Laufey – A Matter of Time: The more I listen to A Matter of Time, the more I find what I wanted—and didn’t get—from The Life of a Showgirl. A Matter of Time possesses a level of humility, vulnerability, and humanity that I just don’t hear on Showgirl. I didn’t expect to fall so hard for this record, but it’s been hosting parties in my mind.
Laufey – A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl | Bewitched | The Reykjavic Sessions: I decided to go to her concert in DC this week, which sealed my fate in the rabbit hole of Laufey’s music. The show was stellar, and when I think of the joyous sense of community that filled the room, the closest comparison I can find was seeing the Replacements in ’91. Probably not a comparison she gets every day, but she totally earned it.
The Orb – Buddhist Hipsters: The first two tracks, with their focus on hallucinations and aliens, feel like a nod to “Little Fluffy Clouds.” Nothing innovative or particularly exciting, simply artists staying true to the formula that made them successful 30+ years ago. But then they start to mess with that formula, and while I applaud their intentions, the results are awful. I got past the reggae/techno but “Arabebonics” actually made me embarrassed for them. That’s as far as I got before I switched to Fabric’s Pretty Girl mix with a sigh of relief.
Pulp – More: Jarvis Cocker and company tapped into everything that made their classic albums great and layered the past 25 years of life experience on top of it in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. This is the sound of a classic band aging gracefully. I encourage The Orb to pay attention.
Grateful Dead – 10/30/73 (St. Louis, MO): I expected to hear a transcendent “Dark Star” but I feel like I got a bunch of noodling. I’ll try again, but my first pass through the second set left me cold.
Old friends who made it into rotation this week: Pretty Girl: Fabric Presents Pretty Girl; Gracie Abrams: Good Riddance; Queen: A Night at the Opera; HAAi: Baby, We’re Ascending