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Complete Mountain Almanac is a superficially pretty album, but you’ll need to afford it your full attention to unearth its full charms and appreciate its emotional depth. Grab your best headphones and really listen; you’ll soon discover there’s something very special going on here.
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The conceptual narrative of the Murder Capital moving forward may seem like a tired trope, but it's also their truth, and when backed with songs this good, it justifies their wanting to document their growth as musicians. In distancing themselves from strictly writing within a post-punk framework, the band takes new and exciting rhythmic detours to accompany their slightly more optimistic, inward-looking reflections.
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In a note to her fans, [Natalie] Mering has described And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow as the center of a trilogy of albums. One that contends with being in “the thick of it.” Whether the album’s themes are apparent when awed by the sonics that surrounds them is likely of little matter to most listeners. Mering has concocted a successor to Titanic Rising that any gambler worth their salt would have no doubt taken the under on.
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After the Earthquake provides the first glimpse of jangle and power-pop, the latter being a prevalent influence throughout. Historically, Alvvays have always been happy to tap into their love of Teenage Fanclub, but Blue Rev suggests they’ve ventured far further down the power-pop rabbit-hole in recent years. There are fleeting glimpses of Big Star naturally, but The dBs also spring to mind, especially in the sinewy guitar run that sparks Earthquake to life. It’s not quite the riff from Black and White, but it’s equally potent.
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Beth Orton's career is one of resilience and pure talent, an artist who never stopped creating despite occasionally operating on the fringes of mainstream success. The folk-leaning UK singer-songwriter's stunning eighth LP couldn't be a more perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with her work, where she beckons the natural forces that move us through life with a steady, contemplative mood piece.
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Natural Born Prom Queen finds strength in its nonlinearity, where Parks' resplendent R&B takes creative detours that mirror her stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Her biting observations, filled with a tapestry of intricate beat constructions, feel like listening to a fever dream that begs repeated listens.
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The searing third album by the Swedish post-punk renegades is a manifesto on stupidity, taking their depraved, ideologically-charged satire into more sonically adventurous territory.
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Throughout his 30-year-run as the musical force behind Spiritualized, Jason Pierce has underplayed the space-rock project's ambitions with a touch of humor and pathos. On his ninth LP, the English musician continues to poke a little fun at his own expense, alluding to being in a state of perpetual medical dependence while reveling in the joy of being human.
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Wet Leg’s hotly anticipated self-titled debut is no slapped-together producer’s vision of what the kids should like. Its authenticity is what makes it so addictive, so accessible.
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Nilüfer Yanya draws strength from her emotional resilience on PAINLESS. If the title to the West London singer-songwriter's second LP states otherwise, it's the sort of defense mechanism she's developed since 2019's breakthrough debut album Miss Universe.
