Dijon – Baby [R&R/Warner 2025]
R&B new dad has a lot of experimentalism in his sound – Prince plus Bon Iver – but melodically underwhelms. 3.5/5
(“Yamaha”, “Rewind”, “Automatic”)
Water From Your Eyes – Everyone’s Crushed [Matador 2023]
Album three from the duo of Nate Amos and Rachel Brown – these two are art rockers who do in fact art and rock. Their lyrical subject matter is the usual of these types, cryptic takes on the mildly anxious state of mind that a good dose of psychedelics can provide, usually put over quite conversationally in Brown’s castrati-reminiscent voice. Musically the focus is textural, a switch from prickly to jabby to drones to rumbly and while I can’t recommend something temperamental – as say acid – a few hits of a sativa should make it shine. For those of us that abstain though I’d point out that you’re not wrong in feeling a lack of emotional stakes, they don’t seem to deal in them. 3.5/5
Water From Your Eyes – It’s a Beautiful Place [Matador 2025]
Bigger and much more guitar forward – I like that, but vaguer lyrically. It’s an example of how Nate Amos, like the members of Being Dead or Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs falls into the archetype of Swiss Army Man due to his ability to impeccably mimic extant sounds and then place said sounds in music seemingly with ease. In the runup to the record’s release he and his songwriting partner Rachel Brown, the one whose voice comes from the Little Boy school of they/them HRT, mentioned just how “funny” they both found guitar to be. Loe-and-behold they put together an alt rock album that is as overindulgent, emotional, and groovy as they think is ironically appropriate before the laughs stop. And like methadone, it’ll hold you over until something more substantial comes your way. 3.9/5
Kneecap – Fine Art [Heavenly Recording 2024]
Now this one sets them up better for a few reasons; the rapping is stronger and their roles more clearly defined. It turns out it’s more Run DMC than Beastie Boys, Mo Chara is the tenor voiced shit talker to Moglai Baps’ baritone expert in all things stimulant or depressant featuring DJ Próvaí on the beats, which this time around are a virulent mixture of Celtic instruments with the kind of post dubstep Euro-house that’s so easily adapted to pop song structures. Makes those festivals easier to headline, right? And Lordy what a picture these guys paint, working class Irish Catholics still under the boot of Brit colonialism who swear that doing copious amounts of drugs and dancing can be a path to peace. Ruffians with conscience, and geezers – blokes even – who won’t let how they disappoint their parents take away from their pride. Complex even if I don’t totally agree. 4.2/5
Open Mike Eagle – Unapologetic Art Rap [Mush 2010]
Back when hip hop had an underground that was more of an ecosystem than it is today this late 20’s nerd dropped the most 2010 indie rap record to ever be indie rapped. His rhymes are of the post MF DOOM and Aesop Rock school of interesting that are mixed with the blogger thoughts that the Obama era signified. He’s not all the way there yet though. 3.5/5
(“WTF is Art Rap”, “Freak Flag”)
Blondshell – If You Asked For A Picture [Partisan Records 2025]
Her melodies remain strong but her lyrics aren’t as revelatory and her songs are too padded to feel like they can hit their mark. 47 minutes of mush mixed guitar doesn’t convey much outside of those bands post 1994 who blended in with the wallpaper. Examples: “Thumbtack”’s best riff doesn’t come in until 3:42 after we’ve been through three verse-chorus pairings none of which get any deeper after the first; name a single song after “23’s a Baby” that gives more to the listener than the listener has to give to it; “Part of me still left her in 2012” is her core, it’s what made “Logan’s a dick/I’m learning that’s hot” so potent. 3.5/5
Billy Woods – Dour City [Backwoodz 2013]
Still noided about the revolution, still kinda gross when he writes about sex, features often wash him. 3.4/5
(“Tinseltown”, “Tumbleweed”)
MIKE – Tears of Joy [10K 2019]
His emotional vision comes into focus, finding comfort in tales of heartbreak and the love of his mother. 3.3/5
La Dispute – No One Was Driving the Car [Epitaph 2025]
Where once there were dynamics and hooks both guitar wise and vocally, here on their second album in 10 years the band now in their 40s focuses on the destructive nature of failed capitalistic promises in their native Michigan with some rage and mostly a density that feel punishing. Remember “I think I saw you in my sleep, darling” or “Can I still get into heaven if I killed myself” or “There is history in the rooms of the house”? Yea me too. 3.4/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River [Fantasy 1969]
A man and a band jam during ‘nam. 4.0/5
Cosmic Hero 