Juliana Hatfield "Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John (American Laundromat)"
Occasionally a record is nigh impossible to describe in one of these here blurbs. Other times, a record essentially sells itself via it’s title. Thankfully for my writing skills, this one is one of the latter. Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John is exactly what it sounds like it would be via it’s title. Also, it sounds exactly like you would want such a record to sound. JH covering ONJ. Boom! Record sells itself! Julianna covers every song you’d want her to on here. It’s glorious as is evidenced by the cover of “Physical.”
Josh T. Pearson "The Straight Hits! (Mute)"
Though distinguished southern gentleman Josh T. Pearson has been making music and writing songs for over 30 years now, The Straight Hits (Mute) is only his second solo album. Like a lot of us, 2016 affected Josh immensely, and it was then that he decided to “burn his idols.” As Josh tells it “In the last years I learned to dance, take drugs, make love… choose life.” He decided on that fateful election day that people were going to need joy and that he was going to be just the man to spread it. The Straight Hits is a rollicking, colorful honky tonk-ing good time. Like the Stones at their most country-obsessed mixed with the more straight-rock sounds of Pavement on their last two albums and occasional hints of new wave masters The Cars, Josh is having the time of his life on this album. You’ll have a pretty great time listening to it too, so check out the Ocasek-y banger “Straight At Me.”
Wrekmeister Harmonies "The Alone Rush (Thrill Jockey)"
If ever you find yourself listening to Nick Cave and think to yourself “nah, not dark enough for me” then do I have an album for YOU. The new album from Wrekmeister Harmonies, The Alone Rush (Thrill Jockey), is one gloomy, scary album. Filled with passages of beauty, but also filled with people screaming their heads off, the whole thing feels like a performance piece, gorgeous long songs that also sometimes sound like if you’re playing the greatest hits of Morphine at a slower speed. For an even better sense of the album, check out the aptly named “Covered In Blood From Invisible Wounds.”
Kate Tucker "Practical Sadness"
Kate Tucker is back with a new batch of songs! Practical Sadness “is not slow nor is it sad. It is alive. It is for you.” That’s according to Kate’s words about the album on pledgemusic. So why is she warning you that the album is “not slow” or “sad”? Well, with a name like Practical Sadness, she wants you to know what you’re really in store for. So do we–after all, what is a blurb really but a collection of words that let you know what you are in store for? So what are you in store for? (besides no more use of the term “in store”?) A fantastic collection of Kate’s Petty-esque roots rock, with melodies as timeless as a great pair of jeans, all delivered by Kate’s emotive, smooth voice. Check out “It’s True.”