and his first solo effort in 2010 (Queen of Denmark) is probably my favorite. The first track is a perfect song for blustery autumn days...

Tall Heights: Midnight Oil (Track of the Week)

Boston's own electrofolk duo Tall Heights have just a released a completely fab record called Pretty Colors For Your Actions. In addition to having a cool title, the record boasts several magnificent cuts that send my mind and heart on the most wonderful of journeys. Here's my favorite track...

Autumn Music Series: Thomas Cohen

A key ingredient to a good fall tune is a Fender guitar with the echo turned to 11. Thomas Cohen delivers this quite well on his track, "Honeymoon." He's also got some Bowie Tonight era going on with this song which is another reason why it's perfect for autumn...

 

Autumn Music Series: U2

The core month of autumn is now here and nothing fits better than this track from Dublin's own U2. I think I've played it a million times in October and it sounds great every single listen.

Amber Arcades: Simple Song (Track of the Week)

Utrecht's own Amber Arcades has just released her second full length record entitled European heartbreak and I heart every Burt Bacharach minute of it. I imagine myself sipping a martini and curling my toes in shag carpeting when I listen to my favorite track.

Check it out!