A Real Good Time
15 tracks of the month’s best new music
1 elephaNT miCah Fire a
Quietly kicking off our CD this month is this immersive grower from Joseph O’Connell, aka Elephant Micah. Taken from his stunning new record, Genericana, our Album Of The Month, “Fire A” echoes Will Oldham, Bon Iver and Low, but ultimately is O’Connell’s own, very special thing.
2 WhiTe DeNim it might Get Dark
James Petralli and co return this month with their new album Performance; while there are weirder moments on the LP, the rolling “It Might Get Dark” is the kind of joyful Southern boogie that WD do best.
3 CoWboy JUNkies The Things We Do To each other
Returning with their best album in years, Toronto’s Junkies examine the troubled state of the world today; with Margo Timmins’ honeyed vocals and Alan Anton and Michael Timmins’ perfectly crafted melodies, though, they still manage to bring a little sunrise into the dark.
4 oDeTTa harTmaN you you
New York-based Hartman is simultaneously of the future and the past, mixing her “back-porch banjo”, as she has it, with electronic manipulations and loops. The results, though, like “You You”, are ecstatic and immediate.
5 kaThryN Joseph and you survived
Scots singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph received considerable acclaim for her 2015 debut, but her follow-up is even stronger, examining the breakup of a relationship through fractured piano ballads that Thom Yorke or Mark Hollis would surely approve of.
6 mark laNeGaN & DUke GarWooD With animals
More of a muttering tree than a screaming one these days, Lanegan again teams up with the English Garwood for their second LP as a duo. The results are surprising, moody and evocative, with Lanegan in predictably fine voice over all manner of lo-fi drum machines, organs and guitars.
7 Forma Crossings
This Brooklyn trio’s new album, Semblance, is a floaty, kosmische delight; “Crossings”, its opener, is ecstatic and celebratory electronica something like Jean-Michel Jarre collaborating with Cluster.
8 oh sees overthrown
John Dwyer’s Californian lot return with yet another new album, Smote Reverser – this time it’s their best for a while, though, with “Overthrown” a pile-driving hardcore highlight.
9 meNaCe beaCh satellite
This Leeds indie supergroup have further embraced electronica on their third LP, the new Black Rainbow Sound. The fine “Satellite”, then, recalls Cabaret Voltaire and Broadcast in its acerbic, distorted synths and drum machines.
10 TomberliN seventeen
Sarah Beth Tomberlin’s debut album, At Weddings, is a striking and sombre modern classic, reviewed at length on p38. The accessible “Seventeen” is the perfect, Fleetwood Mac-laced introduction to her talents.
11 papa m Walt’s
This piece in 3/4 time (geddit?) is just one of five elegiac acoustic guitar instrumentals on David Pajo’s new record, A Broke Moon
Rises. Lo-fi and icily beautiful, it’s a fitting addition to his quality catalogue.
12 TWo CirCles lodestar
You don’t often get father and son duos, but Nick and Noah De Grunewald buck the trend, with The Underworld & You a hushed, tender offering. “Lodestar” is a quiet highlight with intimate harmonies.
13 amaNDa shires leave it alone
Nashville violinist, singer and songwriter Shires continues on her wayward, eclectic path on her new LP To The Sunset, our Americana Album Of The month this issue. “Leave It Alone” embraces drum machines and gauzy textures for a treat far from Music City’s usual fare.
14 spare sNare We are The snare
John Peel favourites, Dundee’s Spare Snare have teamed up with engineer Steve Albini for an album of old favourites and more – something of a theme tune, “We Are The Snare” even features former Delgado Emma Pollock on backing vocals.
15 DaNiel baChmaN song For The setting sun iii
We close this month with a soothing, abstract piece of guitar work, with Virginia’s Bachman swapping his impressive chops for something more subtle. Watch out for the siren solo.