they hit for the cycle. four for four, with a single (Bath County), double (TV in the Gas Pump), triple (Bull Believer) and homerun (Chosen to Deserve). now they go on tour so they will be their own version of the Asheville Tourists.

Anne van den Hoogen's voice is incredibly beautiful and moving. her debut as R & G in 2018 was one of the surprising records of the year. I don't know whether this should be called chamber pop or chamber folk, but it doesn't really matter. if you like great songwriting and world-transcending vocals, then this is a record you must hear. she could be called a Dutch Laura Marling and that wouldn't be too far from accurate, but she has a kind of gentleness and delicacy that is truly all her ... read more

totally destroys and annihilates the original in the best way possible, and it's about time. that was long overdue.

in central Ohio, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. if you know, you know.

these ten jangle poppers in only 13 and a half minutes will have you thinking that Sarah Records has been resurrected. this is C86 indie pop to the max, with a nod to Bill Fox, but from California instead of Glasgow. if you like this kind of stuff like I do, you will be well pleased with this brief but endearing debut.

I don't think this was billed as an acoustic album, but it is way more folky, with almost no trace of the psychedelic elements from her previous album. many of the songs sound like La Luz outtakes. her acoustic guitar playing is of course exceptionally good, but almost too much care was taken to capture the near mechanical perfection of her playing style. the whole album feels a bit heartless but not in a good way. I can still appreciate her massive talent level, which is impossible to ignore ... read more

EP precursor to their one and only album. has all the highlights of the long player: delightfully twisted lyrics, psychedelic hooks galore, and the super-tight rhythm section with absolutely lethal bass lines. easily 20 years ahead of its time in musicality, this band is still well known down under, was a favorite of John Peel, and deserves wider recognition of their quality and value.

make way, Protomartyr is back.

good song, but not better than "Younger and Dumber" unless of course you are.

we can now add Germaine Dunes to the group of musicians orbiting Big Thief that includes Mat Davidson (Twain), and Mary Elizabeth Remington. Dunes is much more than simply Buck Meek's bae, and proves her songwriting mettle on this beautiful debut. like all the people in this scene or collective or whatever you want to call it, her forte is gentle, soulful folk, with a great ear for flow and counterpoint. on the title track "Midnight Game" she sounds uncannily like she could be ... read more

Love is Land is their second, and the strongest of the three albums released by the band so far. produced by Stella Mozgawa, it has more focus and sharper edges than their excellent debut. "Angry" is an unbelievably good song, an instant favorite after one listen. Shawn Marom has an appealing and dynamic voice that is full of surprises. the songs are inventive and lyrically atypical, like "Too Much" which is a preemptive break-up song defining the end of a relationship ... read more

yeah, I mean, I get it, and all respect for taking a risk to write and sing this way, but I am left wondering where is the nuance. with Jens Lekman, or Sondre Lerche, or even FJM, you get the non-standard-but-serviceable singing style that is secondary to the lyrics and overall production. okay, that works with those artists because they have something in the balance that bolsters and identifies their sound and approach. I keep waiting for that with Tomlinson, but all you get is multiple ... read more

great songs and a velvety vibe are the main drivers for this downbeat debut. it takes some effort to get into Cryogeyser's sound, and to appreciate the sophistication of the song structures. a quick listen won't reveal all that's going on here. this is them at their most minimalistic as their later records build in more depth to the overall soundscape. lots of great songs on here but "Leach" stands out.

"Morning Light" is an appropriate ending point for the band. walking out into the dawn of a new day after an all-night round of playing and partying sums up everything about their music and their powerful presence as one of the least appreciated bands of the last few years. many thanks and here's to all the best for them in the years ahead.

the first of two final singles from Dilly Dally, as the band has broken up. they play one final show in May but that's it. after two powerful albums they are done. I will miss Liz Ball's fantastic guitar work, as well as the singularity that is DD era Enda Monks, although I am sure that both have a future as solo artists or in Liz's case in some other band that needs a world-class guitar player. thanks for the great music.

Stella Mozgawa's favorite band (other than Warpaint) and that's good enough for me. deep, dark, and hazy, like Cocteau Twins played at 0.5 speed, with Shawn Marom's delightful deadpan vocal style and a tremendous depth of sound for a three-piece. also perhaps the tallest bass player in the world.

another absolutely killer song that sits right at the heart of Twin Plagues.

hauntingly beautiful single from their debut album. go back and listen to their early stuff. it's just as good as what's coming out in April.

it's a blessed mess and not a hot mess, but Bless This Mess continues the descent I noted previously on Heavy Light. there are still hooks galore and some major songs in "Futures Bet" and "So Typically Now", but the second half of the album simply dwindles away, with the exception of "St. James Way", a song confusingly out of character for her musically. sometimes you need energy and ideas. I think she still has the energy, but one wonders where the ideas are ... read more