Gilla Band – Pugnello: I listened to three songs before I dismissed it as a novelty where Dara Keily shouts over abrasive riffs. Something about it stuck in my brain, though, and I went back. The deconstruction of sound in “Placeholder” has parallels with William Basinski’s Disintegration Loops. It’s never going to be in heavy rotation for me, but I did save it to my favorites. Too bad for Gilla Band that they weren’t making this music in that small, early ‘90s window where Primus and Ministry and King Missile were all getting airplay, it would’ve blown up.
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago: I bought For Emma back in the day, listened to it a couple of times, and sold it. The music pops up frequently enough that I wanted to try it again. Musically it’s perfect for the grey autumn days of this week. Lyrically, it doesn’t impress me, but I’ll keep trying. Maybe I’m not smart enough to recognize Justin Vernon’s brilliance, or maybe he’s just not a brilliant lyricist.
Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR: I still don’t understand why Olivia Rodrigo’s sound clicked with me after years of indifference, but I’m glad it did. She brings enough drama to her music to make Jim Steinman proud, but she also has a refreshing sense of both simplicity and integrity. She drops little winks in her songs that are genuinely funny, yet she never crosses into the “cheekier than thou” vibe that soured me on so many of her influences. Also, the piano in “Driver’s License” is just beautiful.
Rosalia – Lux: I took a long break from this record. I only listened in the background, but it was good. The fatigue I felt back in December was gone, and my excitement was back.
Phoebe Bridgers – Lost Weekend: I also got back to this after a much shorter break. The music is deeply complex, and from the first song, it’s filled with instruments and sounds that I don’t expect.
Mono – You Are There: I’ve never been good at distinguishing Mono’s albums from each other, but when I sat in front of the stereo this week and listened to You Are There, I clearly heard an intensity that isn’t on Walking Cloud. Opener “The Flames Beyond the Cold Mountain” reaches a beautifully noisy peak that was so good, I listened three times. The other songs don’t reach those sonic heights, but it all fits together to create an extraordinary album.
Nina Nastasia – The Blackened Air: I played this in the background but a few songs crept through and distracted me from what I was doing. The production and arrangements might be even better than Dogs, an album whose production and arrangements I love.
Carly Rae Jepson – Day and Night: I’m continuing to unpack this one. It’s a long album, probably longer than it needs to be, but each time I listen, I find something new I like. This week, the closer, “Super Sage,” grabbed me with its changes in mood and energy, and the penultimate “No Labels, I Love You” is a banger.
Elvis Costello – Armed Forces: A few decades back, I decided I don’t like Elvis Costello. I’m not sure why I’ve always resisted him or what specifically led me to stop trying, but I’ve lived the past 20 years at peace with not giving him another chance. Then Bob encouraged me to pick up a cheap copy of this record last time we were at the Record Exchange, and I did, and it’s really, really good.
Beck – Ride Lonesome: Bob also encouraged me to check out the new Beck. I tried, but I couldn’t overcome my deep hatred for Beck’s music. Even when most of my early ‘90s, Gen-X friends were smitten with “Loser” and “Where It’s At,” his music always struck me as simultaneously pretentious and cloying. I think it’s important to revisit music we don’t like, but Elvis Costello was the extent of my open-mindedness this week.
Grateful Dead – October 2, 1976 (Dave’s Picks 53): I only listened to a couple songs this week but they reinforced how much I want to go back and hear this show again.