8 new local songs, albums to seek out this month
Congratulations, you’ve made it past the halfway point of this awful year! And if you’re like me, good new music helped keep your spirits up while you’ve been stuck at home.
On the local front, there’s been plenty to celebrate, and more strong new albums, EPs and songs to enjoy. These are my eight favorite new Milwaukee releases to check out in July, listed in alphabetical order. With gig money hard to come by for the foreseeable future, please consider supporting these artists by buying their music instead of just streaming it. And if you buy from their Bandcamp pages, do it on July 3, when the music site is waiving its fees so every penny spent goes directly to the artists.
‘Addendum,’ Shogun
Shogun sells itself as “riffs upon riffs, upon riffs, upon more riffs … “and it’s definitely a case of truth in advertising, courtesy of Sam Wallman. But beyond the guitar density on grandiose rockers like “Proto Judas,” there’s versatility, too — foreboding album opener “Eos Archaea” slips into stonerblues licks, while acoustic instrumental “Cascade” is outright lush — and singer Joe Widen, channeling Ozzy Osbourne’s theatricality, matches Wallman’s power.
‘Autonomía,’ Browns Crew
Many may not know that Milwaukee is an important hub for Latin music — internationally recognized local group Kinto Sol is essentially the Public Enemy of Latin hip-hop — and the up-and-coming Browns Crew suggests they can carry on that tradition with the arresting single “Autonomía.” Working with a live band for the first time, rappers El Sebas and Cristo Paz call out for liberty from an oppressive system — and from police corruption and brutality — on a track that actually came out a couple weeks before George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody triggered protests around the world.
‘Bad Love,’ L’Resorts
There’s no vacation for L’Resorts, the ‘60s pop-inspired pairing of couple Vincent Kircher (formerly of Jaill) and Martha Cannon (of Lady Cannon). “Bad Love” is their third full-length album in less than 12 months, but it meets the high standards of their independent projects and past collaborations, with deceitfully breezy arrangements under clever and insightful lyrics inspired by self-doubt and small triumphs. “The People You Meet” is a particular standout, with the singers pondering each other’s romantic commitments through preposterous scenarios — like the loss of one’s head, or the growth of extra teeth — that are silly and sweet all the same.
‘Jumper,’ Lorde Fredd33
Lorde Fredd33’s “Jumper” wasn’t written for these times, but it sure fits them. Recalling the intentionally unsettling juxtaposition that made Childish Gambino’s “This is America” so magnetic — but on an even more visceral level — Fredd33 juxtaposes a soft, spiritual chorus with raw, anguished screams over spastic, aggressive, electronic production. A teaser video, where he juxtaposed photos and videos from Black Lives Matter protests and Klan rallies, amplifies the impact.
‘Luv Infiniti,’ LUXI
On her Bandcamp page, the prolific electronic artist said the five songs on “Luv Infiniti” were written to “express the feeling of breaking through a long period of isolation and loneliness.” They were completed in early 2020 — before we all began our own long period of isolation because of the pandemic. On “Luv Infiniti,” Luxi has created the most energizing songs of her extensive catalog, offering a burst of liberation at a time when that feeling is so hard to come by.
‘Modern Folk, Vol. II,’ John Sieger
Contrary to the title, Sieger’s latest is more like a blast from a long-ago past, the songs written before the world dramatically changed. Sieger’s warm and smart songwriting hasn’t changed at all, though, and the collection here, of gentle and nourishing acoustic guitar strummers like “If You’re Gonna Sing” and “The Pleasure of Your Company,” offers a refreshing change of pace.
‘Morning Light,’ Sleepy Gaucho
Wilco’s Patrick Sansone is one of the artists who lent a hand on Andy Goita’s second Sleepy Gaucho album, which draws a touch of influence from his childhood in Argentina. Chilled psychedelia and bossa-nova notes accompany Gaucho’s dreamy folk tunes, reminiscent at times of Mac DeMarco’s smooth stoner jams.
‘Myths & Monsters,’ SACRED
SACRED clearly worships at the altar of late ‘90s post-grunge, but the group’s sophomore album is never stale. Singer Vincent Black has a commanding voice that never slips into melodramatics, cellist Thea Vorass adds elegance to “Maker” and “Misery,” and it’s clear to see why veteran rock engineer Tom Lord-Alge agreed to mix towering single “Berlin Wall.”
“Must-Hear Milwaukee Music” runs on or around the first of every month in the Journal Sentinel and at jsonline.com. If you have a new album, EP or song coming out, contact Piet Levy at plevy@journalsentinel.com for review consideration..