Newer Music:

Tirzah :  Colourgrade

One my most anticipated albums this fall, British electronic artist Tirzah just released her sophomore album Colourgrade on dependably great indie label Domino. Her debut record Devotion, with its sparse, yet powerful production and luxuriant vibe, was one of the most interesting and promising records of 2018. Colourgrade starts back up where Devotion left off, bathing the listener in bass and fuzz and then playfully deploying delicate sonic flourishes and her unhurried vocals to create a casual and rewarding collection of songs.

From the beginning, Tirzah’s discography has been the product of a musical partnership with her close friend and collaborator, fellow British artist and film composer Mica Levi. The two attended the Purcell School for Young Musicians in London at the same time and later co-wrote and co-produced two EPs and one single together under Tirzah’s name–I’m Not Dancing in 2013, No Romance in 2014, and Make It Up the following year that caught the attention of the indie musicsphere and let to their signing to Domino. Levi continued production duties on both of the Domino-released Tirzah LPs, and continued work on their other longtime music project Micachu and the Shapes (now called Good Sad Happy Bad). Levi is now also an acclaimed film composer, having won deserved plaudits for the film scores to Under The Skin and Jackie. 

Standout Tracks: Send Me; Recipe; Sink In; Tectonic; Hive Mind

Ducks Ltd. :  Modern Fiction

An occurrence absolutely guaranteed to bring me great joy is the discovery of a delightful jangle-pop indie rock record that I know I will love forever upon the first listen. That happened again this week as I enjoyed the brand new debut record by Ducks Ltd. as I drove around Austin, Texas on a business trip.

Ducks Ltd. are a duo based in Toronto, although Tom is from the UK and Evan is from Australia. It is unclear if it is possible to pioneer any new territory in the jangle-pop indie rock genre at this point; but it doesn’t matter when a band crafts so many delightful to consume fun and irresistible nuggets of pop genius. Listening to this record reminded me of my first encounters with indie rock band Real Estate, music that would bring me immense pleasure over next decade. We will see if Ducks Ltd. are able to churn out more nearly perfect records in the future; but for now I will savor the discovery of Modern Fiction, an album I am sure to be enjoying for years and years to come. 

Standout Tracks: How Lonely Are You?; 18 Cigarettes; Old Times; Always There; Grand Final Day

Strand of Oaks: In Heaven

Strand of Oaks is the music project of Timothy Showalter, originally from Indiana and Pennsylvania, but most recently based in Austin, TX. Showalter has been churning out solid country-tinged folk rock records since 2009. Their recently released seventh full length album In Heaven may just be the strongest of their career. Strand of Oaks has long been a project that encouraged contributions from across the music spectrum; this time James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins co-writes album track Easter and members of My Morning Jacket help out with the instrumentals throughout. 

On their Spotify artist page, they describe In Heaven as a “poignant narrative that transcends his [Showalter’s] personal experiences and achieves a universality rooted in loss, joy, celebration, and newfound strength” and a record “about moving beyond sadness or anger to a state of gratitude.” Standout opening single Galacticana largely succeeds in reaching those high ambitions and the whole album is full of warm, inviting folk rock.

Standout Tracks: Galacticana; Somewhere In Chicago; Sunbathers; Hurry; Jimi & Stan

Throwback Selections: 

 The Verve : Urban Hymns

Yes, this is the album with the legendary track Bittersweet Symphony famous for being awesome and infamous for including that controversial and costly Rolling Stones sample. Yes, the song from the 90s with the video featuring the tall, skinny guy running into people whilst walking down the street singing to the camera. Yes, the song playing at the end of shlocky guilty pleasure film Cruel Intentions when Ryan Phillippe’s characters drives off in his convertible. No, this is not an example of a one-hit wonder and shame on those who don’t already know any better. 

For just about anybody of a certain age, Bittersweet Symphony is a familiar iconic single from the tail end of the influential and heady Cool Britannia days of the mid to late 90s. What is less remembered and less adequately acknowledged is that the album Urban Hymns is a top to bottom brilliant record that served as the career pinnacle for The Verve, one of the best British rock bands of that period with an underappreciated discography.

In addition to its ubiquitous best-known song, Urban Hymns contains three excellent mid-tempo, earnest power ballads—The Drugs Don’t Work, Lucky Man, and Sonnet—that showcase the greatest strength of The Verve at their fullest–Richard Ashcroft as one of the most dominant and charismatic frontmen in music during the 90s.

Standout Tracks: The Drugs Don’t Work; Bittersweet Symphony; Lucky Man; Sonnet; Weeping Willow; Velvet Morning

More Related Music You Should Also Check Out: Mica Levi : Under The Skin OST; Real Estate : Real Estate; James Iha : Let It Come Down; Richard Ashcroft : Keys To The World