It's still summer
Yes, last week we said it was fall. But we were wrong. These releases remind us of summer days that are closer than they appear.
ALBUMS
Vita and the Woolf - Anna Ohio
“Anna Ohio” is like if an indie movie was self-aware. It still has the quirkiness and subtle angst, but the characters don’t have a god-complex. Listening to this record makes us feel cool. Grove to this and remember you’re the main character of your own life.
Special Moves - Little Help
We sure do love a collective, and this might be the coolest one we’ve seen yet. Special Moves is a mass rock-band with different artists sprawled across the record. “Little Help” challenges what it means to be a band and sounds good doing it.
Dream Nails - Corporate Realness
“Corporate Realness” reminds us of summer. It’s light and bubbly (like a glass of champagne, if you will) while being still being very cool (like a beer) but also very fun (like a margarita). It’s a head-bopper and a feet-kicker. What we’re trying to say is: you’ll enjoy listening to this.
Widowspeak - Plum
Can we interest you in some existentialism on this fine day? “Plum” feels lived-in, like we could be listening to it in Widowspeak’s living room. The vocals float around the track, going in and out of mellow instrumentation as we all wonder, “what’s going to happen next?”
John William Watkins - The Oracle
John William Watkins is the friendlier, sweeter, better version of Tiny Tim. “The Oracle” is whimsical and soft. Watkins’s eclectic voice drifts through verses about love, nature, recovery, and melancholy dreams.
SINGLES
Kruder & Dorfmeister - Johnson
“Johnson” is a track that sounds simple but showcases a huge amount of skill. We can hear the effort and creativity in this track, and Kruder & Dorfmeister wisely chose to focus their efforts on hip-hop and funk influences instead of overwhelming us with too many choices.
Charlie Apple - Strange Rover
Charlie Apple sounds like if the troll under the bridge met Alice in Wonderland psychedelics, in the best way. His voice comes deep from his chest and somehow expertly matches the happy-go-lucky cowboy energy of “Strange Rover” without pigeonholing himself.
Peach Kelli Pop - Cut Me Off
Peach Kelli Pop reminds us to give summer its day in the sun. Here’s another cools breezy track that says, “I don’t care if you look at me while I lounge by the pool, but if you’re going to do that, could you at least fan me?”
Assembled by music director Meghan Jonas.