Albums of 2020

[Kevin Davis]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

[epilogue]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

I have no idea if mine is an atypical opinion or not. I don't discuss her work with others much. This is probably the longest conversation I've had about her, actually.

[surfndestroy]

It is finally out, Sam The Astronaut - Midnight Carlight. Currently sitting at #115 on the iTunes charts in Canada.



...and for any naysayers....

[Strat]

Congrats to little surfndestroy. Im sure you are a proud papa.

[dad]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

I have no idea if mine is an atypical opinion or not. I don't discuss her work with others much. This is probably the longest conversation I've had about her, actually.

Whole New Mess sounds like something from Half Way Home or Burn You Fire for No Witness. I love it.

edit: so far it all sounds like HWH and BYFFNW had a baby and I'm here for it.

[epilogue]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

I have no idea if mine is an atypical opinion or not. I don't discuss her work with others much. This is probably the longest conversation I've had about her, actually.

Whole New Mess sounds like something from Half Way Home or Burn You Fire for No Witness. I love it.

edit: so far it all sounds like HWH and BYFFNW had a baby and I'm here for it.

Right on

[epilogue]

Listening to the new Colter Wall. I don't really care for it. Which is a bummer because I adore his other stuff. Maybe this is just a time/place thing. I'll give it a go the next time I'm out in the woods sipping whisky after chopping wood and see if that helps.

[Kevin Davis]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

I have no idea if mine is an atypical opinion or not. I don't discuss her work with others much. This is probably the longest conversation I've had about her, actually.

Whole New Mess sounds like something from Half Way Home or Burn You Fire for No Witness. I love it.

edit: so far it all sounds like HWH and BYFFNW had a baby and I'm here for it.

I was definitely hoping for an album that had the vibe of her early albums, but the songwriting growth of the last few.

[epilogue]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

I have no idea if mine is an atypical opinion or not. I don't discuss her work with others much. This is probably the longest conversation I've had about her, actually.

Whole New Mess sounds like something from Half Way Home or Burn You Fire for No Witness. I love it.

edit: so far it all sounds like HWH and BYFFNW had a baby and I'm here for it.

I was definitely hoping for an album that had the vibe of her early albums, but the songwriting growth of the last few.

I wasn't blown away with the first listen. I'm sure it'll grow on me as I get to know it better, though (that's what happened with Mirrors and I grew to really dig that one). A solid record but not as good as the last. Which seems to be a trend now.

[Kevin Davis]

I haven't previewed any of the tracks yet, but my understanding is that the whole thing is completely solo.

Interesting. I'm so excited to check this stuff out. I liked her last album but it took a few listens and still felt like a step down from previous work. Still, always excited for new stuff from her.

Wow, really? I think she's gotten better each time out, with All Mirrors standing as her best work to date. My Woman is really good though -- "Sister" is probably second only to "Chance" as my favorite of her songs.

I have no idea if mine is an atypical opinion or not. I don't discuss her work with others much. This is probably the longest conversation I've had about her, actually.

Whole New Mess sounds like something from Half Way Home or Burn You Fire for No Witness. I love it.

edit: so far it all sounds like HWH and BYFFNW had a baby and I'm here for it.

I was definitely hoping for an album that had the vibe of her early albums, but the songwriting growth of the last few.

I wasn't blown away with the first listen. I'm sure it'll grow on me as I get to know it better, though (that's what happened with Mirrors and I grew to really dig that one). A solid record but not as good as the last. Which seems to be a trend now.

I could be mistaken but I think the recording pre-dates All Mirrors and actually contains some early versions of some of those songs.

Definitely a Will Oldham-esque move to release a record like that -- kind of reminds me of his Singer's Grave a Sea of Tongues album (which incidentally was a "remake" of an album he made with Olsen...)

[epilogue]

I could be mistaken but I think the recording pre-dates All Mirrors and actually contains some early versions of some of those songs.

I believe you're right. But that doesn't change my thoughts on the album. Had it come out before Mirrors, I'd be saying Mirrors is better than the previous record.

[kreng]

really enjoying The Bit by Aidan Baker, Simon Goff, and Thor Harris

[Kevin Davis]

I like the new Angel Olsen a lot. It feels like, if All Mirrors were to be reissued in a deluxe edition, this would be the disc of extras included with it. I don't mean that as a put-down; I just mean that it feels like a counterpoint to that record, showing those songs in this other, opposite light, as opposed to a record that was really meant to stand alone devoid of that context. She definitely made the right call in giving these songs over to additional musicians, but I like the space and mood these recordings establish -- I wouldn't call it intimate (in fact for a solo record it sounds really cavernous and booming), but definitely atmospheric, with the focus squarely on Olsen's voice and endearingly heavy-handed guitar playing. Good stuff

[Brett]

Friday is the September edition of Bandcamp Day, and here's at least one thing that's being released to coincide with it: New Twigs, a new Ryan Driver album that features him singing five songs from his songbook while accompanying himself on bass piano (a piano that has been tuned down one full octave courtesy of technician/artist Andrew Wedman) and analog synthesizer. You can currently hear "Lit," a song originally released on Cat's Peak, the last full studio album of The Silt:


These next two things have been out for several months but I just recently got around to checking them out, Glimmer Glammer by Toronto trumpeter Lina Allemano, and Rat's and Mice by Allemano's new international trio, Ohrenschmaus (also featuring German drummer Michael Greiner and Norwegian bassist Dan Peter Sundland). The first is solo trumpet compositions with a smidgen of object manipulation here and there, dedicated to the memory of Toronto musician Justin Haynes who died last year, and the second is some tight and grooving free jazz.
Glimmer Glammer:


Rats and Mice:

[bodysnatcher]

Friday is the September edition of Bandcamp Day,

Thanks for the heads up. Almost grabbed an album yesterday and now glad I didn’t so I can get it Friday

[Hatfield]

I can't figure out how to share this youtube clip, but Ben Harper is coming out with a new instrumental album.

[Rangi Guy]

I can't figure out how to share this youtube clip, but Ben Harper is coming out with a new instrumental album.

I was tempted to pull the trigger on buying that yesterday, but decided to hold off

[ghost]

I think this is going to be one of those years where I only have the time and mental and emotional bandwidth to connect with a handful of albums.

Bonny Light Horseman s/t
Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling
Gigaton
Dead Tongues - Transmigration Blues
Kathleen Edwards - Total Freedom
IDLES - Ultra Mono (probably)

[Hatfield]

I think this is going to be one of those years where I only have the time and mental and emotional bandwidth to connect with a handful of albums.

Bonny Light Horseman s/t
Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling
Gigaton
Dead Tongues - Transmigration Blues
Kathleen Edwards - Total Freedom
IDLES - Ultra Mono (probably)

Have you tried Waterfall II by MMJ? It clicked with me as well as anything since Z.

[psychobain]

New Doves album released today, The Universal Want: