U2 – Easter Lily EP: The Days of Ash EP disappointed me so completely that I came into Easter Lily with no hope for a good record. Maybe my low expectations colored my opinion, but this might be the best U2 release since All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Every song taps into the enormity of U2, and the music and words are cohesive and exciting. For a band that has a long history of pushing boundaries with the songs that close their albums, “COEXIST (I Will Bless the Lord at All Times?),” is their most successful experiment since the ‘90s and is the first time in 20+ years that I’ve been excited about a new U2 song.
Rachael Yamagata – Starlit Alchemy: On Elephants (The first half of 2008’s Elephants… Teeth Sinking into Heart), Yamagata captured a longing and uncertain mood that sustains from start to finish. (Teeth Sinking into Heart also captures a consistent mood, but one with teeth and fury.) Starlit Alchemy is the first Yamagata album in nearly 20 years to capture a mood so consistently. She leans into the fact that she’s aged and survived some difficult situations. These songs reflect the confusion and heartbreak, the loss and longing of middle age, and Yamagata’s voice is as strong as it’s ever been (and maybe even stronger).
DJ Tennis – Fabric Presents DJ Tennis: First impression is that this is an energetic, quick-moving mix that doesn’t stay in any one place for too long. I was excited to see William Basinski as the opener, but unlike the slow builds that define some other Fabric mixes, DJ Tennis almost immediately moves on to bigger and bolder sounds. There’s some nods to classic house that keep my attention, but he doesn’t dwell in any one era or sound. Definitely a mix I want to hear more.
Cardinals – Masquerade: Back in February, I wrote that if I ever come back to Masquerade for a third listen, it might claw its way into my heart. That happened this week. I played it on Sunday night and I immediately loved everything about it. The sound is huge, the songs are interesting, the performances are fiery, and the accordion constantly catches my ear.
Maria Muldaur – Maria Muldaur: Muldaur’s vocal performance intrigued me when I heard “Midnight at the Oasis” for the first time in February, even though the lyrics are laughably bad. Sometimes her voice possesses a sultry sexiness, sometimes a flirtatious innocence that’s not unlike Melanie on “Brand New Key,” and sometimes a raw power. The high points for me are “Any Old Time” and “The Work Song,” but that’s as much because of her band’s raucous performance as it is her singing. Muldaur’s vocals are strong throughout but I’m not sure any of the material is compelling enough to make me play this again.
Mono – Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined: Usually I play Mono in the background while I’m doing other things. This week, I listened to Walking Cloud with attention and intention, and in many ways, I heard these songs for the first time. I wish I dedicated more time to listening this way, it completely changes everything about music, even music I think I know and love.
Old friends who made it into rotation this week: Flea: Honora; Geese: Getting Killed; The National: The First Two Pages of Frankenstein; Grails: Miracle Music; Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights