Juliana Hatfield "Weird (American Laundromat)"
Few things are as enticing as a new collection of songs from power-pop master Juliana Hatfield. Weird (American Laundromat), her latest, is a jangly, catchy, wryly funny reminder of why you love rock music so much. Hints of everything good about rock music here, from the Crazy Horse noodling that ends “Staying In” to the new wave synth hits of “Sugar” to the chunky Cheap Trick chords of “Paid To Lie.” There is very little to say about the many talents of Juliana that hasn’t already been said far more eloquently than I’m capable–so I’m gonna cheat and let her music do the talking. Check out the video for ”Lost Ship.”
Lost Under Heaven "Love Hates What You Become (Mute)"
Few bands are as instantly recognizable as Lost Under Heaven. If you’ve heard them even for a passing moment, you will instantly recognize them as soon as you hear them from that moment on. This has a lot to do with Ellery James Roberts’ distinctive vocal stylings, but also the duo’s mix of goth rock and modern electronic music makes them as future-leaning as anything you’ll ever hear. Describing their sound is like trying to describe the feeling of riding a roller coaster to someone that has never even seen one. On Love Hates What You Become (Mute), besides Ellery’s screaming whisper, they’ve also added more vocals from Ebony Hoorn, the other half of the band. It is always a very welcome addition to the sound, as is evidenced by the Hole meets NIN meets LUH sounds of “Bunny’s Blues.”
Pedro The Lion "Phoenix (Polyvinyl)"
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Pedro The Lion is back! Phoenix (Polyvinyl) is the first Pedro The Lion album in 15 years… Oh wait… I can’t start the blurb with that line, the album is called Phoenix! The metaphor was already made! Emergency! Emergency! Uhh… Like a, uh, oh! Like a cicada returning… nah, that’s bleak. Oh well… Too late! David Bazan has dusted off his lion costume and is Pedro The Lion once more (it’s been 15 years, but I’m pretty sure that’s how I remember this working). Back are the labored over arrangements, the meticulous lyrics, the uplifting chord changes, everything. Sure, there have been David Bazan solo albums since the last PTL record, but nothing was going to satisfy fans like a return to form like this. So let the past decade and a half wash away in an instant as you check out the nostalgia of “Yellow Bike.”
Palmer T. Lee "Winebringer (Team Love)"
As one half of The Lowest Pair, Palmer T. Lee has been releasing americana and folk leaning music for years now after falling in love with the medium as a young man. On Winebringer (Team Love), he takes advantage of the decision he made with his musical partner Kendl Winter to devote 2018 to solo projects. Featuring what sounds like every stringed instrument known to man (guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, others) and pouring his soul into every line delivered (in a way that is reminding me a bit of Tallest Man On Earth) this is surely the unfiltered mind of the sensitive soul of Palmer. Check out the twangy ballad “Rag.”