Here are a few new releases I’ve been listening to recently. It’s a short list because I haven’t done as much listening as normal for the last few months. I was finishing up my own album for release in May, and since then work has kept me pretty busy (more on that to come).
Brendan Benson – What Kind of World
I feel like my most common review for old favorites who release a new album is “it’s his best album since [my favorite of his albums].” That would be the case for this one. A decade ago, Brendan Benson released Lapalco, a masterpiece of power-pop. His output since then has been consistently good, but I’ve never enjoyed any of it as much as Lapalco or his first album, One Mississippi. What Kind of World comes very close to being as great as those albums. Every song is great – quirky, catchy, and harmonious.
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Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
I’m a sucker for rock and pop music with orchestral leanings. There are plenty of of huge strings on this album to satisfy.
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Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
Just some really great folk rock.
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Alexandre Desplat – Original Score for Moonrise Kingdom
One of my favorite composers working with my favorite filmmaker. Can’t really go wrong there. Desplat’s original score is mostly variations on a single theme, “The Heroic Weather-Conditions of the Universe.”
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I think the album I’m most looking forward to for the second half of the year is Lupe Fiasco’s awkwardly titled, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Part 1. I hope it can live up to its name. 2006’s Food & Liquor is my all time favorite hip hop record.
Y’all let me know what else to look forward to, or what I’ve missed out on so far.