2024 Album-A-Day: Week 23

Aaaaalbuuuuums. Click here for plaaaayyylliiiist. Recommend more aaaaaallllbuuuums.

June 3rd: Absolute Torch and Twang by k.d. lang and the Reclines

This was my first experience with Canadian lesbian country crooner k.d. lang (all lowercase, because she likes e.e. cummings), and I had a good time. I used to think I just wasn't a country person, but I have come to learn that what I actually don't like is inauthentic pandering to people who live anywhere more rural than Cleveland done by people who have never seen a town smaller than Dallas. (Alienating non-Americans ahoy) lang has an amazing voice, the Reclines have great guitar and fiddle players, and I love these yearning Sapphic ballads. Some favorites include "Trail of Broken Hearts," "Pullin' Back the Reins," and "Full Moon of Love." That last one is featured on the playlist. (I could do without "Big Boned Gal.")

June 4th: Out of the Shadow by Rogue Wave

Rogue Wave are a band I admittedly know very little of, so I listened to their debut album, and my main takeaway: sounds quite a bit like the Shins. There's a few reasons for this: poetic lyrics full of ennui, jangly instrumentals, dry production, but it's not exactly like the Shins, it has it's own character, mainly because Zach Rogue's voice has this enchantingly weird timbre to it. Much like the Shins, I believe that this album and this band will grow on me with repeat listens. My favorite song on this album at the moment is "Endless Shovel."

June 5th: Bows + Arrows by the Walkmen

Yet another band that I knew by name and very little else, I enjoyed this album. All of the songs have this pumped-up energy to them, and Hamilton Leithauser is a hell of a presence as a frontman. I really like songs like "138th Street" and "What's In It For Me" and "Hang On Siobhan." My favorite was "The Rat." Albums like this are good in a way that leaves me without a lot to say about them, so forgive me if this is a little short.

June 6th: t.i.a.p.f.y.h by Left at London

When Elliott Smith meets SOPHIE, you get Nat Puff. She's also famous for her very funny meme videos, but make no mistake: This is far from a comedy album. This is a tour de force detailing Nat's struggles with her mental health, and it rules. "Pills and Good Advice" is 10 minutes long and deserves every last second of it, going to about 50 million different places, with cowrites from Laura Les of 100 Gecs and Will Toledo from Car Seat Headrest, which is an all-star team. From "The Ballad of Marion Zioncheck" to "THIS IS A PROTEST TO YOUR HEART," this album is both heartfelt and harsh. My favorite song was "Kudzu."

June 7th: It's Album Time by Todd Terje

I only became aware of this via Stereogum's 10th anniversary piece on it, and from their description, it sounded worth checking out. This Norwegian nu-disco producer has a fun, slick sound clearly inspired by Daft Punk, and this album flows as one cohesive piece, which is very satisfying when done right. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and I looove a good rolling synth bass. Even weirder moments like "Johnny and Mary" where Todd sings in a somewhat uncomfortable rasp about a contentious relationship, are fun. My favorite song was "Delorean Dynamite."

June 8th: Smile by Brian Wilson

In retrospect, I probably should have listened to The Smile Sessions first. I still plan on doing that, and then listening to Smiley Smile, but those might not be part of the list. Anyway, as it is, Smile is a fascinating fun time. Even if Brian is clearly a lot older on this album, his voice is no less transfixing. The lyrics, while silly on the surface, are clearly not the main focus, as the main focus is the orchestration, which moves from traditional rock to acapella to orchestra seamlessly, and repeating motifs from "Child is the Father of Man" and "Our Prayer" and "Roll Plymouth Rock" help tie the album together. I can't make up my mind on whether I like this album's version of "Good Vibrations" as much as I do the original, but it's still a good version. My favorite track was "Heroes and Villains."

June 9th: Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos

I recently realized that it'll be easier for me to fill out the year if I stop doing double and triple features, so both today and tomorrow will be Tori Amos. With that out of the way: Apparently I really like Tori Amos. My first experiences were "Cornflake Girl" and "Professional Widow," and after checking this one out, I can safely say: I like. Tori Amos's music has these beautiful arrangements that range from pastoral to ominous, these amazing poetic lyrics that give such vivid pictures of her emotions, and her voice. I don't even have the words for her voice. "Silent All These Years" is beautiful, "Winter" is enchanting, "Me and a Gun" haunts me, and HOLY SHIT "TEAR IN YOUR HAND." Actually, come to think of it, most of these songs have "HOLY SHIT" moments where I realize "OKAY THIS RULES." A favorite on this one is hard to choose, and I might change it later, but for now it's "Precious Things"

django-plasmax.tumblr.com