#76

Mostly listened to hip-hop this month + Cassandra Jenkins and Sun June (the latter two based on recommendations here, so thanks again DiS)

  1. DJ Muggs and Rome Streetz - Death of a Magician
  2. SmooVth and Giallo - Amongst the Wolves
  3. Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview of Phenomenal Nature
  4. Your Old Droog, Tha God Fahim - Tha YOD Fahim
  5. Sun June - Somewhere

My favourite two releases this month were EPs from MAVI and Gabe ‘Nandez. Obviously won’t bend the rules by including them (although I did vote for Jazmine Sullivan as no.1 in Jan and apparently she also considers that an EP), but would definitely recommend checking them out.

1 Like
#77
  1. Roy Montgomery - Island of Lost Souls
  2. Julien Baker - Little Oblivions
  3. Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview…
  4. Mogwai - As the Love Continues
  5. Nick Cave / Warren Ellis - Carnage

Honorable Mentions:
Pauline Anna Strom
Psychedelic P0rn Crumpets
The Fleshtones
Mt. Mountain
Valley Maker
Camera
AWVFTS

Great month.

1 Like
#78
  1. The Staves - Good Woman
    I’m in love with this record, as I’ve already gone on about…
  1. Slowthai - TYRON
    Come for the bangers, stay for the introspections.
  2. Mogwai - As The Love Continues
    A slow burner but I’m really enjoying it. A few tracks I’m not keen on but otherwise…
  3. Black Country, New Road - for the first time
    I think I admire and respect this album more than I actually like it. I can’t see myself returning to it though.
1 Like
#79

Other thoughts…

  • Brijean - Feelings - I’m going to reserve judgement on this one until the summer as it’s probably better suited to that weather. It’s washing over me at the moment.
  • Ghetts - Conflict of Interest - Quality control badly needed on this album. Every track on here feels at least a minute too long. It opens well but then hits ‘Autobiography’ and that run from ‘Good Hearts’ to ‘Proud Family’ kills the momentum stone dead.
  • Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Carnage - I’ve only listened to this twice so I didn’t feel it was fair to include it but I’ve enjoyed my couple of listens so far.
  • Puma Blue - In Praise of Shadows - My opinion of this record has been clouded by my disappointment at what this project has become. His music used to be like a sleazier version of King Krule - jazzy and fuzzy. There’s signs of that on this album, e.g. ‘Oil Slick’, but there’s too much wishy washy lo-fi R&B for my taste.
  • The Weather Station - Ignorance - Perfectly decent background/coffee table music but it’s so one note, it’s unreal. I can’t recall how any tracks sound after the first three singles.
#80

Been meaning to thank you for that earlier post recommending The Staves in the weekly releases thread. Made me go away and listen to it immediately and it’s been on heavy rotation since.

I think the Haim comparison is a good one even if I’d struggle to pick two songs between the two albums that I’d say sound similar. But there’s definitely a similar tone and “feel”.

So thank you!

1 Like
#81

THE RESULTS:

1st Mogwai - As The Love Continues 109 points
2nd Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview On Phenomenal Nature 65 points
3rd Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - CARNAGE 61 points

4th Black Country, New Road - For The First Time (46)

Joint 5th Julien Baker - Little Oblivions
The Weather Station - Ignorance (both on 27 points)

7th Sun June - Somewhere (25)

8th The Hold Steady - Open Door Policy (18)

9th Blanck Mass - In Ferneaux (16)

10th Virginia Wing - Private Life (14)

7 Likes
#82

The year so far:

January 2021

1st Bicep - Isles
2nd Shame - Drunk Tank Pink
3rd Madlib - Sound Ancestors
4th Pom Poko - Cheater
5th R.A.P. Ferriera - Bob’s Son
6th The Besnard Lakes - Are The Last Great…
Joint 7th Black Swan - Repetition Hyman and
The Notwist - Vertigo Days
9th Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales
Joint 10th Kiwi Jr - Cooler Returns and
Weezer - Ok Human

#83

Mogwai number 1 in the UK charts and Number 1 here?
What a year for the boys :heart_eyes:

4 Likes
#84

They’ll be partying all night when they hear of the outcome of this thread.

6 Likes
#85

The Cassandra Jenkins album being second was an interesting and deserved placing.

Not sure how many people had heard of her (including me) before the positive posts on the new album releases thread that week.

I guess word of mouth rightly works well if she was second place mainly due to that reason.

#86

Nick Cave would normally be top wouldn’t he? Was the release just a little late in the month or is it a bit underwhelming?

#87

First heard of her when Hard Drive was flagged in a Friday release thread in January. Knew then that the album would be special. Nice discovery to start the year off

1 Like
#88

I was a big Nick Cave fan during the 90s but haven’t heard most of his stuff post mid-00s. I skimmed listened to the new one but didn’t grab me enough for another visit.

Yeah, usually big artists like Nick Cave, The National, Sufjan Stevens etc.score highly.

I imagine that people would give a new release from an established artist they’ve liked before a listen regardless whether reviews were good or bad whereas a new artist given a 6/10 from one or two review sites may be put lower down the “to listen to” list.

1 Like
#89

I had a brief Nick Cave phase in the early 90s but he lost me a long time ago tbh. Always interested in how folks on here react to new releases though.

2 Likes
#90

Was unaware of the new Johnson/Gullick album so thanks for the mention, have just purchased it. Have you heard their …Bender album from ages ago? It is really very good if you haven’t:

Big fan of all of Johnson’s stuff, so shame to hear about demise of Gallon Drunk, amazing live band but
diminishing returns on the albums so maybe not entirely.
surprising.

1 Like
#91

not heard ‘Bender’ but they mentioned it in an interview so I’ll definitely be checking it out.

Have to say I really liked the last 2 GD albums, thought they were their best since ‘From The Heart Of Town’. Did you hear his solo album from a few years back? thought that was great too. All ballads so it was a bit of a departure for him.

1 Like
#92

Cassandra Jenkins is ‘playing’ Pop Mutations virtual festival on the 20th

1 Like
#93

Not one I’ve got back to to be honest, should probably give it another spin. Much more lush and lacking the feral edge of his usual stuff … but guess that was probably the point .

1 Like
#94

Those two are my favourite from their entire back catalogue :+1:

1 Like
#95

I’ve since decided that i prefer the katy kirby record to the cassandra jenkins record, and djangos for that matter.