Another Canadian singer-songwriter on the spotlight this week! This time we focus on Le Ren’s debut LP, “Leftovers”. Sure, the name might sound like we’re dealing a b-sides collection here, but this is prime folk material.
After two more layered, denser, and less critically popular records where we saw Andy Cabic holler at soft rock and psychedelia, “Up on High” is the sound of Vetiver returning to their acoustic beginnings. Welcome to your new favourite Saturday morning breakfast prep folk rock record. Plus: new tracks by Terry Allen, Simon Joyner, Tindersticks, Lambchop, Itasca, Mount Eerie & Julie Doiron, Michael Kiwanuka, Dylan LeBlanc, Theo Lawrence, Charles Rumback & Ryley Walker, Squirrel Flower, The Deer, Cate Le Bon & Bradford Cox, The Growlers, Pinegrove, Iguana Death Cult, Imperial Wax, Pop. 1280, DJ Nigga Fox, Peel Dream Magazine, and Warmduscher.
Wow, every now and then we also feature non-“songwriter” music as our album of the week! It’s only been half a week of listening to it on repeat, but Moon Duo’s seventh LP is probably their most interesting offering so far. “Stars Are the Light” finds the American psych duo at their grooviest and we simply can’t get enough.
And there’s more: brand new tracks by The Deer, The New Pornographers, Chastity Belt, Vivian Girls, Cate Le Bon and Bradford Cox, The Comet is Coming, Mão Morta, Weeping Icon, Xylouris White, Telefon Tel Aviv, Sturgill Simpson, Loving, Red River Dialect, Darrin Bradbury and Margo Price, Colter Wall, Molly Sarlé, Dori Freeman, Mount Eerie and Julie Doiron, Donivan Berube, Will Johnson, The Milk Carton Kids, the Mountain Goats, and Jim James with The Louisville Orchestra.
Time for the yearly meeting of the Cate Le Bon Appreciation Society, on the occasion of the release date of the Welsh songwriter’s fifth album, “Reward”. The goddaughter of the 90s Welsh indie pop of Gruff Rhys et al has long outgrown her own scene, and her exquisite avant-pop reached a level of uniqueness that makes it impossible to lump her together with anyone at all. It’s yet another magnificent record from Le Bon and we’re thrilled to live in the same era as she’s making music.
In this week’s playlist: new tracks by Alex Lahey, Lydia Ainsworth, Carly Rae Jepsen, SAMIA, Stef Chura, Los Retros, Faye Webster, Okey Dokey, Night Beats, Amyl and The Sniffers, Institute, Black Mountain, Earth, Bill Callahan (smog), Mavis Staples, Dylan LeBlanc, Frankie Lee, Justin Townes Earle, TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Doug Tuttle, and Los Coast.
At first listen, Big Thief’s third LP looked like a tough nut to crack, way less immediate than “Capacity”. You won’t find “U.F.O.F.”’s beauty through background listening while you send passive-agressive emails, are stuck in traffic, or go through tons of lines of code. It needs your full attention to be properly rewarding. Try it later today. Plus: new songs by Anna Tivel, Aldous Harding, Aviva le Fey, Kassi Valazza, Frankie Lee, Nataly Dawn, Sam Outlaw, Calexico and Iron & Wine, The Felice Brothers, Fruit Bats, Super Doppler, Nev Cottee Band, black midi, Stef Chura, Titus Andronicus, Tropical Fuck Storm, Altın Gün, Kate Tempest, Cate Le Bon, Julia Shapiro (Chastity Belt), and Vampire Weekend.