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#170: Willard Grant Conspiracy, “Untethered”

Ok, we said we were going to hibernate for a few weeks. But then we decided to give it another go – there are still albums and songs to be released in the first few days of December, right? There are twenty more songs to be heard, so why wait until next year? This week we focus on the posthumously released final album by Willard Grant Conspiracy, almost two years after the passing of frontman Robert Fisher, plus new and recent tracks by Lambchop, Jennah Barry, Pistol Annies, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Jessica Pratt, Fog Lake, Harlem, Susto, The Decemberists, Cass McCombs, Lubomyr Melnyk, Daniel Knox, Steve Gunn, Donivan Berube, Pedro the Lion, The Cactus Blossoms, Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert, and Angelo De Augustine.

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#169: Jeff Tweedy, “Warm”

Everyone seems to be publishing their 2018 lists one month before the end of the year, and here we are pretending we’re surprised by that. We still have one more before we hibernate for a few weeks. Simultaneously with the release of his book, Wilco’s frontman Jeff Tweedy has just put out WARM, his first solo album of original material, and probably one of the best Wilco-related releases since 2007’s Sky Blue Sky.

Plus: new tracks from Michael Chapmanthe Mountain GoatsRyan BinghamDaniel RomanoFoxwarrenThe Green Apple SeaHollow HandDBUKPavo PavoBlake MillsSharon Van EttenJessica MossThese New PuritansГШ / Glintshake, Harlem, and Conor Oberst.

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#168: Songs: Ohia, “The Lioness Sessions”

Every week we try to focus on brand new music, if possible by newcomers that might or might not be semi-stars tomorrow. But, every now and then, we eventually cave in and cannot resist the urge to celebrate some of our favourite records’ anniversary editions. Songs: Ohia’s ‘The Lioness’ got its deluxe treatment through ‘Love & Work’, an extremely limited 2xLP boxset now sold out; in it, eleven outtakes from the same sessions that brought us one of the most heartbreaking albums of the last twenty years see the light of day for the first time.

Similarly, on its 20th anniversary, Calexico’s masterpiece ‘The Black Light’ got the same treatment and if anyone wants to donate the record our way, we’ll welcome it with open arms. Plus: new tracks from Angelo De Augustine, Shannon Lay, Josephine Foster, Grandaddy, Jens Lekman, Daniel Romano, Parker Gispert, Half Japanese, Piroshka, Nicole Atkins and Mark Lanegan, Gwenifer Raymond, Ryley Walker, Snapped Ankles, J Balvin, Ariana Grande, Little Dragon, and Foxwarren.

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#167: State Champion, “Send Flowers”

As we approach 2018’s twilight and the first few publications start posting their best of the year lists, we decide to keep focusing on brand new music for a few more weeks. This week, we highlight State Champion’s new LP, ‘Send Flowers’. We’ll let the Silver Jews’ David Berman (we miss you, come back) make the introductions: “If Bob Dylan was funny, if Tom Waits was relevant, Ryan might not be peerless at what he does best, which is writing large gregarious circles around his pitiful colleagues in the field. He’s the best lyricist who’s not a rapper going.”

Plus: new tracks by Superchunk, Richard Dawson & Rhodri Davies’ Hen Ogledd, Action Bronson, Altın Gün, Jacco Gardner, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Girlpool, Mercury Rev with Margo PriceCarson McHone, Craig Brown Band, Rhett MillerRobert Ellis, Raoul Vignal, Eiko Ishibashi, Liela Moss, Nadine Khouri, Pearls Before Swine, and Jozef Van Wissem.

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166: Vera Sola, “Shades”

Bolachas Now Playing, a new music Spotify playlist updated every Tuesday.

Multi-instrumentalist and frequent Elvis Perkins collaborator Vera Sola has just released her first LP. We caught her live last week at the Le Guess Who? festival and were instantly mesmerised by the trio. Of course “Shades” is our album of the week. But there’s more, so scroll down for a playlist full of new stuff by The WeakerthansJohn K. Samson, Deer Tick, Pedro The Lion’s first song in 14 years (!), Fruit Bats, Stephen Steinbrink, Gooby Jim and the Goobs, State Champion, Ryan Downey, Julia Jacklin, Dominique Pruitt, Kim LenzMeg Baird and Mary LattimoreJosephine Foster, Darren Hayman, The Wave Pictures, Mandolin Orange, Hayes Carll, J Mascis, and Sufjan Stevens.

Bolachas Now Playing, 39/2018 (#166):

John K. Samson – Saturday Night On Utopia Parkway

Deer Tick – Strange, Awful Feeling

Pedro The Lion – Yellow Bike

Fruit Bats – Getting in a Van Again

Stephen Steinbrink – You Could Always Leave

Gooby Jim and The Goobs – Butter

State Champion – Death Preferences

Ryan Downey – No More Miracles

Julia Jacklin – Head Alone

Dominique Pruitt – High in the Valley

Kim Lenz – Slowly Speeding

Vera Sola – Black Rhino Enterprises

Vera Sola – By Mothlight

Meg Baird and Mary Lattimore – Between Two Worlds

Josephine Foster – Challenger

Darren Hayman – Bigby

The Wave Pictures – I Came To You Once

Mandolin Orange – Golden Embers

Hayes Carll – None’ya

J Mascis – Web So Dense

Sufjan Stevens – Lonely Man of Winter