With the pandemic winding down, musicians are now releasing long-delayed albums, so there is a lot of new music to cover. Indie Rock has evidently taken the lead here because numerous great indie albums have dropped in the past week. I thought I’d give you an annotated list of some of the new albums I’ve been listening to. Hope you see something you like.
Iceage – Seek Shelter
Iceage are technically a punk band, but they have moved in a warmer and more elaborate direction lately. This new album is lavish and densely orchestrated art rock. It also gets points for having the only sample of “May the Circle Be Unbroken,” I’ve ever heard outside folk music.
The Armed – Ultrapop
Your inner emo kid will rejoice at this album from the anonymous post-hardcore band The Armed. While Ultrapop strays far away from pop and even further from melody, the album is still accessible as mood listening. If you want to study and/or cry, this is the album for you
Spiritualized – Lazer Guided Melodies
I have an allergic reaction to all things prog, so I was very skeptical of this album at first. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of pretension in this instrumental space rock release. The album name really gives you what you need to know: it’s melodic to a fault. The primary compositional trick at work here seems to be the baroque counterpoint, where different melodies are played to create harmonic relations without relying on chords. It’s an acquired taste, but the album creates a spacey and beautiful vibe.
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Alright, I’ve spoken about this album at length in a full review, so I’ll be brief. St. Vincent has reversed course yet again, leaning into ’70s aesthetics of glam, hard rock, and AM singer-songwriters. It’s Joni Mitchell, it’s Lou Reed, but most importantly it’s St. Vincent.
Weezer – Van Weezer
Rivers Cuomo sings “Pump it up into me please daddy,” and if that’s something you’re interested in I need not say more.
