Laurel Halo – Midnight Zone: I turned this off twice in the first three songs. Not because it’s bad (it’s not; it’s extraordinary) but because it messed with my head. Shortly into the opening track, “Sunlight Zone,” the music harmonized with my tinnitus and I felt as if my ears were being pummeled from both the inside and outside. It was an overwhelming feeling, so I took a break before I tried again. The second time, I got halfway through “Oreison” before I got hit by a wave of claustrophobic panic that felt like I was submerging in the Titan sub and was moments from imploding. My reaction was intense, and even though I needed to take breaks, I’m excited to swim deeper into this record.
Ohyung – Iowa: “Memorial” is the standout. It reflects the cyclical loss of The Disintegration Loops but adds hints of a brighter future, and it’s a beautiful tribute to Chris Wiersema. TBD if the rest of the record has enough depth to stick with me.
Morgan Nagler – I’ve Got Nothing to Lose, and I’m Losing It: I’m adding this to the long list of critically acclaimed records that aren’t for me. Musically, little about the compositions or performances differentiate this from a thousand other indie gems (though the guitar on “Cradle the Pain” is lovely). Sonically, I understand that Nagler’s words are strong but I can’t discern them in the mix and Tidal doesn’t have the lyrics. Contextually, I don’t much like witty songs, and I really don’t like witty songs about booze and/or drugs, so “Grassoline” pretty much kills the album for me. I know why people are celebrating I’ve Got Nothing to Lose, and I’m Losing It, and honestly, I’m glad they are and I hope Nagler has great success. I just find the record irritating at best and boring at worst.
The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein: I listened to this once or twice when it came out and it was… fine. Thankfully, those initial listens paved the way for a gloomy Sunday afternoon when the weight of being human is weighing heavy and the music hits hard.
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World: For the first time in weeks, I had an hour at night to listen to a record with no one else in the house. I picked Songs of a Lost World and played it loud, and it was wonderful. I heard a cohesiveness in the record that eluded me on my first few listens, and I stand behind my earlier assessment that Songs of a Lost World is not a rehash of Disintegration but rather its end-of-life bookend.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Irreversible: I got halfway through the first song and realized that if I want to listen to a boring Morrissey knockoff, I could listen to the new Morrissey record.
Morrissey – Make-Up Is a Lie: So I did. The first two songs, “You’re Right, It’s Time” and the title track, surprised me because (a) they’re exciting, and (b) they show a facet of Morrissey and his band that I haven’t heard before. Unfortunately, the record deteriorates from there. I made it halfway through “Zoom Zoom the Little Boy” before I gave up.
Morrissey – Your Arsenal: I went back to my favorite Morrissey album just to make sure it’s actually good. It is. I cannot find any reason to listen to Irreversible or Make-Up Is a Lie instead of Your Arsenal.
Bill Callahan – My Days of 58: I got through five songs this week. Four are solid, one I could live without. I’m keeping it in the journal so I don’t forget to go back to it.
Old friends who made it into rotation this week: Oklou: Close Enough