NYC's Geese are waving the post-punk flag high on their debut record, Projector. Some of the tracks even have a psychedelic flair to them. For example, the title track.
Wistful walks down a cobblestone lane in morning dew soaked hamlet is what Black Marble is all about. And that scene is with a romantic interest is in the 1980s. Fast Idol is the latest from the pride of Brooklyn and is replete with mind water colours.
Helado Negro is a Ecuadorian treasure. His latest record, Far In, has taken deep root in my soul these past few weeks, and will never let go. The album has elements of soul, lounge, chill, and lo-fi. It's completely modern and fits perfectly into the 21st-century zeitgeist of music.
Fifteen tracks of sheer wonder...here is one of my favorites recently performed live!
Seattle's own Fleet Foxes were the soundtrack to my leaf raking yesterday and it was amazing! I took in their third offering, Crack-Up, and it really captured that autumnal wistfulness that I crave this time of the year.
Always those echo-y voices remind me of fall...
NYC's own Parquet Courts latest record, Sympathy For Life, is an indie delight. The droning and buzzy guitars remind me of every glorious night I've ever experienced at The Entry. And all the ones I've dreamt of...
Yes has been a part of of my life since I was a toddler in the early '70s. I can clearly remember my father playing The Yes Album and Fragile so loud in the basement that our kitchen floor rattled. So, the London art-rock outfit has had a special place in my heart for over five decades.
The Quest is the band's 22nd record and the first without their founder, Chris Squire, who passed away in 2015. The current lineup is Jon Davison on vocals, Steve Howe on guitars, Billy Sherwood on bass (the person that Squire insisted take his spot if he passed away), Geoff Downes on keyboards and Alan White on drums.
It's a fantastic record filled with music that is a rare find these days. Here is the opening track.
The debut full length from Pinkpantheress is here and I am most thankful. The London native's lounge-y, chill club vibe is ridiculously cool. And by cool, I mean Kennedy era cool but for 2021. To Hell With It is bril!
North Shields' own Sam Fender has dropped his sophomore effort and my guitar pop-soul is most happy. The best part is the opening track which fits perfectly into my autumnal playlist. The echo-y guitar and stories of yore...a shiver and a sigh...early November bliss:)
Milwaukee's own Primitive Broadcast Service is keeping the post-punk movement strongly alive with their latest release. Color For Chameleons is a stunning record that harkens back to the days of the first couple of 'Mats records. There are even quiet, contemplative moments such as this...
Sometimes downer music is hilariously wonderful. That's exactly how I would describe Optimist by LA's Finneas. The title is tongue in cheek, of course, and is a perfect commentary on millennial and Gen Z culture in 2021.
Here are a couple of examples...
The band that refers to themselves as a fourth-rate U2 is back with a new record called Music of the Spheres. London's own Coldplay has gotten back a little of their street cred on this one. There are plenty of tracks to please the newer fans but for old ones like me who have been there since "Ode To Deodorant" came out as a cassette single in 1998, there are several tracks that harken back to those days of yore.
Case in point, the album's closer. It could easily be on Parachutes or Rush of the Blood to the Head. It could also be a soundtrack for our galaxy:)
I like music that challenges me. And that's exactly what Talk Memory by Toronto's own Badbadnotgood does. Is it freeform jazz? Fusion? Cinematic journies? All of the above...
It also reminds me of that friend you had who was a musician that would cajole you into going to his shows, even though you had massive trepidation. And then it was amazing!
Duran Duran's latest record is perfectly titled. Future Past is exactly that. It hits all the right notes for the fans and sounds modern at the same time. Example.