Sharon Van Etten – We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong: Hearing this for the first time made me feel the same way The Bends made me feel 30 years ago. The anthemic choruses, the melancholy chord progressions, the glimpses of light in the darkness (or maybe they’re glimpses of shadows in the light) … it’s all here. I can’t… Read more »
Wednesday – Bleeds: I tend to listen to music before words, which maybe doesn’t serve a record like Bleeds. The lyrical themes supposedly center around the heartbreak between MJ Lenderman and Karly Hartzman, so I suspect I’d be rewarded if I dug into the words. I was so indifferent to the music, though, that I doubt I’ll ever get back… Read more »
PinkPantheress – Tiny Desk Concert: I haven’t stopped thinking about this performance all week because (A) it’s energetic and exciting, (B) PinkPantheress is both charming and funny, and (C) the band is incredibly fun to watch and hear, especially bassist Rani Adi from Poster Girl. I enjoyed this as much as I’ve enjoyed any Tiny Desk Concert, and that’s a… Read more »
Tom Waits – Rain Dogs: The songs, arrangements, and performances are wonderful. Marc Ribot’s increased presence adds beautiful color to the songs, and the instrumentation pushes the boundaries of “found sounds” even farther than Swordfishtrombones did. I’m still struggling with the lyrics, though. These characters and settings are so fantastical as to feel like caricatures. I recognize that I’m listening… Read more »
Mitski – Puberty 2: The arrangements and instrumentation are solid, but her words and delivery push this record into greatness. My biggest surprise is “Crack Baby,” a track that initially appears like an obnoxious joke but eventually reveals a depth of confused longing and pain. The more I listen, the more I understand why so many people hold this record… Read more »