Nada Surf "Peaceful Ghosts"
In the summer of 2016, while the rest of us were busy wasting the days away watching the summer olympics (I honestly don’t remember one thing that happened, so that was time well spent…) Nada Surf was busy recording their new album Peaceful Ghosts (Barsuk). And by new album, I mean greatest hits. And by Greatest Hits I mean live with a full orchestra. Anyone playing along with the home version of BRM knows that we hold Nada Surf near and dear to our hearts. They were our very first placed band. So chances are you know what the boys sound like normally, right? Well this time around, they went back through their catalog and hand-picked some classic jams to give the gift of recording them with the Babelsberg Film Orchestra. They have found new depths with this one. Take, for instance, the haunting string chills that now accompany “Blizzard of ’77.”
Sasha Siem "Bird Burning"
With a Tom Waits flair for drama, a Joanna Newsom-esque flair for neoclassical arrangement, and a voice all her own, Sasha Siem is back with Bird Burning. No, this isn’t a record full of sick burns to use as retorts towards mean avian friends (if you do need a bird burn, try “you call that a beak?”). It is in fact a record filled with soaring, sophisticated tunes that combine Sasha’s lyrical prowess with her crisp, nuanced vocals, and almost jazz-y pulses of her band. Check out the yearning of “Crow.”
Kevin Devine "Instigator"
I was about to write “if there’s one thing Kevin Devine is know for” but quickly thought better of it. Why? Because KD is known for lots of things. His introspective lyrics. His ability to change from solo acoustic to rollicking rock and roll. His prolific discography. His awesome last name. His bionic heat vision. Ok. Now I’m starting to make stuff up. But I’m not making this up: Instigator (Procrastinate! Music Traitors), Kevin’s 9th studio album (that number at least triples if you include live albums, other projects, EPs, singles…), is everything we love about Kevin. Elliot Smith-esque confessions and vocal melodies, Weezer-y hooks, simple math rock complexities (yeah, I know that doesn’t make sense, but listen and you’ll see I’m right), and all produced by the lovely and talented John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.). Check out “No History.”
American Football "American Football (LP2)"
It has been 17 years since Polyvinyl released what would eventually become the classic self-titled debut from American Football. As you probably know, what happened after that is the stuff of rock legend. The band broke up only having played a handful of small shows. It was only after the band didn’t exist that the record went on to become “one of the single most influential rock records of it’s time” (quote from Noisey, but a sentiment expressed by countless media quote makers). Thankfully, the legendary 2014 reunion shows went as well as they did, because (and I can’t believe I’m writing this) American Football are back with a new self-titled LP! (make sense of THAT discogs!) The same emotionally resonant lyrics tugging at nostalgic heartstrings, the math rock syncopation, the swirling emo interplay, and now Mike’s bro Nate Kinsella laying down the bass. Even more surefooted and (of course) mature then the last time around, this is gonna get you just like the first one did. Prepare for a rush of turn-of-the-century emotions with the first single from the album “I’ve Been So Lost For So Long.”