August 2023 Listening Report
Sorry 4 the Wait 2
Other than McKenna, the albums in this month’s A-List are the first I’ve heard from each artist. Many of them have daunting lengths — mainly #’s 3, 4, and 6 — but are each enchanting in their stretching of time.
I had first heard corook on TikTok a few months ago. My wife watched TikTok often, and for about two weeks you couldn’t escape “If I Were a Fish.” Annoying at first —which is probably when most people give up and solidify their position on corook — but over time (as it became less frequent) I came to really enjoy when the opening melody would pop up in the background. When I first played serious person (part 1), I was dismayed by just how serious the opening track felt. As the album continues though, the serious pop craft was apparent and undeniable on the even-numbered tracks that were less serious. Having these tracks break up the melancholy tracks makes it easier to open up to them and appreciate the indelible synth patches and melodies that every song has in spades.
On Lori McKenna, all I’ll write is that I almost dismissed this album because her style is just as assured as her quality. I didn’t register this album for how great it was until I decided to give it my full attention because I knew it couldn’t be as commonplace as my senses were ready to assume. The year’s best country album (so far) and my favorite of hers that isn’t called The Bird and the Rifle.
P.S. Spotify won’t work on Chrome on my work laptop currently, so I’ll post Apple Music links for the A-List albums that aren’t on Bandcamp. Truthfully, I don’t like posting Spotify links anyway, but I don’t know how to make Apple Music links look as pretty yet.
P.P.S. When I first played Piconema, I thought it was some of the best African jams this side of Guitar Paradise of East Africa. It didn’t hold my attention well on subsequent plays, but after reading Semipop Life’s recent review (which can be found in one of their recent posts on Substack) I’m wondering if my first instinct was closer to the truth.
P.P.P.S. I had a whole review typed out about Travis Scott’s new album, but decided to not post it because, after reading a couple of other reviews, I figured I didn’t write anything novel. Just know its probably the worst new album I’ve heard this year. It sounds like if an A.I. listened only to 2008-2013 Kanye West and shat out an album. When A.I. can replicate emotion, Travis Scott might release a worthwhile album again. D+
A-List
Lori McKenna: 1988
corook: serious person (part 1)
“CGI”
Bill Scorzari: The Crosswinds of Kansas (2022)
Felo Le Tee & Mellow & Sleazy: The III Wise Men
Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing
Allen Lowe and the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: America: The Rough Cut
Big Freedia: Central City
Elle King: Come Get Your Wife
grouptherapy.: I Was Mature For My Age, But I Was Still a Child
Snõõper: Super Snõõper
Natural Information Society: Since Time Is Gravity
Jelly Roll: Whitsitt Chapel
Piconema: East African Hits on the Colombian Coast
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Honorable Mentions
Barbie The Album
Sexxy Red: Hood Hottest Princess
Blondshell
Madeline Kenney: A New Reality Mind
Palehound: Eye on the Bat
ICECOLDBISHOP: GENERATIONAL CURSE
The Cucumbers: Old Shoes
Ceramic Dog & Marc Ribot: Connection
WITCH: Zango
The Tubs: Dead Meat
Sweeping Promises: Good Living Is Coming For You
Geese: 3D Country
Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah: Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning
Militarie Gun: Life Under The Gun
CHIKA: SAMSON: THE ALBUM
Valee & Harry Fraud: Virtuoso
DDG: Maybe It’s Me…
Abo El Anwar: Akhro Noor
Blur: The Ballad of Darren
Kode9 & Burial: Infirmary/Unknown Summer
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown: Scaring the Hoes: DLC Pack
Gloss Up: Before The Gloss Up
Ricardo Dias Gomes: Muito Sol
Carly Rae Jepsen: The Loveliest Time
Nas: Magic 2
Georgia: Euphoric
Rauw Alejandro: PLAYA SATURNO
glaive: i care so much that i dont care at all
ANOHNI and The Johnsons: My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
Bethany Cosentino: Natural Disaster
Eve Maret: New Noise
Claud: Supermodels
Chuck D: We Wreck Stadiums
Sirius Blvck: Alter Ego.
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But Not For Me
Beverly Glenn-Copeland: The Ones Ahead
Dominic Fike: Sunburn
Julie Byrne: The Greater Wings
PJ Harvey: I Inside the Old Year Dying
Tune-Yards: I’m a Virgo (Prime Video Original Soundtrack)
Post Malone: AUSTIN
Travis Scott: UTOPIA