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.”
Choir Boy "Passive With Desire"
What started out as an intended insult from a blogger eventually turned into a band name! Someone in the Ohio DIY/punk scene described Adam Klopp’s vocal style as “choir boy” and Adam knew it was kind of right. Raised Mormon, and having learned to sing in the church choir, there was little to disagree with, and so Choir Boy the band was born. With sophisticated ‘80s new wave vibes, angelic Antony-esque vocals, and a concentration on bringing the lushness of full band arrangements to bedroom recording, Passive With Desire (Team Love) is a relic from a time that never really existed. A time when Kate Bush and Leonard Cohen were making synth-pop together, and implementing a kid’s show vampire aesthetic throughout. Check out the 1st single from the album, “Hellmouth” (and if you have time, watch the video for that tune for verification of that last vampire point.)
Ken Thomson "Restless"
Ken Thomson is a busy, busy classical musician. Besides being a member of the Bang On A Can All-Stars, he also has his jazzy Slow/Fast moniker, as well as his Lincoln Center marching band Asphalt Orchestra. On top of all that? No, not a cherry! Restless (Cantaloupe) is a gorgeous collection of pieces (that’s right, we are talkin’ classical here, so we get to say classy things like “pieces” and maybe even “li’l opera binoculars”). These compositions by Thomson, performed primarily on piano and strings, are filled with beautiful passages, and at times disjointed and dissonant. This is the good stuff here (honestly, how often is Pitchfork gonna review and give 7.9 to a classical album?). Thoughtful modern classical music, with great attention paid to texture and ambience. Check out the playful “Forge.”
Holy Sons "In The Garden"
I’m not the first person to compare Emil Amos to Jim O’Rourke. Like O’Rourke, Amos has nearly countless bands, Holy Sons here (plus Om, Lilacs and Champagne, Grails) and solo outings and guest turns. Much like the last release from Jim O’Rourke as well, In The Garden (Partisan) appears to be both a forward thinking love letter to the easy rocking ‘70s, as well as a song cycle that is the culmination of a lifetime spent listening to and recording music. A swan song? Well, no. It’s way too early for that. But definitely a high water mark (having the lovely and talented John Agnello in the studio sure doesn’t hurt.) Check out the Cure covering Phosphorescence sounds of “Robbed and Gifted.”