Glorietta "Glorietta (Nine Mile Records)"
Glorietta is a self-titled “friend record” debut from, well, Glorietta. Matthew Logan Vasquez of Delta Spirit and Middle Brother got a little drunk with Adrian Quesada one night at a David Ramirez show. Afterwords, the three tipsily agreed to make a “stream of consciousness record.” But unlike you and your friends who decide to go into business making a new dating app for cats 8 beers into the night, they actually did it. They collected a few more pals, and thus the band was born. Guitar driven, ramshackle rock and roll that would make sense coming out of just about any jukebox in the country. A little Springsteen-y, a little War On Drugs if they listened to more Traveling Wilburies and less Don Henley. Check out “Golden Lonesome.”
Rubblebucket "Sun Machine"
For being as feel-good an album as Sun Machine is, Rubblebucket’s origin story for it isn’t exactly all good times and sunny feelings. But I guess it kind of is too? This is Kalmia and Alex’s breakup album. Their 11 year relationship and marriage came to a “conciencious uncoupling” after their last release. But the funny thing is, they still care a great deal for each other, and kept writing songs together. The result is Sun Machine. Full of triumphant grooves, hooks, waves of synths, danceable beats, and otherworldly vocals… like a neon version of Shit Robot. Check out the lead track from the LP, “What Life Is.”
Steady Holiday "Nobody’s Watching (Barsuk)"
Barsuk’s PR for the debut from Steady Holiday hits the nail right on the head when they say “There’s a nostalgia present in Dre Babinski’s songwriting that leaves you longing for the familiarity of a bygone era — just not one you can necessarily pin down.” It’s really true, it has swaths of girl group ‘50s and ‘60s stuff, ‘70s soul warmth, AM ‘70s songwriter sounds, ‘80s hooks, ‘90s trip-pop a la Portisehead… and tons of modern hints if artists like Weyes Blood and US Girls. If you are looking for a new album to fall in love with (read: become obsessed with) then this is a pretty great place to start. Check out the title track “Nobody’s Watching.”
Papa M "A Broke Moon Rises (Drag City)"
What a meditative, reflective tonic of an album A Broke Moon Rises (Drag City) is. Not surprising… Dave Pajo has been through some shit. But let’s not focus on that, let us instead focus on the beauty that is his new Papa M LP. Frail, hypnotic, mostly acoustic post-rock is the name of the game here. Ok. It’s not really a game, so much as it is a record… and a good one at that. Makes sense, seeing as how Pajo has worked with Tortoise, Will Oldham, Stereolab, Zwan, and tons of others-as well as his former main gig as a member of Slint. Check out the autumnal swells of “Walt’s.”