This week, we lead with two albums that have virtually no ability to listen to enough (or any) of the albums to give you an idea of what to expect. So, we hope the following helps:
LORDE - Solar Power
[LP/DISCLESS CD PACKAGE]
(Republic)
Embracing her inner self and environmental being, New Zealand's Lorde finds her way back to summery optimism ("Solar Power") and Lana Del Rey-esque fence-sitting/navel-gazing ("Stoned At The Nail Salon.") Producer Jack Antonoff is there to guide efforts with his Midas touch (Clairo, The Chicks, St. Vincent.)
STURGILL SIMPSON - The Ballad of Dood and Juanita
[CD]
(High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers/The Orchard)
Following in the footsteps of his very popular "Cuttin' Grass" series, Sturgill combines his gift of storytelling with Bluegrass and Country. Unlike the previous pair, he adds Gospel and even A Cappella music to this outing - as well as the help of Willie Nelson (on "Juanita.")
ANDERSON EAST - Maybe We Never Die
[LP/CD]
(Low Country Sound/Elektra)
Unlike his 2018 album "Encore," Athens, AL's soulful Americana crooner Anderson East makes a big reach toward the current trend of woozy Eighties production ("Hood of My Car,") Seventies Funk ("Drugs") and moody Modern R&B ("Madelyn.") Like the recent Leon Bridges album, East tests the limits of his smooth voice and whether he can score another AAA #1 or even crossover.
DARRIN BRADBURY - Artvertisment
[LP/CD]
(ANTI/Epitaph/AMPED)
East Nashville's Darrin Bradbury stood out in the torrent of singer/songwriters with 2019's promising "Talking Dogs and Atom Bombs." His mixture of John Prine-ish wit and Todd Snider-esque growl (especially thanks to his Walter Mitty-esque "Breakfast") struck a chord as it constructed pictures of the time we live in - without sermonizing or the attempt at undue influence. "Artvertisement" is Bradbury broadening his sound. "Busted World" is uptempo and feels silly, until you realize it is almost a complete abandonment of reason ("The whole thing is a joke and the joke's on you.") The title track takes you at an even faster speed for a Westerberg-ian indictment of the industry. Make no mistake, Bradbury is not just registering an uptempo/downtrodden glimpse of today's world. "Pizza & Drugs" has enough lift in its synth chords to make his wish for a simple morning seem possible. Bradbury proudly is entering that less is more phase of writing (no matter what music is behind him) where any notice should earn him fans.
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - Primordial Arcana
[LP/CD]
(Relapse/The Orchard)
There is heaviness. Then there is HEAVINESS. Olympia's Wolves In The Throne Room occupy that place in Metal where they mix very melodic Death Metal with ominous, barbaric vocals. This meeting of the medieval and the modern stretches over this long descent into the abyss. "Spirit of Lightning" wisely puts its guiding folk instrument part so far upfront that its chime strangely rises above the din the trio creates around it. When it finally arrives at the blastbeat bridge you know is coming, the synth-led melodic remainder actually stands out more. Still, there is an ethereal element on "Arcana" that makes it continue their progress.
