This feature aims to draw some attention to notable album releases over the past month that you may have missed, covering a variety of genres and artists.
No Pressure – No Pressure
Genres – Pop punk, skate punk
In terms of the current pop-punk scene, No Pressure aren’t moving the genre forward in the same way as Jeff Rosenstock or Pup. However, if you are pining for the days of early Blink-182, NOFX, and Tony Hawk soundtracks, this album is for you. This fast-paced, angst-ridden, and melodic brand of rock music is a fun throwback to the skate punk of the 90s and early 2000s. The crunching riffs, relentless drums and anthemic choruses are a bit of a time capsule and it’s easy to forget that this was made in 2022. It’s short and sweet at only 23 minutes long and goes at a fast pace throughout, with the tracks running neatly into each other, giving the sense of a live performance. Despite not being massively original, this first effort from the band is fun, well put together and, taken as an ode to a fairly short-lived cultural moment, it is pretty spot on.
Andrew Bird – Inside Problems (3rd June)
Genres – Chamber pop, indie folk
Chamber pop veteran Andrew Bird has returned with Inside Problems. Indie-folk appeared to reach its mainstream zenith when Taylor Swift adopted the genre on Folklore in 2020, but the scene’s old hands have been plugging away for decades, Bird being part of this tradition. Any indie-folk release in 2022 is likely to be compared to Big Thief’s brilliant ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You,’ but Bird is very comfortable in his niche and delivers a very good project. The instrumentation on Inside Problems is sweet, recalling Nick Drake at times in its use of strings and horns. Bird’s violin playing is especially impressive on ‘Eight’ and despite his career spanning over 25 years, Bird’s voice is still smooth, and his witty lyrics match the pretty and playful music. This album is ideal for fans of Father John Misty, Fiona Apple and Wilco and any album with a track that pays respect to the late great Joan Didion scores highly.
Angel Olsen – Big Time (3rd June)
Genres – Singer-songwriter, country
Big Time sees Angel Olsen tapping into country influences on this rich-sounding project. Similar to Weyes Blood’s brilliant Titanic Rising in sound and scale, Olsen’s powerful vocals suit this kind of instrumentation equally well. At times continuing the emotional potency of 2019’s All Mirrors (a career highlight), Olsen sings over lush, Americana-influenced instrumentals. The production is beautiful and even if not paying attention to the lyrics (which are worth paying attention to), the album is an impressive work of art because it sounds so wonderful. Much like Lorde’s Solar Power, this project may draw criticism from some for dumbing down when following up past highs, and, indeed, this record is not as piercing as MY WOMAN or All Mirrors, but Olsen’s voice over this music is enough of a draw to make this worth the listen, and the songs are varied enough to hold interest. Highlights on the album include ‘All the Good Times’ and ‘Right Now'.
Asian Glow – Stalled Flute, means (13th June)
Genres – Emo, shoegaze
On the latest offering from Korean musician Asian Glow, he enlists styles ranging from Midwest Emo to shoegaze and electronica. While many of the artists of the current shoegaze revival tend to smooth out the edges of their sound to such a degree that it becomes detrimental to the power of their music, Asian Glow exhibits splicing of sounds and genres that remains interesting through the murky production. The constantly shifting dynamics on ‘Faltering Waver’ are a highlight, especially in a genre in which sounds can bleed into one another, resulting in a non-descript, washed-out mess. The strings in ‘Station Blue/Broiled Wrist’ also add an element of musical variety. All in all, this is a solid rock album from an artist who still has room to grow.
Perfume Genius – Ugly Season (17th June)
Genres – Art pop
In his sixth release under the Perfume Genius moniker, Michael Hadreas continues the beautiful intimacy and sonic ambition of previous projects, whilst breaking new, experimental ground. Following up his brilliant 2020 release, Set My Heart on Fire Immediately, Hadreas switches more conventional pop song structure and melodies for a focus on abstract, sometimes ambient-flavoured instrumentation. On Ugly Season, the opening three tracks are meandering but not directionless, as Hadreas’ angelic voice hovers over soft orchestral backgrounds. ‘Pop Song,’ as its name suggests, reverts to more of a beat-focused sound, but retains the album’s experimental characteristics. From the sound collage oddness of ‘Scherzo,’ to the reggae-influenced title track, to the Aphex Twin-Esque psychedelic beat on ‘Eye in the Wall,’ the entire album is varied and beautiful. Another nuanced meditation on the LGBTQ experience, this one is well worth checking out.
Logic – Vinyl Days (17th June)
Genres – Hip-hop
Due to his often corny and earnest lyrics, uninteresting voice, and flow that sometimes seems to prioritise speed over substance, Logic has often flattered to deceive throughout his career. However, on Vinyl Days he is almost a revelation. Despite the album being bloated, this is a listenable and high-quality project. The album pays homage to hip-hop royalty with appearances from, and mentions of, J Dilla, Madlib, DJ Premier and RZA. Logic also shows that he has his finger on the pulse of modern hip-hop, enlisting the help of Blu and Exile. This album comes across as a celebration of hip-hop past and present. The production is varied enough to keep the album interesting, and Logic rides the beats fairly well, at times letting them take centre stage. His lyrics could still do with some work, and his shortcomings are particularly pronounced in the more mellow tracks. Logic should release a few more good records before having a Morgan Freeman soundalike (?) proclaiming him the GOAT in an album introduction. However, this album is a decent effort. Pleasantly surprising in its quality, Vinyl Days proves that there is more talent and life in Logic than some of his recent albums have suggested, though this may be more down to the production and features than Logic’s performance. Standout tracks include ‘In my lifetime’ with Action Bronson and ‘LaDonda’.
Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever (24th June)
Genres – Indie rock
On Sometimes, Forever, Sophie Allison breaks from her bedroom pop roots in favour of more of an alt-rock sound. The driving guitars and moody vocals of the opening track ‘Bones’ fall somewhere between Liz Phair and Avril Lavigne, laying down a marker of a departure from her old style, which is still adhered to on songs like ‘Still’. The album is produced by electronic music stalwart Oneohtrix Point Never (who also has production credits on The Weeknd’s latest offering) and has a similarly moody, retro feel to it, complete with synths and washed-out guitar tones. Allison covers her disillusionment with success on ‘Unholy Affliction,’ singing ‘I'm tired of the money // And all of the talking at me // I'm barely a person // Mechanically working.’ What often came across as indifference in her earlier projects has given way to a real sense of anxiety and alienation as she matures as an artist and individual, at 25 years old. Full of affecting lyrics and catchy choruses (including a particularly beautiful turn on ‘new demo’), Soccer Mommy comes of age with her most accomplished project to date. Ideal for fans of Phoebe Bridgers and Snail Mail.
Regina Spektor – Home, before and after (24th June)
Russian American singer-songwriter Regina Spektor has returned with Home, before and after. Her music has changed a lot since her witty, twee pop masterpiece Soviet Kitsch in 2004. The birdlike singing and edge to her voice have been smoothed out while the instrumentation has evolved from her lo-fi beginnings to something grander and more orchestral. While this comes at the expense of some of the early albums’ quirkiness and authenticity, this marks another solid release for a very consistent artist. There are still touching moments and the warmth of the project is infectious. The musical-Esque swell of ‘Spacetime Fairytale’ is a particular highlight of the record, the lyrics effortlessly switching between playful and powerful throughout the track, against a swooning backdrop of strings. While she doesn’t quite hit the heights of some earlier records, Spektor sounds comfortable, accomplished and majestic on another record worth listening to.
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