New Music Tuesday - February 17, 2009
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009I don’t know what this says about me, but after the reality of being let go from my job this morning set in, the first real panic moment was when I realized I’ll have to cut back on music purchases for a while. With that in mind, here are a few albums I wouldn’t mind picking up, even if it causes me to eat beans and rice for a few weeks.
The Appleseed Cast - Sagarmatha
I’m not quite sure how The Appleseed Cast does it, but they’ve found a way to put out reliably great albums. Maybe it’s just my mood, but the couple songs I’ve heard from Sagarmatha seem like the perfect soundtrack for cold February walks. I also feel like this is an album that could easily reveal new details with each listening, especially if you’re wearing headphones.
Admittedly, I’m a little late to the party when it comes to this band. I am familiar with a song here and there, and have always really, really enjoyed what I heard. But for some reason, I haven’t really paid all that much attention. As I go through these tracks, I find myself compelled to explore the back catalog, spanning the past decade, and that it’s very likely I’ll discover some gems I missed along the way.
Boston Spaceships - Planets Are Blasted
No, I’m not surprised that Boston Spaceships already have a second album. That makes two full-length releases within six months. I wouldn’t expect anything less from my personal rock idol and ex-Guided by Voices front man Robert Pollard.
As much as I liked Pollard’s solo records, the last Boston Spaceships album, Brown Submarine, was the first Pollard project that really brought me back to the sound that made me become a diehard GBV for the first time when I was 13. On Planets Are Blasted, the high quality songwriting continues. Songs like “Headache Revolution”, “Queen of Stormy Weather”, and “The Town That’s After Me” make me forget this isn’t a new Guided by Voices record. It’s truly great music, and I can’t wait to spend some serious time with this album. I missed their show in DC last September, so it’s time for them to hit the road again, maybe with a stop in Baltimore this time.
M. Ward - Hold Time
She & Him made just about everybody’s “best of 2008″ lists with Volume One. So here’s half of that effort, M. Ward, with a follow-up to Post-War, but definitely still in the low-key mindset of She & Him. Not that that’s a bad thing. The vocals are more breathy than what people might be used to from “To Go Home”, but the dirty distortion of “Never Had Nobody Like You” (which features She & Him counterpart Zooey Deschanel) reminds you that this is definitely his solo outfit.
