Bill Callahan "Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest (Drag City)"
Is there anything more comfortable than having the sound of Bill Callahan’s voice wash over you once again? After all, its been nearly 30 years since his Smog career started, and now here it is-2019-and we still are gifted with his singular works. Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest (Drag City) is everything you want it to be. Gentle, sparse, experimental folk/rock music with Bill’s singular baritone delivering the poignant lyrics. In a perfect world, this is what country music would sound like-emotional and personal. For a glimpse into the mind of the master check out the smashing “Son Of The Sea.”
Fruit Bats "Gold Past Life (Merge)"
“Fruit Bats makes existential make-out music, but you’re also welcome to dive into it deeper if you want. Good pop music should be sublime like that.” So says Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats in the PR for the excellent retro-pop blast that is Gold Past Life (Merge). This may be the feel-good record of the summer. With Eric’s unique falsetto and ‘80s George Harrison guitar vibes all over the place, it’s nearly impossible to wipe the smile off your face when the tunes kick in. So give yourself over to “The Bottom Of It.”
Hatchie "Keepsake (Double Double Whammy)"
We’ve been anxiously awaiting the full-length release from Hatchie ever since our buds over at Double Double Whammy released her EP Sugar & Spice. Well, the wait is over and Keepsake is everything we were hoping it would be. Expanding her sound to include some ‘80s new wave textures to her already intoxicating sonic palate, her sound is somewhere between the more shimmering releases from The Cure and Alvvays. Check out the soaring “Stay With Me.”
Titus Andronicus "An Obelisk (Merge)"
An Obelisk, the latest album from the beloved band Titus Andronicus, is a perfect storm of rock (hot off the heels of their now legendary sitcom pilot). Here on An Obelisk (Merge) we find the band in top form, being produced by the legendary Bob Mould and recorded at the legendary studio of Steve Albini. Titus is sounding lean and mean, with Bob stripping away almost all adornments-leaving us with the purest distillation of rock and roll this side of… uh… oh, I don’t know… just insert your favorite rock record here. Check out the epic “I Blame Society.”