“Excelsior!” is the first LP by NYC-based singer-songwriter Johanna Samuels. Produced by Sam Evian, the album features contributions by the likes of Courtney Marie Andrews, Hannah Cohen, A.O. Gerber or Lomelda’s Hannah Read. If you’ve followed us long enough, you know this means we’ve already sticked our seal of approval five times. Come for the copious namedropping, stay for some of the best lyrics of the first half of 2021.
After two very promising EPs back in 2019, Dry Cleaning have finally launched their first long play, ‘New Long Leg’. Here, Florence Shaw’s sharp, deadpan spoken word vocals contrast with the chaotic instrumentation of the English post-punkish art-rockers in one of the most intriguing (and well accomplished) rock and roll albums of 2021.
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.
Bolachas Now Playing, a new music Spotify playlist updated every Tuesday.
Back to our original Tuesday programming. One of our favorite Dutch acts, Annelotte de Graaf’s Amber Arcades has finally released her second album, European Heartbreak, late last week on Heavenly Recordings. There are just too many good songs being released this time of the year, so we hope you can devote 1h30 of your time to these 25 songs by St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Swearin’, Lala Lala, The Goon Sax, Squirrel flower, Molly Burch, Mirah, Courtney Marie Andrews, Anna St. Louis, Haley Heynderickx + Max Garcia Conover, Erica Buettner, Vera Sola, Kristina Murray, Scott Orr, Carl Broemel, Daniel Romano, Night Shop, Matt Costa, Sammy Brue, Ryley Walker, PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING, and Jacco Gardner.
Bolachas Now Playing, 33/2018 (#160):
Sharon Van Etten – Comeback Kid
St. Vincent – Fast Slow Disco
Swearin’ – Future Hell
Lala Lala – Destroyer
The Goon Sax – A Few Times Too Many
Squirrel Flower – Not Your Prey
Amber Arcades – Oh My Love (What Have We Done)
Amber Arcades – Hardly Knew
Molly Burch – Candy
Mirah – Counting
Courtney Marie Andrews – Heart and Mind
Anna St. Louis – Desert
Haley Heynderickx, Max García Conover – Slow Talkin’
Erica Buettner – Train to Porto
Vera Sola – The Colony
Kristina Murray – Tell Me
Scott Orr – Fall Apart
Carl Broemel – No One Else
Daniel Romano – Empty Husk
Night Shop – My Love
Matt Costa – Lovely Saturday
Sammy Brue – Love Song Again
Ryley Walker – Busted Stuff
Public Service Broadcasting – White Star Liner
Jacco Gardner – Volva
Bolachas Now Playing, 34/2017 (#119):