Every Tuesday, our Music Director, Claire, chooses new releases to add to our music library. Here aresome recent highlights, presented to you by WSUM's Music Journalism Club.
The Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Caesar on a TV Screen”, “The Feminine Urge”, “Sinner”, “My Lady of Mercy”, “Nothing Matters”
GENRE: Baroque pop/rock
RIYL: Florence + The Machine, Chappell Roan, Wet Leg
The debut album from London group The Last Dinner Party is a great look into what could come for this brand new band. The album opens with a classical prelude, aptly named “Prelude to Ecstasy”. This sets the tone for the entire album. Prelude to Ecstasy takes elements from traditional/classical choral music and mashes them up with modern pop and rock elements to create a sonically amusing sound. The standout track on the album, “Nothing Matters”, was also the lead single for the album. The track starts out soft and quiet and explodes into a passionate and fiery chorus accompanied by amazing vocals from lead singer Abigail Morris. This album is a definite listen for those wanting to find a brand new artist to watch out for in the future.
– Jordon Stangland
Crystal Canyon, Stars and Distant Light
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: Dreamray, Sierra, Catatonia
GENRE: Shoegaze, dream pop
RIYL: my bloody valentine, Cocteau Twins, Dinosaur Jr.
Portland, Maine's Crystal Canyon bring old-school shoegaze sounds into the modern age. Ditching much of the hardcore-infused sounds of many modern shoegaze bands, Stars and Distant Light opts for huge soundscapes and ethereal, dreamlike compositions not dissimilar to my bloody valentine's Loveless or Heaven or Las Vegas from the Cocteau Twins. On paper, this may seem derivative, but Crystal Canyon spice up the old recipe with fun, interesting guitar work à la J. Mascis on songs like “Dreamray.” If shoegaze, dream pop, and lead guitar are your things, then Stars and Distant Light is for you.
— Cole Smith
Ismay, Desert Pavement
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Melodies” “Lonely Stallion” “The Ohio”
GENRE: Indie folk
RIYL: Big Thief, Julia Jacklin, Adrianne Lenker
Ismay's second album, Desert Pavement takes folk back to its storytelling roots. The opening track track “The Shearer and the Darby Ram” Ismay takes their own fantastical spin on the classic english folk song “The Derby Ram”. This album takes influences from classic folk and gives it an indie rock presentation. The imaginative and potent lyricism continues throughout the album, one of my favorites lyrically being “Streaming Family”. This humorous nihilist track about modern day life is delivered in a way reminiscent of '60s country pioneers like Loretta Lynn and Roger Miller. Ismay hits all the instrumental necessities for both their upbeat and stripped back tracks. A strong mandolin, twangy electric guitar, and tasteful organ take “The Lonely Stallion” to its full fleshed out potential. But this albums talent is in its ability to balance soft heart wrenching acoustics with the rich upbeat moments. This is best displayed in my favorite track, “melodies”, which has a hard driving chorus that dissolves into soft winding verses. In this time of folk and country rebirth, Desert Pavement stands out as an album crafted with whimsy and honesty and is a must listen for any fans of the genre.
— Camille Bush
The Smile, Wall Of Eyes
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: Under Our Pillows, Friend Of A Friend, Bending Hectic
GENRE: Prog/Art Rock, Psychedelic Rock
RIYL: Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Black Country, New Road
Some may think of The Smile as Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood's side project, and expect the Radiohead-usual (if it's even possible to say), but Wall Of Eyes cements this band as something else entirely. Leaning farther into progressive rock and psychedelica than anything else released by these two, and accompanied by the intricate percussion of Tom Skinner, The Smile moves away from the guitar-rock of Radiohead, but that shouldn't scare away the fans; the Radiohead is ever-present and makes for some of the best moments on the album. In particular, the loud, climactic ending to “Bending Hectic” seems closely akin to the bridge of “Fake Plastic Trees,” and would happily find itself home on The Bends or OK Computer. If you like Radiohead, you'll like this album. If you like prog or art-rock, you'll probably like this album. And if you like Thom Yorke writing more songs about car crashes, you'll definitely like this album.
— Cole Smith
Katy Kirby, Blue Raspberry
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Cubic Zirconia”, “Drop Dead”, “Alexandria”, “Party of the Century”
GENRE: Singer/Songwriter, indie acoustic
RIYL: Kate Bollinger, Mitski, Big Thief
The newest album from New York based Katy Kirby sheds a light on relationships and mentions fake diamonds quite a bit. Playing with acoustic sounds, Kirby delivers a cathartic laid back performance for most of the tracks on Blue Raspberry. On “Cubic Zirconia”, she compares her partner to the titular faux gem, that may not be perfect but still shines just the same. A stand-out on the album is the track “Drop Dead”, which includes a staccato wurlitzer in the background accompanied by a infatuous drum beat. The song delves into themes of beauty standards in the modern era and how the world is pretty much fake. This album was a great listen front to back if you love upbeat acoustic jams.
-Jordon Stangland
Fake Dad, Yerba Mala
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Fashion Girl”, “Momento”
GENRE: Indie pop, indie rock, hyper pop
RIYL: Wet Leg, Still Woozy, Alan Palomo
Duo de Varona and Josh Ford have collaborated since 2020, showcasing an inviting perspective
on music. The five song EP fuses unconventional synth dreamscapes with irresistibly catchy pop hooks and intricately layered indie rock guitars. The two take a deep dive into de Varona's cultural identity as a first generation Hispanic American Women. “Momento” and “So Dramatic” include lyrics sung in Spanish expressing how De Verano's cultural heritage shapes her relationships, offering a distinct viewpoint on how identity intersects with all aspects of her life and the people around her. Another central theme of this EP is interpersonal relationships. “From friends to family to hometowns, these songs explore what it's
like to grow up with (or apart from) other people in search of self-betterment,” says Andrea. Each track is very different and uses a range of instruments to create a variety of genres. “Souvenir Store” has a very distinctive drum and bass pattern creating a nostalgic feel and “Fashion Girl” is a hyper pop classic but does a good job executing the initial relatable theme. Yerba Mala is a very short and unique EP. It is definitely worth listening to. I wish it was longer and I am excited to see what Fake Dad is going to do in the future.
— Leah Fradin
Ronnie Stone, Ride Again
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Ride Again” “Backstreet Leather Toy” “Calle Loiza”
GENRE: Synth-pop, dance
RIYL: Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys
What seems to be a classic '80s dance album holds much more. Ronnie Stone's newest release is a unique twist on new wave that leaves you with a new understanding of modern dance music. “Backstreet Leather Toy” seems to piece together every era of '80s dance music evolution. Lots of the classic new wave elements are there — the drum breaks as well as the synth patterns and cords — yet chiming synths grant it a '90s R&B feel to it. The sixth track, “Calle Loiza” is such a smooth combination of the albums overarching '80s-pop theme and modern and techno and house. The drum line takes on more of a modern-club beat where the lyricism and the melodic overtones are much more reminiscent of the '80s sound. Overall this album is full of light, airy, ear-filling synths and catchy drum lines. As Stone asserts, he “seems to have traveled from both the past and the future simultaneously,” a perfect description of what this album embodies.
— Lucia Gadau
