Aspen Digs - May 11 (part 1)
I intended to make another one of these for the end of April, but that just never happened. As a result, this one is going to have a few more artists than usual. Sort of like what the last few have been.
This is just going to make those inevitable slow months all the more depressing, you know?
tUnE-yArDs is annoying to type. Normally I wouldn’t be bothered, but my affection for this album, W H O K I L L (also annoying to type), is such that I’m willing to endure arbitrary stylizations. While we’ve had plenty of fantastic releases so far this year, precious few of them have been all that inventive. Luckily, this record more than picks up the slack by refusing to fall into convention at basically any point. You’ll love it or you’ll hate it-hopefully the former.
tUnE-yArDs - My Country
tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
tUnE-yArDs - Killa
Speaking of fantastic releases. The new Fleet Foxes record is more or less an improvement on everything that their debut album and EP did. And considering how excellent those were already, that makes Helplessness Blues easily one of the most satisfying releases we’ve heard this year.
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes - The Shrine / An Argument
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
Krallice’s new LP Diotima isn’t Marrow of the Spirit, but it’s the best folk/black metal record that I’ve heard since Agalloch decided we were worthy. Fans of the latter could certainly do worse.
Krallice - Dust and Light
In what is perhaps the most heartbreaking record I’ve heard in recent memory, folk singer Cass McCombs brings us Wit’s End. These are not your standard, breezey folk songs. These are spiraling epics that convey an oddly sweet kind of despair. Just listen to standout track The Lonely Doll, the music speaks for itself better than I ever could.
Cass McCombs - County Line
Cass McCombs - The Lonely Doll
Cass McCombs - Saturday Song
Then on the opposite end of the fence, we have the barely classifiable Death Grips. I can’t describe Ex Military without resorting to an embarrassingly broad collection of labels (hip hop lo fi experimental dance garage noise death horror horror sex death) and even if I did name off all of the styles that Death Grips blends here, it wouldn’t give you an accurate picture of the music. The only thing you can really do is experience it for yourself. It’s also free.
Death Grips - Beware
Death Grips - Takyon (Death Yon)
Death Grips - Known For It
And lastly, The National continue on their string of excellent post-High Violet B-sides with the song Exile Vilify. Recorded for the video game Portal 2, interestingly enough.
The National - Exile Vilify
This is just going to make those inevitable slow months all the more depressing, you know?
tUnE-yArDs is annoying to type. Normally I wouldn’t be bothered, but my affection for this album, W H O K I L L (also annoying to type), is such that I’m willing to endure arbitrary stylizations. While we’ve had plenty of fantastic releases so far this year, precious few of them have been all that inventive. Luckily, this record more than picks up the slack by refusing to fall into convention at basically any point. You’ll love it or you’ll hate it-hopefully the former.
tUnE-yArDs - My Country
tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
tUnE-yArDs - Killa
Speaking of fantastic releases. The new Fleet Foxes record is more or less an improvement on everything that their debut album and EP did. And considering how excellent those were already, that makes Helplessness Blues easily one of the most satisfying releases we’ve heard this year.
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes - The Shrine / An Argument
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
Krallice’s new LP Diotima isn’t Marrow of the Spirit, but it’s the best folk/black metal record that I’ve heard since Agalloch decided we were worthy. Fans of the latter could certainly do worse.
Krallice - Dust and Light
In what is perhaps the most heartbreaking record I’ve heard in recent memory, folk singer Cass McCombs brings us Wit’s End. These are not your standard, breezey folk songs. These are spiraling epics that convey an oddly sweet kind of despair. Just listen to standout track The Lonely Doll, the music speaks for itself better than I ever could.
Cass McCombs - County Line
Cass McCombs - The Lonely Doll
Cass McCombs - Saturday Song
Then on the opposite end of the fence, we have the barely classifiable Death Grips. I can’t describe Ex Military without resorting to an embarrassingly broad collection of labels (hip hop lo fi experimental dance garage noise death horror horror sex death) and even if I did name off all of the styles that Death Grips blends here, it wouldn’t give you an accurate picture of the music. The only thing you can really do is experience it for yourself. It’s also free.
Death Grips - Beware
Death Grips - Takyon (Death Yon)
Death Grips - Known For It
And lastly, The National continue on their string of excellent post-High Violet B-sides with the song Exile Vilify. Recorded for the video game Portal 2, interestingly enough.
The National - Exile Vilify