Last week, I hit the 50 album threshold. This week, I heard two of my absolute favorites of the year so far. Here are each of the new albums I listened to this week:
- This album is so, so good. I didn’t discover it until the week after its release, but it is totally deserving of praise. My favorite track is Used to Be. Those drums are hypnotizing.
- By far the premier rap record of the year. Dave, only 20, addresses systemic racism, mental health, and more in this perfectly-produced yet deeply personal masterpiece. My favorite track here is Psycho which features the grittiest beat-change of the year, as well. 2:19 for the cherry-pickers. It’s the kind of the beat that should come with Ibuprofen.
- I like Karen O. I like Danger Mouse (particularly his work in Broken Bells). But man alive, I hated this album. It felt so derivative of music that I already loathe. The production doesn’t give Karen O a chance to scream nearly as much as she should. Danger Mouse’s work here is somnolent, honestly. Dang.
- Pavement rules, even if they are slightly overrated. Give me Built To Spill any day. But Stephen Malkmus returns with this totally un-rock n’ roll album. And it’s bad. One of the icons of indie/garage rock comes out with an electronic album and it’s not good? Color me not surprised. Imagine if Jeff Mangum released an EDM record. OK, that could actually work. Throw in some saws and french horns and we may have something.
- IT WON/T BE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME – The Twilight Sad
- PSYCHODRAMA – Dave
- Phoenix – Pedro the Lion
- Heard It In A Past Life – Maggie Rogers
- Sucker Punch – Sigrid
- To Each His Own – E.B. The Younger
- When I Get Home – Solange
- Remind Me Tomorrow – Sharon Van Etten
- In Search of the Miraculous – Desperate Journalist
- Outer Peace – Toro y Moi
- Beware of the Dogs – Stella Donnelly
- Crushing – Julia Jacklin
- Ulfilas’ Alphabet – Sundara Karma
- Gallipoli – Beirut
- Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
- Rap Or Go To The League – 2 Chainz
- Olympic Girls – Tiny Ruins
- Good At Falling – The Japanese House
- Nowhere Now Here – MONO
- Electric Lady Sessions – LCD Soundsystem
- The Door to Doom – Candlemass
- Tasmania – Pond
- SUGA – Kyle Dion
- This is Not the End – Spielbergs
- Almost Free – FIDLAR
- FIVE – White Lies
- Malibu Ken – Malibu Ken
- Betty – Betty Who
- Assume Form – James Blake
- Everythings For Sale – Boogie
- Future Hndrxx Presents: THE WZRD – Future
- GREY Area – Little Simz
- Five Stars – Higher Brothers
- Homebrew – DIRE GNOME
- placeholder – Hand Habits
- This Is How You Smile – Helado Negro
- Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? – Deerhunter
- Vernissage My Heart – Bilderbuch
- Stuffed & Ready – Cherry Glazerr
- AJ Tracey – AJ Tracey
- Death Race For Love – Juice WRLD
- Love Hates What You Become – Lost Under Heaven
- Berkeley’s On Fire – SWMRS
- VOL. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR – HEALTH
- Goes West – William Tyler
- What Chaos Is Imaginary – Girlpool
- Zeppelin Over China – Guided By Voices
- Helium – HOMESHAKE
- Groove Denied – Stephen Malkmus
- American Love Call – Durand Jones & The Indications
- Quiet Signs – Jessica Pratt
- XXXTENTACION Presents: Members Only, Vol. 4 – XXXTENTACION
- Lux Prima – Karen O and Danger Mouse
- Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited – Mercury Rev
midnight surprise 