Hazel English "Just Give In/Never Going Home (Polyvinyl)"
Hazel English’s sound is a tough one to describe. Just Give In/Never Going Home (Polyvinyl) is her first LP, combining her debut EP with new songs recorded just for this collection. The difficult part comes in an attempt to keep up with Hazel. By the time she’s perfected her sound on one tune, she’s off to the next one, complete with a different set of sounds. Sure, indie-pop covers the idea, but it’s definitely a broad term. There are times where her sound might remind you of Alvvays or Best Coast, but there are definite comparisons to Grimes to be made, but maybe if Grimes listened to more Echo and the Bunnymen. You know what? I’m gonna stop now. You’re gonna like this, trust us. Check out the wistful bounce of “Fix.”
Overlake "Fall"
Well this might be a BRM first! A Jersey City band and a classic Hoboken label (Bar/None)! This is a rave spiel waiting to happen, and thankfully Overlake is not just nepotism rock. If you like your bands from Jersey (like I do), while you gaze upon your shoes (Hey look! Saucony Jazz!) this is the album for you. Produced loud and clear by Tom Beajour at Nuthouse Studios in (yes Hoboken), check out the power of the fuzz as you close your eyes and drift away to “Winter Is Why.”
Big Walnuts Yonder "Big Walnuts Yonder"
Hey, check out this new supergroup” my co-worker said when we got the debut from Big Walnuts Yonder. “Great, another supergroup…” I thought to myself. Then I looked to see who was involved. Oh! Greg Saunier from Deerhoof! I sure like him. And Nick Reinhart from Tera Melos? Yeah, I like him too. Wait… AND Nels Cline!?! Both in and out of Wilco, he’s one of my fav guitarists. And… wait a second… you’ve gotta be kidding me. Mike Watt… Mike Watt!?! Bassist from the Minutemen Mike Watt? How have I ever called any other supergroup “super” before? Seriously. My mind was blown before I even pressed play. And after I heard it? Let’s just say that I was not prepared for how awesome this was gonna be. How awesome? You know what. It’s almost impossible to describe the free-jazz meets rockabilly meets Knitting Factory sounds. Check out the sharp turns of the John Zorn meets T Rex sounds of “Raise the Drawbridges?”.
Bill MacKay "Esker (Drag City)"
It was quite an exciting day when Drag City announced the signing of legendary Chicago-based guitar experimenter Bill MacKay. It was an even more exciting day when we got to hear his first album for them, Esker. Full of the sweet, sweet sounds that Chicagoans had come to know and love intimately, his sound is simultaneously timeless and forward thinking (which is tough to do with predominantly just an acoustic guitar). Occasionally whimsical, at other times he is like combination of William Tyler and Brian Eno, as is evidenced by the first single from the album, “Aster.” Check it out!