So instead of only dusting this blog out once a year, I thought I’d do a weekly update of music I’d been loving.
Then I realised that, well, that’s not going to happen. So I pushed it to monthly. And.. That didn’t happen either. So now I’m just aiming for whenever I have enough music to talk about. So here we go for 2019.
Lume
Wrung Out
*Alternative rock, I mean is that even a thing any more? Did it get eaten by the horror that followed Grunge? I dunno. It’s not what I’m here to talk about anyway. I’m here to talk about Lume and they play an updated version of 90’s alt rock and shockingly for me I am all for this.*
I thought I was well past this sort of thing but apparently not. Oddly, they remind me of GvB, even though they sound very little like them. This is low end heavy indie rock the way I didn’t think anyone made any more. It is it’s own thing and isn’t stuck in the 90’s. The singer has a great emotive voice and there is enough Deftones/shoegaze influence to catch me. Great stuff for dark days and wearing black.
I’m going to leave this review here but on re read I am horrified by this. It reads like the kind of bullshit writing that winds me up on American Sci-Fi blogs, the bits in ** make me feel sick. I guess it’s true what Stephen King says writing is like milk and “milk takes on the flavor of what it’s next to in the refrigerator.” I need to read better writers and be more focused .
The album is still great.
Emma Ruth Rundle
On Dark Horses
So Emma is a folk singer songwriter. And yes, I am about to tell you how much I am enjoying it.
No, wait a minute, put the phone down. This isn’t some kind of “How’s Sparky?” cry for help.
She been part of Red Sparrows and other heavy projects but this, her 3 solo album has turned up the guitars in a very satisfying way. (For me. See everybody? I’m growing as a person!) While there is a country tinged folkiness to her voice it makes a really great contrast to the heaviness of the music. It’s not all big riffs, there is enough light and space to let the songs be her own thing. To me this is a breath of musical fresh air while still being familiar enough not to freak me out. I guess it’s baby steps eh?
ANNA
So ANNA is from Brazil and plays techno. That’s all I know about her. But that’s honestly more that you need. It’s all about the music as the story goes.
Well here the tunes really do speak for themselves. ANNA plays the kind of techno that I like, it’s big room stuff but with enough warmth and drive to carry me through. I have no time for cold, minimal dance music, this has warmth and is made for air punching into lasers.
Love it.
A.A. Williams
A.A. Williams
More female singer songwriter music? With more country tinge? Have I lost my mind? Maybe not. Either I’ve been wrong about an entire style music or I’m only just getting exposed to this properly. That or my tastes have changed. Who knows. What is important is this is an amazing first ep. There’s such confidence on show here. It’s a 4 song ep of dark indie songs with a dusting of shoegaze/post rock. I don’t know why it’s grabbed me the way it has but the sense of drama that the ep projects is just catnip to this jaded muso.
Teeth of the Sea
Wraith
There really isn’t a band in the world like TotS
Mashing post rock, soundtracks and techno isn’t that unique but the way these guys do it is. The trumpet recalls Ennio Morricone, the electronics can be quite 65daysofstatic but the rest is just their own. Wraith is going to end up on my album of the year list unless I listen it to death.
Hirath sounds like Ennio Morricone scoring a Cyberpunk film.
Gladiators Ready sounds like Death in Vegas having a fight with Josh Wink
I can’t recommend this album enough, the band describe it as “dismal, paranoid and melancholic, but with shards of light cutting through in the gaps.” which i far more perfect than I could come up with.
Playlists
So I’ve been on a playlist frenzy over Christmas and January when there isn’t that much new music about, so I thought I’d share them, you might find some stuff you like.
Just a warning though, I was reading the Invisibles at the time and even for me the titles are a bit much 😁
The Opposite of Thought
Good old house and techno.
Get it by your Hands
More house and techno
The Hidden Stone that breaks all Hearts
Indie/rock. A lot of women singers, dashes of shoegazing and some sad Scottish people being sad.
Very happy with this one.
The price I pay
Low key 90’s – 00’s indie music for chilling out to.
The ways of exile 