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Soundoffs 1 News Articles 8 Band Edits + Tags 1 Album Edits 49
Album Ratings 300 Objectivity 73%
Last Active 02-16-11 5:19 am Joined 09-02-06
Review Comments 1,220
| Quarantine Digs/Upcoming Spins
Well, started working from home about two weeks back, and while being tied to a phone queue hasn't been the most amenable for catching up on quite as much music as I'd like, here are some that have been in steady rotation, plus a few next on-deck. | 1 | | Pedro the Lion Achilles Heel
In an example of what's either very opportune or very poor timing, depending on your perspective, had this whole self-quarantine business happen to line up with giving up alcohol for Lent--but, if ever an album were to make you not miss drinking for a bit, this is as solid a candidate as you're likely to find. | 2 | | All Get Out No Bouquet
I feel like I come back to this album every couple of months, and each time come away liking it a little more. It's kinda sad that they seem unlikely to creep out from the "Oh, this sounds like Manchester Orchestra" shadow, but sonic similarities aside, I'd argue that some of these tunes are as nuanced as anything Andy Hull has penned. | 3 | | Caspian On Circles
Definitely bummed their tour was scuttled (for now?), but listening to this album consistently has been sort of a bittersweet balm, especially the achingly gorgeous "Ishmael," and "Nostalgist" (which is doubly bittersweet for featuring frontman of tourmates Pianos Become the Teeth). | 4 | | Tall Tall Trees Freedays
Tree and garden puns notwithstanding, I'd hesitate to call this a full-fledged dig, per se, but I've listened to it a couple times recently, and feel like I'm underwhelmed by the first side's Marcus Mumford/Justin Vernon worship and about ready to call it, then pleasantly surprised by some of the curveballs in the back-half. Will likely still end up in the try-to-sell/donate bin if it's not enough of a grower. | 5 | | +44 When Your Heart Stops Beating
Just fun. Finally got this on vinyl, mostly since I couldn't find my surely-scratched-to-shit CD copy, and hot damn does it hold up. In all sincerity, this is a top-tier Blink record in everything but name. | 6 | | mewithoutYou [Untitled]
...aaaaand here, meanwhile, we have the perfect apocalyptic counterpart to +44's sunniness (although, don't write off Hoppus: "No, It Isn't," in particular, is pretty grim, and I like how the catchiness belies the lyrics' almost comical darkness). Anyways, been keeping mwY in consistent rotation since they announced their impending hiatus (though I'm always skeptical when artists "retire" before the age of, like, 80). More and more, this and Pale Horses (featuring the MOST mewithoutYou of mewithoutYou songs, "Red Cow") have been mainstays, and if this does indeed end up being the band's swan song, it's a damn fine note to end up (if only temporarily; please?) | 7 | | mewithoutYou Brother, Sister
Ordered the commemorative edition when it was released alongside the questionably-timed (though surely preordained) anniversary tour announcement, which came right in the midst of most other bands starting to postpone or outright cancel their own. Womp. While the hard copy won't get here for a bit (by which point, hopefully the world won't have, y'know, sunk or caught fire or something), it's nice to use the download of a classic to christen the snazzy new laptop I needed to get anyway but can now maybe write off as a work expense. | 8 | | Soccer Mommy Color Theory
Speaking of postponed shows, another concert I planned to catch, and another cold comfort listen to bide my time. Still, another solid showing here. Logistical complaint sidebar: I picked this up on vinyl, and it didn't come with a download code, which strikes me as strange, since it wasn't preowned, and it's not like she's a DIY, basement-show punk act or GY!BE or something. Is this a thing now, established artists not just including those as a matter of course? | 9 | | Rosetta Terra Sola
Found this on vinyl completely by chance, but boy howdy, it's a goodun. Though I may bring up "Untitled II" or "King Ivory Tower," I also wouldn't put up much of a fight arguing with all those who maintain the title track is their best work since A Determinism of Morality. (Speaking of determinism, anybody else been watching Devs? Y'alls should be watching Devs.) | 10 | | Spanish Love Songs Brave Faces Everyone
A wholly worthy successor to Schmaltz. "Losers, Pt. 2" is gonna blow my voice out one of these days, and is hereby preemptively forgiven. | 11 | | Nine Inch Nails Ghosts V: Together
Next on the docket--hopefully: Been waiting on this bad boy (and his sister) to download since yesterday. We're in this together indeed. | 12 | | Cautious Clay Table of Context
An artist and release I've been meaning to check out for some time, and just now finally getting around to. Fun fact: I realized, upon adding this to the database, that this came out one year ago to the day. Spooky? Random? You decide, dear reader... | 13 | | Circa Survive Blue Sky Noise
Another recent vinyl arrival, and in the nick of time! Hella controversial stance incoming here, I know, but probably represents this band's creative pinnacle (and probably the last time I need to re-pay them for an album I already own). On the flipside, I *am* curious whether they'll continue with their current course of anniversary reissues and tours in two years' time, since even the band itself doesn't seem to think too much of Violent Waves... | 14 | | The Weeknd After Hours
Been waiting a week for this bad boy to get here, and it finally has. Have purposefully resisted listening to anything other than the singles, but if this is even partly the return to Trilogy-era form it's being hyped as, might have an early AOTY contender on our hands here... | |
teamster
03.28.20 | I can’t stop playing The Basement Paintings - Antipodes. I see Caspian and Rosetta, you may dig it. | thecheatisnotdead
03.28.20 | Nice, I'll have to check that out. The more, the merrier, especially these days. |
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