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#268: The Hold Steady, “Open Door Policy”

The Hold Steady was the last band (part of) our team saw before the world has changed, in a year that started recreational, but ended kinda medical. Our yearly pilgrimage to London will unfortunately not happen in 2021, but they’re making up for it with their first proper album since 2014 (not counting 2019’s single collection “Thrashing Thru the Passion”). Our favourite rock band is back. Let’s celebrate like it’s early March 2020, minus the getting ourselves crammed inside a room with no masks on. At least for now.

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#265: Arlo Parks, “Collapsed in Sunbeams”

Feel-good pop doesn’t seem to fulfil its promise these days. But Arlo Parks‘s debut album, “Collapsed in Sunbeams”, manages to bring a little bit of sunlight-infused pop into our hearts and ears. Extra points for the poetic-feel and the whimsical but very accurate Portra 400 reference.

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#263: Buck Meek, “Two Saviors”

It’s hard to talk about Buck Meek without referring to him as “Big Thief’s Buck Meek”. But his solo work – with a little help from some of our favorite handymen of indie music such as Mat Davidson (Twain) and Adam Brisbin – is its own thing, with Meek’s characteristic voice paving the way to beautifully arranged songs. Songs that we’re definitely going to use as an argument when, come November, you’ll say, as always, that “this wasn’t a very good year for music”.

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#254: The Mountain Goats, “Getting Into Knives”

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

John Darnielle is Getting Into Knives! And it’s probably his best album in almost a decade, when ‘All Eternals Deck’ brought us some of the most memorable the Mountain Goats songs. Closing the album, the title track is the standout here – a repeat affair right after the first listen.

Plus: new tracks by Bill Callahan & Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Helena Deland, Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), WoodsOkey DokeyThe ShilohsAaron Lee Tasjan, Matt Berninger (The National), The Besnard Lakes, Plastic War, Strange RangerSon LittleNilüfer YanyaAriana GrandeHot Chip (with Jarvis Cocker), Harolddd (with Faye Webster), Skyway ManJulien BakerSkullcrusherAdrianne LenkerSierra FerrellOliver WoodMandolin OrangeGrace Gillespie, and Valley Maker.

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#185: Daniel Norgren, “Wooh Dang”

Swedish singer-songwriter Daniel Norgren has quietly been releasing a considerable amount of albums over the past eleven years on his Superpuma Records. “Wooh Dang” – an “intertwining of analog instrumentation, live performance, and rural field recordings” is probably his most accomplished work yet. His brand of rural Swedish blues have never sounded this good, and it took us some deep thinking to pick up two of his songs for this week’s playlist.

Plus: new tracks by She Keeps Bees, Sevdaliza,Cate Le Bon, Pip Blom, Mavis Staples, Molly TuttleHouse and Land, Rose Elinor Dougall, Kevin Morby, Fat White Family, Altın Gün, The YawpersDrugdealer, Ari Roar, Doug Tuttle, The Long Ryders, Field Medic, The Tallest Man On Earth,Spencer Tweedy, Chris Staples, Tōth, Valley Maker, and Joe Kaplow.