Written By: Jack Skidmore
Favorites
● If I Ever Was a Child
● Cry All Day
● Someone to Lose
● Locator
● We Aren’t the World (Safety Girl)
For those looking for a more lighthearted Wilco album “Schmilco” is the one for you. Spearheaded by artist Jeff Tweedy, the Chicago-based alternative band, Wilco, delivers a whimsical folk and alt-country-focused track list on their 10th full-length album. I particularly enjoy the humorous and clever lyricism throughout the album. Each song is also tightly packaged and musically focused to be easily digestible and allow the album to flow through quite seamlessly. I would play this album during a laid-back morning in the comfort of my home or on a walk to the river on a sunny spring day. It is undoubtedly an instant mood booster and I grant a lot of admiration for its easygoing nature.
Favorites
● Take My Time
● Don’t Call my Name
● Fountayne
● Hurry and Enjoy
● I Won’t Be There
From top to bottom, this project feels like an immersive experience through a sanguine haze. Skinshape is the solo project of British multi-talented musician and past bassist of the band Palace, William Dorey. This album in particular exemplifies mesmerizing tunes in a soul-brightening manner. Dorey also is the owner of an eclectic reggae record label, called Horus Records. His reggae musical influences are highlighted on this album and he also incorporates elements of nostalgia to past musical styles such as the 60s and 70s psychedelic rock and funk. Overall, this album is heavily dependent on guitar and bass with simplified drum beats. This album never fails to brighten a rainy Eugene and each song is entirely hypnotic in the best way possible.
Favorites:
● Shaolin Monk Motherfunk
● Breathing Underwater
● Fingerprints
● Jekyll
● Molasses
● Building a Ladder
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what encapsulates the sound and groove of Hiatus Kaiyote. This eclectic Australian-based band experiments with jazz, soul, funk, and synth-pop on their second full-length album, “Choose Your Weapon”. The band seems to take unexpected turns and musical liberties at every corner. I find one of this band’s greatest strengths is their ability to build tension throughout songs to reach riveting highlights on many parts of this record. Personally, I love listening to how each of the distinct melodies from the instruments of this band blends together in a satisfying yet complex way. The contribution of lead singer Nai Palm’s one-of-a-kind voice with this amalgamation makes for a unique listening experience. Above all this album is groovy as hell.
Favorites
● Fishing for Fishies
● Boogieman Sam
● Plastic Boogie
● Real’s Not Real
● Cyboogie
I am a firm believer that there is a King Gizzard album for just about every human emotion. I would particularly choose this album to get me up and grooving in the morning or to enjoy an upbeat drive around town. The whopping 15th full-length album by the band explores boogie rock and blues and delivers some of the band's most uplifting and catchy tunes. The album also tackles thematic topics tied to the impending environmental global crisis such as: plastic usage, environmental privilege, and overfishing (as suggested by the title). Fishing for Fishies is followed by the heavy metal epic, Infest the Rat’s Nest which depicts a hellish future where all the warnings delivered here become an inescapable reality with massive classist consequences.
Favorites
● Forbidden Fruit
● Ophelia
● Acadian Driftwood
● Twilight
The Band is one of the most influential artists from the late 60s and 70s and a quintessential dark horse that brought popularity to the folk-rock movement. Formed in the 50s by four Canadians and one Arkansan under the name “The Hawks,” the group would go on to back Bob Dylan on his first electric tour in 1966. Following this, The Band began to release their own music with a unique stylistic direction. This album in particular happens to contain some of my favorite work from The Band. It is more rough around the edges in comparison to earlier albums. Northern Lights-Southern Cross solidifies the band's divergence from Dylan’s style which influenced past discography. It combines folk and classic country instrumentals with bright brass and wind sounds on many tracks as well as synthesized features scattered throughout.
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