My Five Favorite Albums Released in April 2023, as I've been listening to them most. I'm not sure if I'm going to have this column return in May (there aren't as many releases I've found to fit this) but time shall tell.
Occurrence "Slow Violence"
https://occurrence.bandcamp.com/album/slow-violence
The biggest and perhaps most important thing to learn about "Slow Violence" is that it is long. This is not the type of album you put on- unless you're just targeting a few specific tracks- unless you really have the time to sit down and fully digest it, like a big meal. With synth rock tones, this reminds me of Garbage at times. There are a few moments when it feels like "Stranger Things" as well.
Musically this is enticing because it seems to become almost hypnotic at times. It's a big deal in the sense that it feels like a big production. With beats, it can feel a little bit industrial but also a little bit dance. "Heels over Head" reminds me of the band Fun but is also one of my favorite songs on here. "November 30, 2014" has big sad strings on it to prove the mood isn't all upbeat but for the most part it does feel like this album is energetic over all else.
Daniel Rotem "Wave Nature"
https://danielrotem.bandcamp.com/album/wave-nature
The horns first blast through with electronics and make me think of trains. Successions make the notes sound like we're in an old time film where something is about to happen and it is going to be suspect. The sound also comes crashing down in what feels like but isn't distortion and it makes for a great storming sound. This ends up taking us into these hyped up organ tones with a Pole Position drive.
This album has the ability to bring out these slowed down, jazz pieces that make it feel like we're working the beat in some old detective movie. At the same time, there are parts where it just gets loud and out of control. The balance between those two is what can make this feel so magical and why it needs to be listened to by everyone.
deVon Russell Gray, Nathan Hanson, Davu Seru "We Sick"
This album is that free improvisational music that borders on jazz which I enjoy so much. Horns come blaring through, piano keys fall in destruction and it has this intensity about it while also just making it feel like a storm is coming. This music also can get sly and feel like it's sneaking through the walls and into your brain.
Notes come through as the keys go back and forth behind them. It gets slower, softer, and then louder, more frantic as well. At times it can get so quiet that I think it's over, but then it comes back and I hear sound again to prove me wrong. The pianos can also make me think of Charlie Brown, but I really like this entire album and it's especially good for long drives.
The God in Hackney "The World in Air Quotes"
The God in Hackney creates trippy rock music with horns. There isn't really another artist to compare this one with. Computer type vocals take us into trippy songs that are like The Beatles but also catchy. Horns just come blasting through at times, while the song "Philip" is about anxiety. We go full psych instrumental on "Interstate 5" and big keys as well.
"Broken Pets" reminds me a bit of Dave Scanlon and I just like that The God in Hackney seems to be taking this psychedelic rock n roll sound, adding some to it and just making it their own. In the most commercial of ways it's like the trippy Beatles music, but it really is so much more than that and I do enjoy the experience of this one.
Bees In A Bottle "The Sun Left And Took The Moon With It"
Whenever I see the name Bees In A Bottle, I always think this is going to be more folk and acoustic. I've listened to this album at least ten times now and every time I think it's going to be some folk duo with two vocalists and one acoustic guitar. I'm hoping typing this out also helps me to remember that is not this sound. This album actually pleasantly surprises me when it comes on and rocks with that 1990's feel, somewhat like K's Choice.
"Jealous Mistress" is a song about the music business and I do feel as if more people within the music business should be singing about it because it just makes sense. There are elements of Fleetwood Mac within there and just overall this album is the melody with that grunge/post grunge sound that I love so much. Along the same lines as Metric without sounding like them really.
Comments
Post a Comment