Green / Blue "Green / Blue (Slovenly)"
From Slovenly Records:
lovenly Recordings is proud to present the debut hard copy from GREEN / BLUE: manually opening up a can of syrupy tones and pouring them down upon our daily bread. Each track cuts through a work uniform and plugs guitars directly into a human heart, encapsulated by a fully functioning warm body, which is either hugging a pillow and singing along to the 80% cocoa bittersweet dual vocals of Jim Blaha (The Blind Shake) and Annie Sparrows (The Soviettes), or revving the engine to the stoner, greaseball anthems of high motility.
The Green / Blue sound is primarily influenced by visual art, or more specifically, collages (“‘cause you can grab from anywhere and make a new story with it” – J.B.) and inverts itself for manifest on the album artwork, also performed by Mr. Blaha. His recent discovery and newfound love for lo-fi pop jangle (The Clean, The Chills and early GBV, as well as longtime JAMC lust) represents a bit of a sonic departure (not to be mistaken with maturity) for the label as well.
Each fat track was recorded on the thinnest of tape in the basement studio of Blaha’s Minneapolis home. What originated from batches of his home-brewed solo songs and electronic experiments, Green/Blue developed into a four-piece live force after adding Danny Henry (The Soviettes) on drums and Hideo Takahashi (Birthday Suits) on bass.
Check out “With That Face.”
Arbouretum "Let It All In (Thrill Jockey)"
From Thrill Jockey:
Arbouretum’s mystic folk-rock collapses a continuum of 20th century music into decidedly classic song structures. English folk, country blues, Americana and 70s psychedelia all serve as touchpoints in their singular and distinctive sound. The Baltimore-based band have perfected the craft of storytelling using the delicate interplay of melodies and prosaic lyrics to tell vivid stories that engage the listener and transport them the way an immersive novel would. Let It All In stands as their most accomplished and evocative album to date. Guitarist and vocalist Dave Heumann’s melodies and solos still remain a central focus bolstered by the hypnotic rhythms of bassist Corey Allender and drummer Brian Carey and enhanced by Matthew Pierce’s substantial yet understated keyboard figures. Each song is a vivid scene or tale; meticulously detailed and crafted, transporting the listener to another world and time.
Check out “A Prism In Reverse.”
Helen Money "Atomic (Thrill Jockey)"
From Thrill Jockey:
Helen Money stands as one of the most unique and versatile cellists working today. Composer Alison Chesley uses the instrument to access and channel the extremities of human emotion, employing extensive sonic manipulation and an array of plucking and bowing techniques to summon an astonishing breadth and depth of sound. A prolific collaborator, Chesley is equally at home in both New Music and Metal circles. Past albums saw her collaborate with Jason Roeder (Sleep/Neurosis) and Rachel Grimes (Rachel’s), and she has toured extensively with Shellac, Russian Circles, Earth, Bob Mould and MONO. On her new album Atomic, Chesley pushes even further out towards the extremes of her output with a daring leap forward in her songwriting through minimalist arrangements that stand as her most intimate, direct, and emotionally bare work to date.
Check out “Midnight.”
Eye Flys "Tub Of Lard (Thrill Jockey)"
From Thrill Jockey:
In just over a year since their initial inception, Eye Flys have established themselves as a force beyond reckoning. Their debut full-length Tub of Lard is stunningly potency full of piss and vinegar, scientific in its ability to pulverize everything in its path. Due in part to the considerable pedigree of the band’s lineup (including members of Full of Hell, Backslider, Triac), the east coast-based quartet chew through steel-barbed riffs and off-kilter rhythms with exponential force. Their 2019 debut EP Context set an early precedent for just how lean and ruthless they can be. On Tub of Lard, Eye Flys launch that potential into 10 songs of maximum impact that find both raw power and subtlety in their simplicity.
Check out “Tubba Lard.”