A Certain Ratio "1982"
Looking backwards and forwards all at once, drawing on influences from across every spectrum, 1982 is an unpredictable record that will reward a dedicated listener dozens of times over.
Even by the band’s high standards – which includes a gleeful disregard for boundaries of style and genre, their eye fixed firmly on constant movement forwards – their latest studio album 1982 is multidimensional. Recorded by the core ACR line up of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson, alongside Tony Quigley, Matthew Steele and Ellen Beth Abdi, it shoots off in every direction, whether via searing Afrobeat, mind-melting jazz breakdowns or moody electronic experiments.
And the album title? Although 1982 might conjure memories of the year that saw ACR put out both the acclaimed Sextet and the cult favourite I’d Like To See You Again, it’s more of a playful red herring than an invitation to nostalgia.
Samiam "Stowaway"
From Samiam:
Most of the songs on this record are about feeling dysfunctional, isolated, and lonely. Trying to find a way to connect to people and be happy. We’ve been a band for over 30 years. We almost never see each other. Two in NY, one in Florida, two in California. We live so far apart it’s hard to get everyone together to do anything. If we’re lucky someone will fly us all in to a city to play a show and we can get there a day early to rehearse the songs we want to play.
William Tyler and The Impossible Truth "Secret Stratosphere"
From Merge Records:
Recorded May 29, 2021, in Huntsville, Alabama, Secret Stratosphere finds William Tyler and fellow psychedelic dreamers The Impossible Truth refashioning prime cuts from the Nashville guitarist’s rich catalog, casting new light onto once-familiar songs.
Featuring the crackling combo of Jack Lawrence (Raconteurs, Dead Weather), Brian Kotzur (Silver Jews, Country Westerns), and Luke Schneider (solo, Margo Price), the quartet stretch the dynamics of Tyler’s compositions to their fullest interdimensional potential, exposing a deep undercurrent of kosmische and post-rock influences, confirming his place as one of our most brilliant guitarists, bandleaders, and composers.
The New Pornographers "Continue as a Guest"
From Merge Records:
The New Pornographers have proven themselves one of the most excellent bands in indie rock. They’ve constantly offered new sonic surprises with every album, and Continue as a Guest is their greatest leap to date. The group’s first album for Merge establishes them alongside modern luminaries like Yo La Tengo and Superchunk when it comes to their ability to evolve while still retaining what made them so special in the first place. A dazzling and intriguing collection of songs that are truly built to last, Continue as a Guest finds bandleader A.C. Newman and his compatriots Neko Case, Kathryn Calder, John Collins, Todd Fancey, and Joe Seiders exploring fresh territory and shattering the barriers of their collective comfort zone.