Inspired by a Christmas present of a ‘album of the week’ sign / holder for my vinyl, my New Year resolution is to listen more intently toy collection.
With this in mind I plan to have an album of the week for each week this year. In this week I’ll play the album start to finish at least 5 times.
It’s not always going to be new releases but more commonly digging into the archives.
Kicking off with an album by Pale Blue Eyes - Souvenirs. Saw them support Public Service Broadcasting on their recent tour. I was so impressed I bought the record (from the merch table on lovely blue vinyl). Love the record. A bit shoegaze. Check them out if you get chance.
Here is one that has been part of my listening pretty much all week. A new release that got good reviews and is really worth a fair few listens. I’d not heard of them or their debut album ‘When I have Fears’ but having downloaded that it is also very good. Both are on Tidal.
Genre; post-punk I suppose? More than a flavour of Fontaines DC on the first album (they are Dubliners too) but this follow up is slower, darker and more distinctive.
…and EBTG have a new album due in the spring. There is a single on Tidal. Eden is good, you made me listen to it again, but ‘Idlewild’ an absolute favourite of mine. Slightly less convinced by Ben’s solo work than Tracey Thorn’s.
Anyway this album will dominate my listening this week. Had two plays already and only released this am. I got up early to stream it!
40yrs making music, 25+ albums. Still fabulous, still exploring. A less ambient album than recent offerings; the feedback is back. ‘The loudest quiet band, or the quietest loud band’ as one reviewer described them.
Wouldn’t be the worst place to start if you are ‘YLT curious’, although there is so much to explore in the catalogue no one album could suffice.
Had it on preorder for a while. There’s nothing on RSD that floats my boat this year and this is just about as beautiful buttery smooth soul as there is. I love it.
Here is something new that I have enjoyed this week.
Death Cab For Cutie; Asphalt Meadows Acoustic Edition
Not strictly Unplugged or Acoustic, more like a ‘reduced band’ version of their last album (plus a lovely Low cover). DCCfC have always struck me as a bit naff, but enjoyable at times and this holds up well; the songs mostly stand up to the treatment and Ben Gibbard has a great voice. All rather better than I anticipated, and might just be better than the original?
Just finished listening now on Qobuz. Thought it was okay and pleasant enough but I struggle to find truly memorable melodies in their stuff and always have.
It’s been five years since the EP. Phoebe has rightly gone mega. Lucy and Julien haven’t and their solo music largely leaves me cold. In that sense my expectations were muted.
It just takes the one listen. What a great album. Absolutely a dead cert for my end of year list after two listens. Interestingly I’d argue the Baker songs are the strongest on it.
Cool About It is my favourite song of 2023 so far.
Glad you posted this. I was trying to resist, having got a bit tired of the stream of quiet/loud female artists of the Lucy Dacus ilk in particular but it is very good.
Here is my contribution. Having battled all week with the thorny freeform Arooj Aftab/Ijay Iver/Shazad Ismaily and Bing+Ruth/Steve Gunn albums respectively this is a pleasingly poppy, indeed warm puppy of an album. More than a whiff of Fleetwood Mac. Nothing revolutionary, but cheery and great in the car on a sunny day I reckon. Unlike the aforementioned albums it also has actual tunes.
Same here Bruce. “Look at me I’m dynamic and using dynamics”.
No, you are fairly unoriginal and need to maybe strip things back and get a decent producer/arranger. I have more female than male voices in my music I suspect but it’s a tad predictable at the moment.
