After a small break to record some music in the folky “superband” (we’re guilty, but can we all please forget this concept?) Bonny Light Horseman, Eric D. Johnson celebrates 20 years of Fruit Bats with a brand new record. “The Pet Parade” shows Johnson, one of the best melody crafters of the game, at his most dreamy and contemplative so far.
Black Country, New Road was supposed to have exploded all over Europe in 2020, but the world had different plans for them. The hype created by a band with two released songs to their name was unusual, but it had roots on their explosive live shows that some of us were fortunate to witness before all of this crashed down. Dubbed (by themselves) the world’s second best Slint tribute act, the London post-punk-ish septet sounds like nothing we’ve heard recently, except maybe their peers Black Midi (probably the best Slint tribute act, who knows). Here’s a band whose entire first record managed to find its way into our playlist. Enjoy.
Aaron Frazer is best known as the drummer (and singer) for soul outfit Durand Jones & the Indications. Like so many songwriters in the past few years, he teamed up with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and got his debut solo album, “Introducing…”, ready in no time. We’re not even halfway through January and we already have our first highlight of 2021. Feels good to be back.
Bolachas Now Playing, a new music Spotify playlist, updated every Wednesday.
The Nude Party are 2020’s kings of cool. Which is kinda unfortunate, since in a normal world they would be everybody’s pick for the next festival season. Feel-good and groovy as it gets, “Midnight Manor” was clearly made for an older world where we’re all out partying. Let’s pretend it never changed.
Plus: new tracks by Esther Rose, Deep Sea Diver, The Clientele, Justin Wade Tam, Cartalk, Adrianne Lenker, Anna McClellan, Hamilton Leithauser, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Half Japanese, Fuzz, Te Voy A Matar, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!, Shilpa Ray, Eartheater, Jennifer Castle, Sam Amidon, Andrew Bird, Jim Audet Music, Jonathan Wilson, Luka Kuplowsky, Brent Cobb, Kurt Vile, Steve Earle, Fruit Bats, and The Good Ones.
Another week, another half-surprise release. We didn’t have access to a single song off Fiona Apple’s stunning new record (her first in 8 years) and we missed how good it is to be able to be surprised in an age where we already listened to a third of a record by the time it’s out. Plus: almost two hours of brand new music by the Mountain Goats, Bright Eyes, Hamilton Leithauser, King Khan, Malena Zavala, Faye Webster, Lido Pimienta, Rina Sawayama, Bedouine, Sarah Siskind, Courtney Marie Andrews, Hazel English, Pacific Range, Fruit Bats, Trace Mountains, Nathan Kalish, Dougie Poole, Whiskey Wolves of the West, The Howling Hex, Flatworms, Car Seat Headrest, Stereoboy, Malojian, Sir Richard Bishop, and The Deep Dark Woods.