5 new releases we love: Shura gets intimate, Ross From Friends has an epiphany, and more
Music Features A-Sides
Photo: Hollie Fernando
Shura, forevher
[Secretly Canadian, August 16]
From her very first single in 2014, Aleksandra Denton, best known as Shura, has penned romantic anthems from a perspective both blatantly queer and wholly transcending sexual orientation. On sophomore album Forevher, Denton narrows her focus, narrating the joys and challenges of long-distance dating over funky, psychedelia-brushed synthpop soundscapes that shift to match each song’s story. On album zenith “religion (u can lay your hands on me),” as Denton sings about aggressively lusting for her new girlfriend, she bolsters her appetite with Prince-like synth grooves that reflect the song’s genesis in Minneapolis, where her relationship began. As she meditates on flying between her native U.K. and her girlfriend’s U.S. on “flyin’” and “princess leia,” her slow-flowing, crystalline synths sound as airy as the sky. In molding her melodies to her words, Denton ensures that listeners of all sexualities can easily navigate forevher’s invigorating sonic and romantic geography. [Max Freedman]
Lonnie Liston Smith, Astral Traveling
[Real Gone, August 2]
In the early 1970s, Lonnie Liston Smith’s piano playing was the spaceship whose structural integrity gave Pharoah Sanders the freedom to explore the benevolent outer reaches of the cosmos. While working in the iteration of Miles Davis’ band that recorded the funk-fusion classic On the Corner, Smith put together a starry-eyed group of his own and returned to the launchpad he’d built with the Sanders group. He revisits his arrangement of the gospel classic “Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord,” which he recorded with Pharoah three years prior, brushing away some of the stardust but retaining the song’s indelible sense of possibility. “In Search Of Truth,” meanwhile, somehow seeks out Alice Coltrane’s droning mysticism and classical tidiness at the same time. With its relatively (relatively!) condensed structures and harmonic clarity, Astral Traveling presents a remarkably accessible side-door into spiritual jazz for anyone trying to follow the beckon of Kamasi Washington’s horn. [Marty Sartini Garner]
68 Comments
Fun fact: Shura is also the name of a very important Islamic court in Iraq.
I could rag on the AV club for all the things I dislike about what’s hip in music today, but instead I’ll give kudos for highlighting that Lonnie Liston Smith track.
Yeah damn kids and their JPEGMafia(?)
What?
new Hold Steady is solid, new Sleater-Kinney is really disappointing (at its best it sounds like SWANS covering Hole), best thing I’ve listened to this week was some stuff I followed up on from OITNB’s soundtrack. “Build a Fire,” the most recent (2017) single from Young Ejecta, and everything by Fern Kinney (whose “Baby Let Me Kiss You” is a highlight). I also finally started listening to whole albums by T.Rex.2019 has been so disappointing artistically (especially in new releases from established artists, man was the Chance a letdown) that by virtue of being a solid entry the Hold Steady album may win the whole fucking year.
This is why I call music the most subjective of all art forms. I’ve been finding 2019 to be one of the strongest years in music in a long time. Today (August 16th) is insane: 11 strong albums came out today, and usually I’m lucky if I hear 5 in a month, let alone a single week.
Really? I am interested to hear the new King Gizz but this whole year has been a huge MEH for me. It’s been the Weyes Blood album, this Hold Steady Album, Pixx, and not a hell of a lot more. L0oking forward do M83 and possible Neon Indian.
Hold Steady’s new release has been great! Have you heard the bundles they’ve been releasing before this album? There’s a lot of good tracks in there.TBH I’ve found this year’s been a dud so far too. 2017/2018 had so much to catch up on though, most of the new music I’ve found has been from then. So much quality punk & alt-country from the previous couple years has kept me distracted in this flounder of a release year.
I’ve been listening to a lot of funk and disco as there’s been so little good new stuff. Might I recommend Zapp and Roger Troutman, or Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” (by Giorgio Moroder).I do wish someone would review the new King Gizz
I just saw King Gizzard back-to-back nights in San Francisco and I was waiting for the weekend post to mention it. Holy fucking hell, man.
seeing them soon, very excited !!!
It’s hard to say what qualifies as a ‘deep cut’ for such an insanely prolific group, but on top of Infest the Rats Nest and the ‘hits’ they play basically the whole first half of Polygondwanaland.Granted, I’ve been fried on acid for about three days. HOWEVER. Totally objectively, their live rendition of “I’m In Your Mind” / “I’m Not In Your Mind” leveled the warehouse. You’re gonna have a great time.
I’ll check out both! Thanks for the recommendations, I don’t listen to enough funk.
This is a strong year for punk for me. My favorite album so far is Otoboke Beaver, but there’s also Guache, Petrol Girls, Amyl and the Sniffers, Control Top, Pup, The Coathangers, Ithica…
Nice recommendations! Amyl & the Sniffers & Pup had strong releases. If you like Pup, you should check out Pkew Pkew Pkew, another Canadian punk band, very similar vein. I’ll have to check out the others you mentioned, haven’t heard of them!
I’m digging The Hold Steady; getting Franz back and adding piano/keyboards back into the mix is huge, as that was one of the things that always made them sound a bit more different.For me, I’d be shocked if anybody knocks Pronoun out of my “Album of the Year” spot; that one alone has made it worthwhile for me.
As much as I like Hold Steady classic, it’s wild to me to think someone might hold it over the new Big Thief, Xiu Xiu, Fat White Family, The Body + Uniform, Tropical Fuck Storm, Billy Woods, Thee Oh Sees, black midi, Hatcie, Mannequin Pussy, Organ Tapes, Purple Mountain, Solange, Wreck and Reference, Slauson Malone, Lingua Ignota, Uboa, etc etc
It’s been a PHENOMENAL year by my reckoning, and that Hold Steady record is a strong confirmation for me that they have absolutely nothing new to say or do anymore, which makes it almost more disappointing than the offensively terrible Teeth Dreams. At least Craig’s solo stuff has been pretty decent lately.
Eh, not many people I know didn’t like Teeth Dreams, sounds like our tastes might be inverted.
I mean, it’s also their worst reviewed, almost the lowest scored on RYM (3.12 vs Heaven’s 3.09), and they on average only play one songs from it in a 24 song setlist, so I think you might be the minority here.
As I said (either here or otherwise) it is more inward, their concerts are more raucous. I was lucky to see them play “Oaks” live.
“absolutely nothing new to say or do anymore”This was my opinion going back to Stay Positive.
Shovels & Rope, Sebadoh, Imperial Teen, and Bob Mould all put out respectable releases. Hoping the New Pornographers don’t let me down.
Come on, we kinda knew there was no way that the new Chance album was going to be a classic… but he is now your mom’s favorite rapper.
nope, I foolishly actually thought it would be even better. Should have been more cautious and less optimistic.
“Should have been more cautious and less optimistic”
That’s Sad Bastard 101.
Loving the new Hold Steady as well. And you are on point re. Sleater-Kinney. Yuck. Not into it. I’ve never cared for St. Vincent, so go figure.2019 has given me a few great albums: the aforementioned THS, Purple Mountains, Country Squire (Tyler Childers), Gold&Grey (Baroness), and Bandana
I like St. Vincent, but she has drank her own kool-aid and it seems like Carrie has also, victims of their own success. I don’t want sonic experimentation to make them sound like the bands I turn off to listen to S-K and if St. Vincent wanted to make a collab record they should have just done that. I did like the new Tyler the Creator. New Sturgill Simpson on the way also. Also got really into Macintosh Plus – Floral Shoppe.
If you think 2019 has been devoid of musical greatness, idk what to say other than maybe you’ve missed out on some stuff?
“it sounds like SWANS covering Hole”Yeah, this actually sounds pretty awesome to me. I would agree that the album is disappointing though. I don’t really feel compelled to listen to it again, which is not something I ever thought I’d say about a Sleater-Kinney record. Seriously, I’m imagining Burning World/White Light era Gira and Jarboe trading off verses on “Doll Parts” and it sounds so cool in my head.
What era of SWANS? ‘Cause, while I don’t like Hole or SK, that sounds kinda cool.
I’m digging the new Hold Steady, but mannnnnn, that new S-K doesn’t sound a lick like S-K. I’ve given it three passes so far, and it just feels so non-distinct. It could easily be the music you hear at the supermarket and you wouldn’t know what you were even listening to while shopping. I don’t think I like it.
yeah, here is my YARGH: sites that are rating it too high are calling it “Sonic Experimentation.” So now it’s experimental to get rid of what makes your band unique and to sound like every other band. Or, more, misusing all of its best assets (corin’s voice and janet’s drumming, guitar interplay) to imitate a more boring band. Experiments in suckage. Pitchfork gave “Hurry on Home” Best New Music…whaaaa? I wonder if disagreement among reviewers is why the review hasn’t come out yet. The A.V. Club mistake is screwing up metacritic but even with that, and even with an 80 (!) it’s the lowest rated of those on the site. “One Beat” is the next lowest at 85…I have always felt One Beat is underrated but 85 is pretty friggin high. AV Club has never been great for music, but jumping out with an A for this and for the new Chance just shows they’re not exercising independent thought, I razzed them for giving that one Neko Case a C because it was idiotic, that doesn’t mean you HAVE to give her an A win or lose. I saw very few articles that pointed out that the backward facing butt art with the heavy St. Vincent makeup and Corin totally checked out (as she has looked in most of the art, moreso than rockstar affectation) was REALLY DUMB LOOKING. NYTimes is the only place so far who has got the review right, interested to see what Pitchfork comes in with.
Where can I hear this band you speak of, SWANS covering Hole? I think I’d enjoy their music if they’re anything like Sleater-Kinney.
That Shura song sounds exactly like a Culture Club song. She seems to be using that same compression on the vocals as Boy George used to.
The new Sleater-Kinney album is to put it mildly not my cup of tea, and to put it dramatically one of the most disappointing albums I’ve ever heard. Multiple songs that have singalong choruses, keyboards and synths so cheesy it sounds like they dropped right out of the late 80s, and more Carrie vocals than I would prefer; she’s not an awful singer or anything, but Corin Tucker has a very unique, iconic voice, and it’s really missing. I understand Janet Weiss’ departure more now; the drums are buried in the mix, less interesting than usual, and rarely have any of that furious drive she’s known for.
A lot of people are saying this, but I don’t really understand. Most of these tracks sound like SK classic, especially The Centre Won’t Hold, Hurry on Home, Ruins, The Body, etc. Even the pop songs sound like a lot of their strong backlog of incredibly poppy material.
I feel like the press on this one plus weird choice in singles (The Future is Here is legitimately the only uninteresting song on the record—definitely shouldn’t have been the second single) has led to some weird expectations for it that are tampering with first listens.
By my money, this isn’t their best record, but it’s a STRONG improvement over the autopilot snoozefest that was No Cities to Love.
Man, the criticisms of the new Sleater album just get more and more baffling. When did they ever not have singalong choruses?
“not my cup of tea” is a very nice way of saying “steaming cup of crap.” It is SO BAD it is just baffling. They proved they still had it with No Cities to Love, and I’m not one to think a band should just keep making the same successful album over and over, BUT… I think the NYT nailed it in their review: The take a whole bunch of chances and new directions on this, and nearly every single one of them is bad.
I completely missed the memo that Shura had a new album out. 2016’s “Nothing’s Real” is one of the most overlooked records of the last few years. It’s vulnerable in a feel-good way and is very worth checking out if you missed it.The new Bon Iver is still jelling with me (maybe it needs to…”Jelmore”). It’s a beautiful listen where I don’t remember any of it after I’ve listened to it. I guess that’s preferable to the love/hate relationship I currently have with the new Sleater-Kinney.
I am ready to put on some new Bon Iver and study like it’s 2009.
GRiZ’s -Banger[2].zip (that was annoying to type out) is killer this week as well. I’m especially vibing on Griztronics.
More of Marty Sartini Garner, please. I don’t care about A.V. Club staffers shitting out 500 words about their Most Recently played track on Spotify.Taking bets on when Clayton Purdom has something to say about another Soundcloud rapper.
Red Hearse ftw
Ross From Friends
And we have a front runner for worst band name of 2019.
I love it.
It’s very disappointing. You’d think after multiple attempts to change their name that Mystic Spiral would have finally settled on something better!
As the largest band, why don’t they eat the other bands?
Perhaps they are saving that for the Grammy’s.
It feels like the intellectual equivelant of calling a bar “Free Beer.” You know it will make people pay attention but ultimately be dissapointed when it isn’t true.
It’s the most annoying band name I’ve heard since JPEGMAFIA.
The existence of JPEGMAFIA and Ross From Friends are a rebuke to everyone who settled on a band name that was “good enough.”
I’m a little confused as to what Alison Brie with bleached hair has to do with the article.
in what world
Seriously
Ms. Brie has a more adorable nose
Pretty sure he name-drops David Brine, not David Byrne
Killswitch Engage released a new one today, and it’s pretty damn good.
Absolutely dude. And Shadow of Intent’s Melancholy is another great release that dropped today. AV Club needs more metal coverage. I listened to all five of these artists and none of them held my attention for more than thirty seconds. Hey y’all, let’s get some more mainstream metal coverage. Maybe hire some metalheads to help enhance your tastes 😉
This has been an unusually strong week in music for me. Usually I’m lucky if there’s 1-3 albums I’m interested, but this week there’s been 11: Blanck Mass, Thee Oh Sees, Versus, The Hold Steady, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Uniform & The Body, Ride, Sleater Kinney, and some new-to-me artists: Oso Oso, Maria Usbeck, and Dry Cleaning. Plus, Tuesday will see the release of Giant Sand’s “Recounting the Ballads of Thin Line Men”. It’s the second time he’s rerecorded a decades-old album, but it’s Giant Sand so I give it a pass.
Heard Bon Iver’s new, exhausting new single on the radio this morning. My reaction, after listening as a fan for all these years… “Honestly, it’s just… It’s enough already.”
My band just put out the first single/ video from our new album…nobody cares, as we are not perky-titted twenty nothings or cool Chicago bands the the writers of the av club made up. We are this:
Including some perky-titted twentynothings isn’t a bad way to get some more clicks. I mean, I’d stick around a bit longer if I knew they were in the mix.
We sort of overshot and filled the video with teens. We’ll get it right SOMEday.
Nice one, boppy and dark. Love some of the stuff in your “Propoganda” section too – lol’d at “Please enjoy your holidays groveling before the gods you made”, among others.
I had no idea that ‘Ross From Friends’ was the name of the band! I thought that maybe Felix Clary Weatherall was David Schwimmer’s real name or something! Learn something new everyday. Unfortunately Felix, your first single did not inspire me to want to hear more (or even to finish that one track). Sorry. But good name for your band.
Peggy is everywhere these days, just heard him guest on a Tkay Maidza track yesterday and a HEALTH non-album single not too long before that. Good for him.
I’ve liked from stuff from Ross From Friends but this one, not so much.
Don’t sleep on the new release from The Regrettes. It’s fantastic.
‘JPEGMAFIA’ is one of the more interesting “band names” to have recently come across as well as, though to a lesser extent, ‘The Messthetics’. Once thought up a purdy good band name, imo, though have forgotten what it was so probably wasn’t that good after all. Had something to do with collars & cuffs which was satorial based & not law enforcement related.