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.
Built to Spill – When the Wind Forgets Your Name (9th September)
Genres – Indie Rock
Built to Spill has built a huge reputation in indie music, particularly in the 90s with the releases of There’s Nothing Wrong With Love, Perfect From Now On and Keep It Like A Secret. Having been active for so many years, it is no surprise that they have struggled to recapture the magic of those albums in recent releases. However, When the Wind Forgets Your Name is a pleasantly surprising near return to form. While their emotional brand of psychedelic-tinged indie rock will be cloying to some and endearing to others, it is undoubtedly impressive that they can tap into the same reserves of influence that made the early albums so excellent. The opening track, ‘Gonna Lose’, is probably the best on the album, recreating some of the joyful vocal and guitar sounds of their early work, but with the slightly more washed out and distorted production which has defined their more recent sound. ‘Rocksteady’ is another great moment, a chilled-out indie tune which avoids being one note through a neat build-up. The lyrics are slightly off-putting (the ‘Geometry, trigonometry’ chorus being particularly grating) but it’s a fun song. The following track, ‘Spiderweb’, is even better, successfully transitioning into a faster-paced power-pop sound which suits the band nicely and the melody has a touch of Mercury Rev about it. This is a really strong release from a band who, until now, have sometimes struggled to recapture the magic of their glory days.
Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B (9th September)
Genres – Art Pop, Glitch Pop
Georgia Ellery of Black Country, New Road, and producer/collaborator Taylor Skye have struck gold with I Love You Jennifer B. After a string of promising singles and their arresting 2020 EP Wicked City, Jockstrap’s debut album is an unqualified success. Ellery’s haunting vocals and Skye’s creative and eclectic production complement each other beautifully. The warped vocals and swelling synth sounds on ‘Jeniffer B’ are a masterstroke and representative of an album that combines all sorts of retro sounds, chopping and screwing them into something new and exciting. The driving drum beat of ‘Greatest Hits’ recalls Blue Lines-era Massive Attack and is followed directly by ‘What’s It All About?’, a beautifully rendered baroque-pop song, adding a glitchy, electronic edge to the stylings of Nico and, more recently, Regina Spektor. Coming in the middle of the album, ‘Concrete Over Water’ is a jewel in the crown, an epic six minutes opening with beautifully delivered, wistful lyrics from Ellery, before Skye’s epic production kicks in, creating one of the best songs of the year. Having been fairly pop-oriented to this point, the second half of the album leans more into the freakish production of Skye. ‘Debra’ ups the pace with a danceable neo-classical instrumental and cutting lyrics about seedy, presumptuous men. ‘Glasgow’ begins with a guitar sound that wouldn’t seem out of place at an Irish bar, but the sexy, yearning lyrics and the building instrumental combine into a unique and thrilling song. Even the weaker points on the album are still very good. ‘Angst’ may turn off some listeners with its instrumentally minimalist, meandering sound but as a mood piece, it works and displays Ellery’s excellent vocals. ‘Lancaster Court’ is sonically underwhelming but the lyrics and vocals remain excellent. Overall, this is a standout 2022 release and worth a listen for anyone into the freakier side of pop music.
Alex G – God Save the Animals (September 23rd)
Genres – Indie Rock, Indie Folk
Indie soft rock mainstay Alex G has released his first studio album since 2019’s House of Sugar, and God Save the Animals, following in the vein of its predecessor, is some of his most solid work to date. It is a lushly textured and varied album, ranging from the almost gospel grandeur of ‘After All’ to tracks with more of an acoustic focus, like album highlight ‘Runner’. Alex G owes a huge debt to Elliott Smith in his vocal delivery and melancholic lyrics but manages to forge his sound with at times psychedelic effects. ‘S.D.O.S.’ is a prime example of this, made up entirely of strange, distorted vocals, though it is a touch gimmicky and the autotuned vocals that close off the track are questionable. The album is sonically and thematically cohesive, making it hard to pick out individual tracks on the first listen but for anyone looking for a soundtrack to the changing of the seasons, this may be just what you need. For fans of Elliott Smith and Sufjan Stevens.
The Comet is Coming – Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam (September 23rd)
Genres – Nu Jazz
London-based jazz trio The Comet is Coming received significant attention in 2019 for their album Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery, and established themselves as one of the most interesting voices of modern jazz, combining classic jazz instrumentation with ultra-modern soundscapes. Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam continues their stretching of jazz into the electronic dance-music territory. The catchy synth riff, foot-tap-inducing drumbeat, and spitting saxophone on the album’s opening track ‘CODE’ sets out the album’s distinctly modern treatment of the genre. ‘TECHNICOLOUR’ is another successful example of this fusion, with that signature saxophone riding a beat that wouldn’t sound out of place on a KAYTRANADA project. King Shabaka’s saxophone work is masterful and playfully complements the electronic sound provided by bandmates Betamax and Denalogue throughout the album’s runtime. Incorporating elements of spiritual jazz (helping to carry the torch lit by the late Pharoah Sanders) and Afrofuturism (particularly Sun Ra), this album is a reminder that jazz is in good hands, and The Comet is Coming will continue to be a band to watch.
Björk – Fossora
Genres – Art Pop
Critical darling and art pop legend Björk needs no introduction and remains weird and wonderful on her first album since 2017’s Utopia. Fostoria opens in a typically creative fashion, with clarinets and a heavy drum machine beat creating a minimalist yet abrasive accompaniment to Björk’s philosophical lyrics (‘Hope is a muscle that allows us to connect). The oddball eclecticism of just this first track sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is a mesmerising experience. People familiar with Björk’s work will recognise the standard lyrical themes of love, womanhood and fertility. They will also be prepared for the pure vocal and lyrical eccentricity which runs throughout the project. It’s quite hard to sell this album to anyone who hasn’t listened to much Björk before, but it’s a really strong album and a potential baptism of fire to the uninitiated. Worth checking out.
Freddie Gibbs - $oul $old $eparately (September 30th)
Genres – Hip-hop
Ever since 2014’s magnificent Madlib collaboration with Pinata, Freddie Gibbs has been a force to be reckoned with in hip-hop. While it doesn’t quite hit the heights of his Madlib and Alchemist-produced projects, $oul $old $eparately is another triumph for one of the most consistently active MCs. The album starts on a high with ‘Couldn’t Be Done, a pre-emptive victory lap. Gibbs is sharp over a perfectly chopped soul sample, the dynamics of which are distorted to amazing effect before the track is closed off by an impressive vocal performance from Kelly Price. ‘Blackest In the Room’ and ‘Zipper Bags’ show Gibbs at his technical and lyrical best, though these sadly come to either side of the underwhelming, Offset featured, ‘Pain & Strife’. This album is best when the features and production fit Freddie’s style. ‘Lobster Omelette’ with Rick Ross is a relaxed exhibition by two veteran MCs who always sound comfortable over loose, orchestral beats. Gibbs reunites with Anderson. Paak on ‘Feel No Pain’, a particularly strong track that also features Wu Tang’s Raekwon. Paak shows that, despite his recent mainstream success, he can still mix it up with hip-hop legends. The only issue with this album, like Pusha T’s latest release, is Gibbs attempting to turn his talents to styles which don’t suit him as well as others. ‘Pain & Strife’ and ‘Too Bad’ see Gibbs leaning heavily on popular, modern trap stylings which don’t complement his style. The bars are still good, but he sounds better over looser instrumental beats. This is only a small complaint, and there is enough suitable production here that $oul $old $eparately is another worthy addition to an increasingly impressive discography.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down (September 30th)
Genres – Indie Rock
On their first studio outing in nine years, indie stars Yeah Yeah Yeahs show their maturity on a new selection of tracks, which works both for and against the band. The album opens with the epic single ‘Spitting Off the Edge of the World', on which, against a heavy backdrop of synths, Karen O’s enduringly powerful vocals are supplemented by a guest appearance from Perfume Genius, whose style has a palpable influence on this release. Leaving their more garage rock-tinted origins, the band, on some tracks, explores a dream-pop sound. Imagine Beach House with heavier instrumentals and a more emphasised vocal presence. ‘Wolf’, the third track on the album, is a highlight, channelling pure, danceable synth-pop. Generally, this album follows more from 2009’s ‘It’s Blitz!’ (which includes the remixed and hugely successful ‘Heads Will Roll’) than their rocky debut ‘Fever to Tell’. So it isn’t a huge surprise that they lean into more electronic styles. ‘Fleez’ is another stomping dance track that would sound great in concert, but doesn’t do anything massively interesting. The album’s second single, ‘Burning’, is fantastic, having a sense of driving urgency that much of the album lacks, and boasting the album’s best chorus. This is a solid effort but, coming from a band that has been so exciting in the past, it feels at times uninspired. There is enough quality here to warrant a listen, but time will tell what kind of staying power Cool It Down will have.
Bjork Fossora
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