jim white and marisa anderson "The Quickening (Thrill Jockey)"
From Thrill Jockey:
White and Anderson are instrumentalists whose voices are unmistakable and spellbindingly lyrical. Anderson unravels guitar traditions from across the globe into atmospheres all their own through improvisations and melodic lines that transform with each iteration. White implements an array of sticks, brushes, and techniques that imbue each rhythmic passage with its own distinct personality. Together their melodic flourishes cascade and twist upon one another, at times trading conversational exchanges, and at others drifting in unison as if lost in the same train of thought. Ecstatic pieces like “Gathering” and “The Other Christmas Song” harken back to Anderson’s playing with the improv-heavy Evolutionary Jass Band and carry with them a sense of perpetual motion. That feeling of urgency and maximalism is in turn contrasted by the open spaces and quiet subtleties of “Unwritten” and “Diver”.
Built To Spill "Built To Spill Plays The Songs Of Daniel Johnson (Ernest Jenning Record Co.)"
From Ernest Jenning Record Co.:
In 2017 Built To Spill was invited to play a few shows as Daniel Johnston’s back up band. This is what those rehearsals sounded like. 11 tracks of Johnston’s fractured pop presented through the eyes of Built To Spill.
No Age "Goons Be Gone (Drag City)"
From Drag City:
Summer 2020, and No Age are back out on the street! Effortlessly raw and extravagantly indulgent in one practiced swoop, they set their live/bedroom internal clock and get out early into a glorious windtunnel of naked beats and sunbaked guitars, forming a wave from which they hang eleven tunes. A perfectly balanced set, ranging from their classic punk and indie to ever-evolving soundscapes, in their maybe their most direct statement yet.
Sweet Spirit "Trinidad (Merge)"
From Merge Records:
Trinidad marks the Merge debut of Sweet Spirit, the mighty sextet from Austin, TX. The songs are stripped down yet more intricate than ever before. It’s a pop record made by punk rockers—sonically happy and lyrically bitter. Lustful, sassy, and passionate.
Touting inspirations as varied as Prince, T. Rex, William Onyeabor, ABBA, Roy Orbison, Shintaro Sakamoto, Francoise Hardy, and Robyn, the band has created an album that pulsates with more LinnDrum and synth than guitar. Set up your dancefloors now and prepare to be swept off your feet by Sweet Spirit!