Newer Music:

Hiss Golden Messenger :  Quietly Blowing It

Prolific North Carolina Americana band Hiss Golden Messenger released the strongest album of their career this weekend. Formed in 2007 by MC Taylor and Scott Hirsch, Hiss Golden Messenger has now released twelve records, with the last seven on famed indie label Merge Records. On this latest record Quietly Blowing It, bandleader and chief songwriter Taylor paired his strongest collection of songs with a standout, warm vocal performance that feels comforting and inviting coming out of these challenging times. Standout advance single Sanctuary is one of my favorites songs so far this year. 

MC Taylor runs in the same music circles as many of the busiest and best folk artists working today. In-demand producer and guitarist Josh Kaufman contributed instrumentals to this record, and Taylor co-wrote another album highlight If It Comes In the Morning with Anais Mitchell, who was part of last year’s brilliant Bonny Light Horsemen folk project with Kaufman and Fruit Bats lead man Eric D. Johnson. This is music perfectly suited for a beautiful summer evening outdoor concert setting. 

Standout Tracks: Sanctuary; Glory Strums (Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner); If It Comes In The Morning; Hardlytown; Way Back In The Way Back

Cola Boyy :  Prosthetic Boombox

An unexpected pleasant discovery of mine this month is the debut album from the California artist Cola Boyy. Cola Boyy is the music project of Matthew Urango, a self-taught artist who was born with spina bifida. I was first exposed to Cola Boyy through his guest spots on The Avalanches record from last year and the Juan Waters record from this year. The Avalanches return the favor by featuring on the fun opening track and lead advance single Don’t Forget Your Neighborhood. Later, MGMT member Andrew Vanwyngarden contributes to album closer Kid Born in Space. Cola Boyy’s diverse background and music tastes, and his self-made skills, result in a funky, breezy summer pop record from the likable, unassuming Urango.

Standout Tracks: Don’t Forget Your Neighborhood; Mailbox; Song for the Mister; Kids Born In Space; One of These Winters Will Take Me

Lucy Dacus : Home Video

Acclaimed indie singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus released her long-awaited third album this weekend. Originally from the Richmond, Virginia area, Dacus is known for her personal narrative songwriting style. In addition to her strong 2016 debut No Burden and the exceptional 2018 follow-up Historian, Dacus also released an EP as of part of the indie supergroup Boygenius with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker (who also put out a great solo record earlier this year) in 2018.

Standout Tracks: Hot and Heavy; VBS; Brando; First Time; Going Going Gone

Sault :  Nine

Mysterious London music collective Sault gave the music world a pleasant surprise when they announced yet another new album on just a couple of weeks notice. New record Nine became available last Friday and will supposedly be available for streaming and for sale for only the next 99 days and then it will be gone forever (!).

Close on the heals of two great Sault records last year, Nine is another equal parts catchy and thought-provoking collection of brilliant soul, R&B, and hip hop songs with themes related to the black experience across the world. 

Standout Tracks: London Gangs; Trap Life; Bitter Streets; Light’s In Your Hands, You From London

Throwback Selection: 

Ed Harcourt : Here Be Monsters

This week’s throwback, Here Be Monsters by Ed Harcourt, is yet another album marking the 20th anniversary of its original release. Harcourt is also a founding member of my Underappreciated Music Genius Hall of Fame. His first five solo records, starting with this 2001 Mercury Prize-nominated debut through his 2010 self-released album Lustre, are all excellent piano-driven indie singer-songwriter classics. The London-based artist is a genius songwriter, but his pop music career was never quite able to break through into mainstream success. 

I got to see Ed play in SLC back around 2011 when he supported James on their US Tour that year. He played a fantastic set and was just as likable and charming in person as his music suggested when we met him afterwards. 

Standout Tracks: Hanging With The Wrong Crowd; Apple of My Eye; She Fell Into My Arms; Those Crimson Tears; Birds Fly Backwards

More Related Music You Should Also Check Out: Bonny Light Horseman: Self-Titled; The Avalanches : Since I Left You; boygenius : Self-Titled; The Fruit Bats : The Pet Parade; Julien Baker : Little Oblivions