Cyclical Edition
Killer Mike, Django Django, Millington, Edgeways, Slowdive, Queens of the Stone Age, All Hands Make Light
Ever have one of those days? Despite the best of intentions every effort you seem to exert gets you no further ahead. You change course, try something else, and the results are the same. Is it the frustration of each activity influencing each subsequent or is it just not your day?
[Autobiographical Atlanta Rap]
Killer Mike – MICHAEL
A very personal album deserving of the eponymous title, Killer Mike lays bare plenty from his life, past and present. I’ve had mixed feeling about the man, disagreeing with some of his political viewpoints (especially around guns) but from everything I’ve read and heard, he’s an intellectual that gives genuine thought to his stances which is respectable. That makes the subject matter all the more engrossing, to hear from the man himself where he came from and what he’s gone through. Given this, it’s no wonder it’s a solo release as it just wouldn’t fit as Run the Jewels. That said, his RtJ partner, El-P, does feature alongside a host of other famous guest spots including Andre 3000, Future, CeeLo Green, and even Dave Chappelle - kinda like Chris Rock did on Kanye’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ [2010]. The beats and production value match the openness, reminiscent of Kendrick Lemar’s ‘Mr. Morales…’ [2022] making this another modern rap classic.
Just1Song: Slummer reads like an autobiographical airing of a difficult story - a very real one. Not quite a confession but somewhere near therapy.
[Groovy Electro Dance Rock]
Django Django – Off Planet
Each listen to this release gets me at least one song deeper into love with it. So maybe it’s a good thing that it runs four discs deep and I’ve got a lot more to delve into (although also a small strike against it being album of the week as I can’t confidently say I love every track…yet.) The production throughout is phenomenal, changing sounds but maintaining the vibe and perfectly ensconcing the many guest contributors. Most of these I hadn’t heard before but am now open to trying, from the Japanese Yuuko Sings, to the shimmering Isabelle Woodhouse, through to hip hop Refound*. There’s plenty to dance to - especially on disc 2 - or just groove along like the drumline on instrumental Osaka. It’s distinctly Django, Django and yet it feels like it has grown their sound four-fold on this release alone.
Just1Song: Call me a sucker for Self Esteem, I don’t mind. Since it would be a tough choice for any one song to fully reflect the variation here, I may as well highlight this beloved artist’s cameo on Complete Me to hook you in.
[Ska Emo Punk]
Millington – Welcome Home EP
Punk, as a descriptor, gets thrown around a lot. Hell, there’s even a globally popular Scottish beer with it in the name. Millington’s sound - fast chords, fat bass lines, quick drums - goes back to my early introduction to the genre in the ‘90’s. Now, I know that wasn’t the start of punk, but it reminds me of my personal origin story and for that they get a point. Another point for the brass that adds the unmistakable ska aspect, while keeping the rock part, too. And finally, a bit of emo, as evidenced by the title If You’re a Burning House, Then I’m the Doors that Lock from the Outside.
Just1Song: It truly is a Welcome Home when the whole little, six-song EP kicks off with this treat.
[Singer-Songwriter Debut]
Edgeways – Words And Ways
Primarily a folk sound, the British pop roots of yore (early Beatles etc.) show through on this quaint debut release. As a singer-songwriter, Matt Andrews tends to keep things quiet on the songwriter front with a focus on either piano or guitar and only the odd drum track mixed in, while adding fun turns of phrase on the singer/lyrics side. “Talk is cheap, even when you foot the bill” comes to mind. There’s some fine guitar-picking on I’ll Go With You that holds a romantic, yet down-to-earth throughline story that echoes the album as a whole. For full disclosure, Matt is a friend of mine who ought to be extremely proud of this work.
Just1Song: There’s a tie to Fleet Foxes on this record and that makes sense, especially when you listen deep to Rising.
[Wavy Shoegaze]
Slowdive - kisses
Apparently it’s a big deal that this ‘90’s group are back, despite them having released a record in 2017 as well. Regardless of the history that I’m ignorant of, this is a gloriously wavy, shoegaze track that extends a great deal of chill for one song.
[Stoner Rock]
Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman…
I’ve had the ‘Rated R’ [2000] vs ‘Songs for the Deaf’ [2002] debate before and have been unable to come to a decision. Unfortunately, this latest release doesn’t hold a flame to either. It is a strong showing that is similar to, but perhaps a little better than, the most recent couple of discs from Josh Homme’s main crew. Any modern-era QOTSA fans ought to be satisfied ‘In Times New Roman…’ What’s your choice between the Elton John/QOTSA clash this Glastonbury?
Just1Song: Although the title, Paper Machete, sounds useless the track is not, despite similarities to Little Sister.
[Ambient Drone Folk]
ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT – “Darling The Dawn”
Hard to define, this duo from some of Canada’s biggest indie musical exports - Ariel Engle of Broken Social Scene/AroarA and Efrim Manuel Menuck of Godspeed You! Black Emperor/Thee Silver Mt. Zion - have made an intriguing collaborative debut. At times sparse, they truly seem to work with the sounds, pulling and stretching like a chef with pizza dough. Ariel’s vocals can be either delicate or strong enough to pierce through when the cacophony kicks up. Though there’s plenty of build in the ambient and drone, there are also moments of pure noise. This record may not immediately present itself but seems like it will be worth the time investment.
Just1Song: Mostly quieter than the rest, A Sparrows’ Lift is an introductory song before what’s really to come.
A new cygnet from Swans.
Missed a release from Sigur Rós.
Jenn Grant dropped early on a Wednesday.
Got Albert Hammond Jr. of the Strokes fame and Portugal. The Man of Europe. The Continent fame.
Best thing to do is the bare minimum, go to bed, and remind yourself that tomorrow is a new day.
-Stefan
