The Highlights

Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

★★★★☆

Released on 4AD

The last time out, Adrianne Lenker and Co. did two albums in one year, sneaking Two Hands and their best single, “Not”, through in October of 2019. This time around they’ve decided to just put the two albums they’ve done together in one sprawling double album. It’s not entirely accurate to call this progressive indie folk. It’s surely indie, given the band’s world-conquering bona fides in that arena. It certainly presents an advancement on the form; Lenker’s lyrics have never felt heavier and their willingness to explore the little obscure areas of their sound has never been more on display. It’s entirely too rustic to use that prog label on it, though. There’s nothing pretentious about the sounds they pursue and the childlike sense of wonder they approach each track with is much more Peter Gabriel solo than Peter Gabriel Genesis. It’s progressive in the purest sense of the word, though, pushing the envelope of what the genre is capable of while staying true to their inner muse. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a tour de force by one of the best bands going right now.

Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa

★★★★

Released on Matador

Spoon have never released a bad album. Hell, they’ve never released a mediocre album. Lucifer On The Sofa is no exception to this. Some Spoon albums are tighter than others, but this one definitely falls on the looser side of their discography. It strips down the bells and whistles they layered in for Hot Thoughts and concentrates on exactly what they’ve always been best at: big riffs and bigger grooves.

empath – Visitor

★★★☆

Released on Fat Possum

Noisy but winsome pop songs recorded though a wall of gain. They sound like a dream that withers away when the alarm goes off.

Fort Romeau – Beings Of Light

★★★★

Released on Ghostly Records

Ambient clouds that lead into breezy, pulsing dancefloor bliss.

We Used To Cut The Grass – We Used To Cut The Grass #1

★★★☆

Released on WKRM The Cream

Jazz pomp with a big band flair and a penchant for cutting in old film clips.

The Rest:

alt-J – The Dream ★★★☆ (Infectious)

Shamir – Heterosexuality ★★★ (AntiFragile)

Frank Turner – FTHC ★★☆ (Xtra Mile)

joywave – Cleanse ★★☆ (Cultco)

Trentemøller – Memoria ★★☆ (In My Room)

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio – Cold As Weiss ★★★ (Colemine)

Night Shop – Forever Night ★★★ (Dangerbird)

Raveena – Asha’s Awakening ★★★☆ (Warner)

Lady Pills – What I Want ★★★ (Plastic Miracles)

Boulevards – Electric Cowboy: Born In Carolina Mud ★★★☆ (Normaltown)

OMBIIGIZI – Sewn Back Together ★★★☆ (Arts & Crafts)

We Broke The Weather – We Broke The Weather ★★☆

Sports – Get A Good Look ★★★ (Naked)

Claire Rousay and More Eaze – Never Stop Texting Me ★★★☆ (Orange Milk)

Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous ★★★☆ (Warner)