Fall is in full swing
LOCAL
Richie Reinholdt - The Village Bear / Lochwood
Nothing gets the heart pumping like some energetic banjo. Acoustics can be seen as simple, but Richie Reinholdt proves they are anything but. Each of the five members on this record sound like they are experts in their craft. After all, when things are stripped down, there’s nothing to hide. And this album proves that there’s not a single mistake to be swept under the rug.
ALBUMS
Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension
Sufjan Stevens has created the electronic-dystopia soundtrack of our dreams. Industrial samples layer on top of his relatively monotone voice to create a record that feels eerie and vulnerable, despite never really saying anything. Stevens knows how to use pop techniques, like a particularly catchy hook, to his advantage.
Fleet Foxes - Shore
If Sufjan Stevens’s new album wasn’t enough to put you in a spooky fall mood, no worries. Fleet Foxes will get you excited with “Shore,” conveniently released on the fall equinox. With transitions that knock us out of our seat and a simple harmonies backing the album, Fleet Foxes can’t lose. Here’s a fall album that won’t make us want to hibernate.
Anjimile - Giver Taker
Anjimile takes a look at survival on “Giver Taker.” Written while the artist was in rehab, this retro, introspective, and romantic album plays into love and loss. Anjimile’s voice sounds questioning as peaceful harmonies drift over mellow backing. Anjimile reinvents what we think of as survival and blurs the line between work and rest.
A Certain Ratio - ACR Loco
To put it simply, “ACR Loco” is groovy. The backing is like rubber, constantly bouncing from different, unique sounds. We imagine if we were in a club in Berlin, this is what would be playing. A Certain Ratio know they’re cool, and the music directly follows that confidence. For the first record in 12 years, there’s not semblance of self-doubt. And that’s what makes this album so good.
Pillow Queens - In Waiting
Cuffing season, but make it queer. Pillow Queens knew exactly what they were doing when they released “In Waiting” right at the beginning of fall, AKA when gay yearning exponentially increases. With drilling guitars and vocals that always sound like the singer is one second away from belting, Pillow Queens have made an album that feels intentional without being methodical.
SINGLES
Eels - Are We Alright Again
This is what the rooster in Disney’s Robin Hood would play if he was an indie boy in 2020. “Are We Alright Again” has that bouncy, happy-go-lucky vibe that sounds like a straight shot of serotonin to the brain. The lyrics are deeper than they seem as Eels sings about the existential crisis that most 20-somethings feel on the daily.
Similar Kind - Lost and Lonely
“Lost and Lonely” is the song we would play while having a lowkey evening with our roommates, but we’d still be trying to impress them with our music taste. It’s got backing that grabs our attention with grazing guitar and bass lines, barely drifting along, but still a star of the track. The vocals are two steps away from being jazzy. A grinding chorus switches the energy of the track before coming back down to nonchalant relaxation.
The Mystix - Jumper on The Line
“Jumper on The Line” sounds like The Mystix are secretly a band of bootleggers trudging through the woods in the middle of prohibition. Bluesy Americana mingles with rock staples, like pronounced guitar licks and a gravely voice. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but in this case you don’t need to.
Assembled by music director Meghan Jonas.