Desire Marea "On the Romance of Being"
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.
The Bar Stool Preachers "Above the Static"
From Rough Trade:
Brighton punks The Bar Stool Preachers release their brand new album Above The Static via Pure Noise Records. The twelve songs that make up The Bar Stool Preachers’ stunning third full-length, Above The Static, were only supposed to be ideas, a guide to what the actual album would and could later become. So in April 2021, together with producer Ben Hannah, the Brighton-based band set up camp at The Waterloo, a three-story pub/venue in the Northern seaside town of Blackpool, to begin the process that would lead to the process of making an album. But when they listened to ‘Flatlined’, the first song they committed to tape there, it dawned on them that it actually sounded like the finished product.
Above The Static captures the moment which inspired it, as well as it capturing the complex, ever-evolving essence of the band that made it. Formed by McFaull and bassist Karl ‘Bungle’ Jeffery in 2014, these days The Bar Stool Preachers are completed by guitarists Tom Gibbs and Karl Smith, keyboardist Alex Hay, drummer Alex ‘Whibbs’ Whibley-Conway and most recently Ray Waters on guitars and many other instruments, all of whom are on a constant search to evolve, something equaled only by their desire to stay true to themselves. It’s that unique combination that’s at the heart of this record, one that sees the band riffing off their ska-punk roots, which also ensures they break the boundaries sonically of the punk genre. With this album, The Bar Stool Preachers want to both push through any preconceptions about the music they make, and ensure that what they do make doesn’t just fall on deaf ears.