Emily Hearn Hourglass/Old Prince Records Be warned: Emily Hearn will be your new favorite singer-songwriter. On her sophomore effort Hearn grows artistically by leaps and bounds with a rich, understated vocal prowess, a sonic palette beyond the country and folk stylings of earlier albums, and lyrics that are simultaneously clever, profound and catchy. This relationship-focused […]
Nathan Angelo Carolina EP/self-released On Angelo’s latest record, the singer-songwriter’s penchant for soulful melodies and lyrics is as prominent as ever. These six tracks contain classic, ’70s-era pop (“Carolina Save Me”), groovy piano pop (“Find My Way”), soul (“Never Alone”) and even hints of R&B (“Fools in Love” will put you in the mood before […]
Punch Brothers The Phosphorescent Blues/Nonesuch Records This is some glorious music. If you aren’t wholly mesmerized by the end of the epic 10-minute opener “Familiarity”—complete with three movements, spellbinding mandolin work and the group’s stunning ability to harmonize—then you are likely dead inside. The sweetly rapturous chamber folk of “My Oh My” has a goosebump-inducing […]
Caitlin Canty Reckless Skyline/Self-released Caitlin Canty is one of the most beguiling singer-songwriters around, and Reckless Skyline is the latest evidence that she is a cut above the rest. Her songs run the gamut from hard luck tales of life going sideways (“Enough About Hard Times”) to looking for love in the arms of a […]
Oceaán The Grip EP/B3SCI Records Genre labels are inherently shortsighted, but if you absolutely have to use one for Oliver Cean a.k.a. Oceaán’s, second EP, The Grip, then try dubhoptronica. Angelic synths and hip-hop beats marry together seamlessly on the closing track, “At Your Feet,” while “Veritas” combines wobbly rhythms with beats and what appear […]
Foo Fighters Sonic Highways/RCA Records At this point in its storied career the Foo Fighters have carte blanche to do whatever the hell they want, and Sonic Highways is the proof. It’s a concept record—each of the album’s eight songs is inspired by and recorded in a different American city—that doesn’t feel self-serving because it […]
Over the Rhine Blood Oranges in the Snow/Great Speckled Dog Records Folk duo Over the Rhine likes to do things differently. Blood Oranges in the Snow—the third holiday-themed release of their career—isn’t your typical feel-good collection of familiar hymns or classic songs; it’s more of a treatise on how to weather difficult times during what […]
The Rural Alberta Advantage Mended with Gold/Saddle Creek The Rural Alberta Advantage’s newest project will make you sweat. Between the perpetually chugging drum beats, driving guitars, and lead singer-songwriter Nils Edenloff’s singing, there’s no aspect of this album that doesn’t scream, “Dance, dance, dance!” Oddly enough, however, this is not a happy record, and much […]
U2 Songs of Innocence/Interscope Records Bono’s voice is cracking, The Edge’s riffs aren’t exactly scraping against the stars anymore, and even drummer Larry Mullens, Jr.’s beats have slowed down a tick, but despite all of this, U2 finds another gear on Songs of Innocence. Most of the energy is in the second half, where tracks […]
GRMLN Soon Away/Carpark Records Bay Area-based Yoodoo Park a.k.a. GRMLN, has undergone quite a metamorphosis in his several years as an artist. Originally something of an ambient singer-songwriter with a penchant for beautiful, mellow melodies, he’s gone full-on rock and roll on Soon Away replete with driving rhythms, engaging choruses and guitars, guitars, guitars. “Jaded” […]