Well well well, we’re halfway into the year now. I hope you’re all having a nice year and a summer as equally busy and balanced as I am. The Olympics completely took hold of my media intake for the month, but I still listened to new albums as I commuted, at least. If you’re stumbling onto this, what I’ve been doing this year is monthly posts where I do flash reviews of (nearly) every new release I listen to. I had a week in the middle of the month where I unintentionally listened to a bunch of new releases from big name indie bands, so I balanced it out with a week of nothing but lesser-known artists. As a result, there’s a lot of smaller stuff in this month’s batch, and I really hope you find something that sounds interesting to you. I’ve got 36 flash reviews here, so apologies if this crashes your browser. Next month will be smaller, I’m starting to get burnt out a little.

Covered below is five big name indie groups, some impressive debuts, a handful of operatic metal albums, some excellent local picks, an album that’s going to hurt the tour, and a tribute album that was designed to fail. All that and much more, now half off. Let’s go ->

January | February | March | April | May | June

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Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me

I’m incredibly down with the y’allternative movement. Waxahatchee and Hurray For the Riff Raff have already released great albums this year, and we’re staring down a full release from Orville Peck. I was into the last Maggie Rogers record, but I’ve been waiting for a great one. I think she delivered one here. Some songs work better than others, but the combination of strong-yet-sparse guitar, Maggie’s excellent vocals, and nostalgic tunes about slow American life are designed to win. The best songs here are the melancholic personal ones, the ones that describe real personal experiences done in a “Glory Days” haze of relatable pining. Some songs get a little too quaint, or a little too individualistic to really grab ahold of. But, as someone who was also once young, many of these hit me in the heart. And Rogers, like many others currently, is expert at diluting these elements of country music and running them through a faint alternative structure. It’s music practically designed for me. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 4/12/24

The Bridge City Sinners – In The Age Of Doubt

Give a quick shoutout to water. A couple years ago I was at Riot Fest in Chicago when I took a break to refill my water at the sole hydration station on festival grounds. Right next door was the smallest stage, where the Bridge City Sinners were playing and readers, I was hooked immediately. Bands shouldn’t still be finding new ways to combine genres, but here we’ve got hardcore bluegrass. The band – and I was already a huge fan by the time the plane wheels touched back down in Boston – sings about heavenly bodies and beasts and mythical creatures, complete with occasional gnarly screaming, all done through acoustic Appalachian instruments. I imagine there’s other bands out there like this, and they’re not far removed from psychobilly, but I don’t know of anything in this alley. Their new album is as great as their previous ones. It’s a high 8, and one I’ll revisit and possibly bump up even more. A serious top 20 contender so far. 

Grade: 8/10   Initial release date: 7/12/24

Friko – Where we’ve been, Where we go from here

I’d been itching to get to this one! I’ve been loving both singles I’ve been hearing on the radio (“Crimson to Chrome” and “Get Numb To It!”). Both songs are guitar-forward bangers ripped from 90’s alt-rock, and with enough maturity and emotion in the rhythms and lyrics to hide the fact that this is a debut. But it is a debut, and these two youngsters seem like they already have a world of travel under their belts. The opener “Where We’ve Been” is a deeply patient ballad, something akin to Interpol’s “Lights” (or many other of their tunes). Truthfully, more than half of the album is slower songs, representing a wide range for a debut. It mostly all works, although there are a few too many down moments across the softer songs. The strength doesn’t lie in just the singles, there’s some other great bangers and a couple very effective ballads. There does need to be just a touch more energy, which is stopping this from hitting the elite 8 grade. But it’s a heavy 7.5, and with another listen it could easily rise. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 2/16/24

Mk.gee – Two Star & The Dream Police

This was a frustrating one. I had heard one or two of this guy’s tunes on the radio, and they sounded intriguing. But on the whole, I feel like I didn’t “get” this album. I try to like all music, but I would much rather dislike something than not really get it, because it means I failed to engage with it in the correct way. Mk.gee is a solo artist, making lo-fi indie centered around spacey guitar work. He’s a very talented musician, and his songs indicate a much more experienced and mature artist than his age – just like Friko. I’ve never really heard music like this, even within the realm of lo-fi. I will say, this was a rare example of an album where I enjoyed the back half more than the front. I’m not sure if I just clicked with the style more or whether the songs were more well-developed – I think both. These songs are soft and vulnerable, and often quite catchy. There’s a sultry element here too, these songs are so light and fluid that it’s inherent. There wasn’t enough for me to grab on to, mostly, and I think that was the point. Or maybe I’m just old. This is music for the kids.

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 2/9/24

Folterkammer – Weibermacht

Despite its origins in violence, hatred and intentional obscurity, black metal has become somewhat theatrical. Black metal bands are often so serious that it fishhooks back around into being comical. But Folterkammer are smartly leaning into this dynamic, with a record that is pure, operatic black metal. The album wastes no time in showing it, with Andromeda Anarchia’s legitimately operatic vocals belting within seconds of opening track “Anno Domina” starting. I have not heard this band before now, so let me say, I was floored by how powerful her voice is. This group bridges the gap between opera and metal in a way that most bands would performatively shun. This has the aura of Ghost, except Ghost constantly falters in image over music. I kept expecting the music here to get dull or repetitive, but it doesn’t. It’s ripping black metal start to finish. And in case you think this band is too serious – they’re American, but sing in German, and one song title translates to “Kiss My Feet!” It’s only fitting that the record ends with a cover of “Venus In Furs”; I wouldn’t have made the connection, but Velvet Underground are a band equal in their balance of comical performativity and genuinely great music. No, this is no Lou Reed, but it is one of the better metal albums I’ve heard this year. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 4/19/24

Couch Slut – You Could Do It Tonight

No, I don’t think JD Vance has heard this band. This is some extremely me stuff. Gnarly, nasty and intense experimental punk. I love stuff like this, and this band delivered. Yet another group that I know nothing about, I believe this was a rare algorithm-delivered gem. The best tracks here are “Couch Slut Lewis,” “Ode To Jimbo” and “Energy Crystals For Healing,” all of which are slamming, midtempo songs with guttural vocals. The latter track is the quickest one on the album, but it’s still slogging. This band is akin to METZ in that they know how to pummel someone while being measured about it. As is always the case with experimental punk, it doesn’t all work. Spoken-word track “The Donkey” is tedious in execution and fairly lame in content, although the story being told does highlight the band’s grimy authenticity. The finale “The Weaversville Home For Boys” is also spoken-word, definitely better because of pounding music but still among the weaker tracks. Still, this album has me wanting to check out more. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 4/19

Office Dog – Spiel

Forgot what I said about Couch Slut, algorithms are never your friends, and they’re bound to disappoint in music discovery. After starting to compile lists of songs & albums I’ve liked this year, the spotify algo kept suggesting songs from this album as additions, and the band name got me (as did the related artists). It’s fine, but I wouldn’t place it with many of the bands that the app thinks are similar. This album is a mishmash of indie and post-hardcore stuff. Naturally, I liked the heavier stuff more – namely the absolutely pounding song “Gleam,” which comes to us from the same side of the tracks as Cloud Nothings. One common thread the band uses is prolonged bridges, common in post-hardcore but not really elsewhere. It’s interesting to see the concept transposed to general rock/indie, and it sometimes works. Ultimately, the album is inconsistent in tone (complimentary) and inconsistent in quality (derogatory), with some songs really standing out against others. It’s unique, but it’s hit-and-miss. 

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 1/26/24

BRICKLAYER – BRICKLAYER

Haha this rocks, what a surprise. Another local winner, and one I’ve stumbled onto while knowing absolutely nothing about the people behind it. This quick little debut (I think?) album comes rife with indie-punk jams, guitar-heavy and fun as can be. The band describes their own music as danceable thrash, which is pretty accurate. It’s not out of league with, say, The Hives. These songs are quick, many of them raucous but clean and bouncy. Can’t wait to hear them on a stage at some point. “Gay Breakfast” is already one of my favorite songs of the year. I rarely actually relisten to albums and I’ve already returned to this one.

Grade: 8/10   Initial release date: 3/1/24

Cage the Elephant – Neon Pill

Yeah, I was scared going into this one. The only reason I knew there was a new CTE album was because it popped up on my Spotify radar, I never heard any singles in advance anywhere. I’ve felt ever since their debut that this band was going to go the way of uninspired adult alternative, so massive props on it taking them this long. The band has navigated around some different influences in the past, from 60’s garage rock to psych-inspired indie, always with a youthful energy. Sadly that energy has finally drained. The songs across this album aren’t bad, really, just bland as all belief. There’s nothing particularly memorable about anything happening here, and what’s worse is that the band feels aware of this. I used to count this band among my favorites (nothing happened, I just don’t listen to them as much these days). Tis a shame. 

Grade: 6.5/10   Initial release date: 5/17/24

Justin Timberlake – Everything I Thought It Was

I put this on all ready to write a scathing, mean review but honestly, this album is frustratingly okay. Timberlake’s solo career has been marked by a big-budget arena star allowing himself a bit of left-field elements. This has usually come simply in the form of longer songs, but he’s always found ways to mix up some otherwise rote ideas. For some reason, maybe just age and waning general interest, I figured this would be the dullest album of the year. Some of it is fun! It’s inconsistent from song-to-song, but there’s some old school JT jams in here. There’s some good pop, good R&B, and a handful of songs that stretch out longer just to keep the party going. All of that said, it’s much too much. It’s 18 songs and 77 minutes when it only needs to be half of that. And, there’s plenty of cuttable songs. The album is bogged down in excess, something that Timberlake has made himself all too familiar with in other ways lately. By the time you get to the penultimate track, an alleged victory lap that comically “features” N*SYNC, the album is out of steam. That song should’ve been huge but it’s DOA. That goes for too many of these tunes. It’s far from bad, but it’s easy to see why people have kind of rejected this album. It’s going to hurt the world tour.

Grade: 6.5/10   Initial release date: 3/15/24

Rick Rude – Laverne

Take two! A chronic issue with me is that I’ll listen to something I moderately enjoy, but wait so long to grade and/or review it that it leaves my brain entirely. The new album from Rick Rude – no, not the king of the camel clutch – fell victim to my lethargy. I’m glad I revisited it, because I loved it more the second time around. The band seems to tease the audience by inviting in specific, familiar sounds and brush them off just as quickly. They’re not truly emo, but they’ve got the sensitive guitar licks. They’re not really indie, but they’ve got the fuzz. They sometimes rock harder than both genres (especially on the rollicking opener “Wooden Knife”). They’re appealing to anyone who likes shows in basements, be it acoustic guys or punk weirdos. Add in a very effective dual-singer approach, and you’ve got a winning record. Ravishing work.

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 2/2/24

Fabiana Palladino – Fabiana Palladino

This was refreshing. Like many recs, I don’t quite remember where this one came from, appearing on my catch-up list one day when I was hazily adding stuff. This isn’t really my normal vibe, but I was with it. Palladino is a throwback pop singer, mixing 80’s aesthetics with the soft 90’s sounds of, say, Enya. It’s an album that’s peaceful and relaxed without ever growing tedious. There’s a lot of ambition here, and every song manages to sound fresh despite the moss-covered influences. I would not call this “retro,” just inspired by the past and updated for the present. Great, lowkey pop for a calm, warm day.

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 4/5/24

Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code

Bear with me, because I fell behind in my reviews and memories are fleeting. I recall checking this band out a number of years ago and finding them to be a quirky, jazzy indie group in the same realm as tune-yards. I’m not sure if that’s true necessarily, especially considering that what I got here was somewhat different. This record is mostly very minimalist and ambient indie, and mostly very pleasant. It’s an enjoyable listen as long as you don’t expect anything too energetic. It is in the same world of moderate experimentation that I had the band placed in my head, just a different kind. It’s unique and very digestible. Oddly, the album kicks into high gear right at the end, finishing off with a trio of songs that suddenly kick up the fuzzy guitar into borderline punk energy. Fun stuff all around though.

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 6/28

This Is Lorelei – Box For Buddy, Box For Star

Water From Your Eyes is already a difficult band to classify, so when the singer broke off for a solo album, it was destined to be a mess of influences. The first half reminds me of hip-hop producer Nigo’s 2000 album Ape Sounds, an everything-at-the-wall indie release where the point was making it not cohesive (it also spawned “Freediving,” a top 5 all-time favorite song of mine). Here, the opening song is surprisingly country-fied. The following song is glitch-y, electro-rock, and the next is proper indie. It’s got that unpredictability. The back half of the album is much more straight indie, a lot of singer-songwriter vibes. It feels more like a “song dump,” though the songs are perfectly adequate. In all, it’s a bit too long I think. But if you’re looking for music that’s catchy and peaceful but somewhat messy in a fun way, it’s solid.

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 6/14/24

Vince Staples – Dark Times

This album shares much in common with the rapper’s 2021 self-titled album, yet the reasons why I didn’t like that album are why I do like this one. Staples made his name doing bass-heavy, aggressive rap that married huge beats with lyrics that were often shockingly blunt and depressing. But he’s always one for making what he wants to, instead of falling to fan service. Dark Times is much more minimalist, calculated and jazzy. While he explored this side on his self-titled, it was ultimately very repetitive. This album is an unpredictable delight through and through. Vince even directly references that he’s not making another Big Fish Theory. This record is patient and unique, and represents a proper shift in tone while remaining distinctly Vince. Almost definitely going to be one of my favorite rap records of the year.

Grade: 8/10   Initial release date: 5/24

Screaming Females – Clover

Rest in Peace Screaming Females. The final dispatch from the long-running NYC indie rock band was nothing out of the ordinary, a small set of punchy, fuzzy and guitar-focused tunes. That is to say, it’s real good. I was never quite as into this band as I wanted to be, owing maybe to the fact that the one time I got to see them was just an off-day for them (their live show was allegedly raucous, something I did not experience). But I do love some simple rock, and these songs have no illusions to them – fast, melodic and rough. More of the same, sure, but the same never expired. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 2/16/24

GUPPY – Something Is Happening…

I went into this one having no clue what to expect, and I’m not quite sure what I got. The opening track is a warm if not tepid ballad, but the rest of the album gives way to post-punk a la Cheekface. In fact, the band even shows up in Spotify’s Cheekface playlists. I didn’t gibe with it at first, but the very comical lyrics won me over quickly. There’s a lot of metrical guitar chords, fun percussion and spoken lyrics. I’ll say exactly for this what I said for Cheekface – you’ll like this if you think Gang Of Four is great but too noisy. This isn’t something I would listen to often, but it’s fun as hell. I liked it more and more as it went on. Best song title of the year: “I’m Fighting a 10 Foot Tall Nancy Pelosi.” 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 5/17/24

slimdan – Second Dinner

This one slipped in right at the end of the weekly indie countdown I listen to, and something about the individual song chosen grabbed me. The song was acoustic one-man stuff, very off the cuff and storyteller-like, while also titled “Wienerschnitzel.” The rest of the album follows suit – music that’s one man’s life told through song, both honest and comical. Sometimes one song swings fully in one way, but many of them marry the two. Not all of it works, and some of it is just dull, but the good songs are striking. It’s imperfect, but it’s different. 

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 7/19/24

The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

I’ve never been on board the Decemberists train, I’ve felt that the criticisms levied at Arcade Fire could be transposed onto them instead; namely, that they seem too snooty and uptight for their own good. But I’ve liked some songs over the years, and I really like this album’s lead single “Burial Ground,” so I gave it a go. It’s mostly solid! This is the definition of a bookend album, where it starts and ends very strong but loses the way in the middle. It’s the first Decemberists album in a while, but the 67-minute runtime is daunting and a bit unnecessary. The two singles – “Burial Ground” and the equally fun “Oh No!” kick the party off, but it declines quickly. The next batch of songs are much more lowkey, sometimes just Colin Meloy and a guitar, and they’re meandering. Maybe it’s me, but if I’m listening to the Decemberists, then I want a big-band affair with lots of unconventional instruments and complex rhythms. The whole middle section of the album is lacking here, and the tunes just don’t quite cut it. Things pick back up with the very fun “America Made Me,” which gives some good momentum to bring them into the finale. “Joan In The Garden” is an unwieldy 19 minutes in length, and uses every second. It follows the format I expected – nineish minutes of standard Decemberists stuff, then a portion of quiet, experimental sound, then a rollicking finale. The end of the song admittedly rips off “Breaking the Law” (!!) in riffage, but whatever, it’s fun to see a normally strung-up band kick it into high gear. It’s a great song and worthy of the runtime. As for the rest of the album? Well, it’s solid, and the bigger fans will have a lot to like.

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 6/14/24

Iron & Wine – Light Verse

I’ve mentioned it elsewhere this year about other artists, but Iron & Wine is one of about ~15 legacy indie artists that I’ve always enjoyed hearing, but have just never done a deep dive on. I don’t always appreciate man-and-a-guitar music but this album is rock solid. It’s bolstered mostly by a couple of songs that sole member Samuel Beam knows are great, but the rest of the album cuts are all worthy. The opening track “You Never Know” will go down as one of the prettiest songs of 2024. The collaboration with Fiona Apple (!!) “All In Good Time” is, naturally, brilliant. There’s a couple great tracks on the backside that help the album to chug along. At base level, this is pretty music. A few songs go well beyond that. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 4/26

Camera Obscura – Look To The East, Look To The West

Another legacy indie artist, this time it’s one that I have relatively kept up with. Or at least I did during their original run, as this is their first album in eleven long years. It’s utterly fantastic, likely going to be one of the best indie albums in a severely crowded year. These songs are patient, mature and lowkey, and practically every one of them is extraordinary. My three picks are the opener “Liberty Print,” “The Night Lights” and the closing title track, but nearly every song works. Oddly, the only one that struck me as dull was “Big Love,” which seems to be the most popular so far. But, for all the hip parents out there still spinning Yo La Tengo and Hold Steady records, this is another entry for the record cabinet. 

Grade: 8/10   Initial release date: 5/3/24

Kerry King – From Hell I Rise

The Slayer break-up was never going to last. No metal band ever truly retires. By the time that Kerry King – Slayer’s lead guitarist throughout their entire tenure – had released his “solo” debut, Slayer had already announced a few reunion gigs. It’s nothing permanent, as King is focusing on a full tour of his own, but it does serve as a metaphor for his “solo” album in general. It’s a great album, it’s just that it’s a Slayer album. It sounds like a Slayer B-sides album, mimicries of and nods to all of the Slayer eras. That’s not a bad thing at all, we’ll all gladly take more Slayer. It does mean that King’s solo music doesn’t have an identity of its own, though, which is a missed opportunity after 40+ years of one band. It does both help and hurt that King is only present on this album through guitars, since he is not a singer; he also isn’t the only guitarist, which feels odd. It only adds to the Slayer vibes, who have always dual-wielded two incredible axemen. A lot of this is hokey, including an especially cringey ‘both sides’ political song. But that’s what you’d expect from Kerry King in 2024. So unsurprisingly, if you like Slayer, you’ll like this, and if you don’t, then you won’t. I do! 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 5/17/24

Attic – Return Of The Witchfinder

This band owes a lot, and I mean a lot of debt to the always underrated metal group Helloween. Although the gruesome album cover invokes the current wave of death metal, this band is really more aligned with 80’s power metal. The music is mostly fast and heavy but in an inviting manner, and the piercing falsetto vocals from singer Meister Cagliostro soar above the guitars like a phoenix over a fire. The band does tell tales of violent imagery, but the Iron Maidenesque music makes the actual storytelling easy to glance over. This is definitely an exceptional power metal record – ripped from 1985. If you’re into that kind of thing, then make this one a priority. I’ve never been one for power metal, personally, in fact I’m very put off by it. Despite the incredible vocals and intricate music here, I was supremely bored. But power metal is one genre I’ve just never learned to love. If I were writing more serious reviews here, I’d grade this one highly. But speaking only for me, it’s way too much of an okay thing. 

Grade: 6/10   Initial release date: 3/24/24

PARTYNEXTDOOR – PARTYNEXTDOOR 4

Now there’s an artist I haven’t kept up with. To be fair, PARTYNEXTDOOR isn’t known as much for his solo music as he is for his collabs and production work. The man made his mark working with Drake, and it continues to show; this feels identical to a Drake album. That is to say, there’s a ton of songs with rudimentary beats and talk-sung lyrics that can really vary in quality. It’s more about vibes, sultry music for the bedroom. I mean, look at the cover. It’s easy to imagine this record getting put on in the mood; one can hope the coitus is not as dry as the music. Most of these songs are so minimalist and low-key that they border on not existing at all. Some songs have genuine heartfelt lyrics, but it’s mostly lifeless music start to finish. One of the most interesting things throughout is a near-silent (and uncredited?) DMX vocal sample that’s used as a beat, which is cool.

I will say this: I listened to most of this on the subway and moved to my laptop for the final four songs, and I got more into them. So I absolutely listened to this in the wrong setting. But if headphones on at a desk is the way to appreciate this, then the vibes still aren’t right, because I’m alone. This is designed for two or more people. Then again, look at the lyrics to “No Chill.” He’s been alone, too. 

Grade: 6.5/10   Initial release date: 4/25/24

Washed Out – Notes From A Quiet Life

The guy that did the Portlandia song 15 years ago used generative AI to make a music video for this album. If he’s not going to put any effort into his art, then neither will I. Fuck you.

Grade: 0/10   Initial release date: 6/28/24

Thou – Umbilical

Historically I’m very hit-and-miss on sludge metal, but Thou holds a special place in my heart. The prolific group hasn’t been consistent over the years, but when you release as much music as they have, some of it is going to hit. The worst thing a Thou album can be is boring, and Umbilical is never boring. The band hasn’t really changed their tune – grim opining, screeching, riffs with the thickness and speed of molasses, and morose black and white imagery. But they’re completely checked in, pummeling the listener with relentless guitar and screams, making sure to fill (nearly) every song with unique elements. Hopefully, this won’t get lost in the sea of their other releases. It’ll certainly be one of the best metal albums of the year. 

Grade: 8/10   Initial release date: 5/31/24 

Cardinals – Cardinals

Alright, we need to talk about British indie. Amidst the growing group of talk-sing indie punk bands (IDLES, Dry Cleaning, etc), there’s a thread of aggressive, artsy alternative. Bands like Cardinals – who I would liken to Black Country, New Road – feel born from the same womb. Though this is just a short EP, it’s riveting. It’s got that same feel as BC,NR, where it feels both jazzy and cynical despite never straying from alternative. Cardinals are more guitar-focused, but the feel is the same. These are super intriguing songs, and they hit a wide range of emotions in a short amount of time. “Unreal” is a great banger, while “If I Could Make You Care” is a wonderful closing ballad. Get your foot in the door on these guys, I think they’re gonna go places.

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 6/7/24

GUM/Ambrose Kenny-Smith – Ill Times

I don’t know much of anything about GUM but when you put a member of King Gizz on a record, I will listen to that record. To be honest, this just sounded like an off-brand Gizz record, one of the more lowkey ones like Gumboot Soup or Changes. Those records are fun and lighthearted, just some breezy jams. Same goes here. It’s low-stakes indie that floats around some jazzy and alternative influences; mindless summer music, really. This is not a record to return to or elevate much, but it’s fun enough for a listen.

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 7/19/24

Rusty Mullet – An Album About Home

By this point I’m going to just stop relegating local stuff to shoutouts, because so much of what I’m listening to is better than that. Besides, highlighting smaller acts is the point of all of this, no? Rusty Mullet have been on my radar for a bit, I dug their previous head-scratcher of an album, a whirlwind of indie, funk, rock, and jazz. Home is a little clearer in scope, both a plus and a minus. It’s still an eclectic album – the opening two tracks are almost suspiciously slow and conventional, and then they give way to the punk energy of “4313274.” Outside of that track though, the best songs are actually the somber ones, the opposite of their previous record. It’s a fun mix, and it could’ve used more energy peppered in, but it’s a strong local release. This one deserves more attention. It’s a strong 7. 

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 6/7/24

Camila Cabello – C,XOXO

I’ve always been partial to Cabello’s solo music, but I haven’t super kept up with her output. This is kind of a confounding album, it’s very much throwing tons of stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks. There’s some great pop songs, a great Latin track, and some fun dance stuff. And some of it really doesn’t work, either. Respect for trying lots of things, this is a rare case where I may award points for something that isn’t great. 

But also, Cabello gets overshadowed by her own guests here. She isn’t at her most confident on this record, and bringing in guests like Lil Nas X, Playboy Carti and Drake are missteps, because she gets lost in her own mix. There’s even an interlude that’s just Drake! It’s even credited as solely a Drake song! (Also yes – this came out in the middle of the feud, which is ill-advised). The whole thing wraps up in 32 minutes, which is great. This album would suffer from additional bloat, it already walks a thin wire at 32 minutes. But when this is fun, it is fun. And with an artist like Cabello, that’s the point. 

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 6/28/24

Dolmen Gate – Gateways of Eternity

If you weren’t aware, the name of Portuguese metal band Dolmen Gate refers to a Magic the Gathering card. I didn’t know that either, and you have to add “band” to the end of the Google search. But it’s helpful context, because the band makes the same kind of epic heavy metal that you’d associate with something like Magic. This is the type of metal that straddles hard rock more than anything – owing a lot to the propulsive but ultimately catchy music of Iron Maiden. It’s not normally the type of metal I prefer (Maiden aside), but I can appreciate something like this. These songs have a ton of energy to them, mostly fun energy and not ferocious. The tunes feel like part of bigger worlds, the album has a grand scope. There’s definitely some crossover appeal for power metal fans here, it has the same structure of being loud and aggressive without making any sacrifices to melody. I didn’t love it, but I did have some fun. 

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 4/25/24

Johnny Blue Skies – Passage Du Desir

Somebody sound the alarm, we’ve got another Chris Gaines! Well, kind of. Country singer Sturgill Simpson (who I am historically a big fan of) once promised to release five albums under his own name, and no more. I suppose it’s a way of staying fresh, although his previous foray into rock already accomplished that. No matter, long live Johnny Blue Skies. It’s just Sturgill, and he didn’t deliver what I expected. With a new brand, I anticipated (or hoped) for more rock ventures, as it’s some of the finest work he’s done. Instead he went softer, releasing a rambling set of feel-good, carefree country-soul. It’s got elements of outlaw country and even touches of yacht rock, though these songs seem determined to stay a minimum volume. I seem to be alone in thinking that this album is aimless and somewhat boring. Chalk it up to me expecting something totally different; I need to and will give my man another listen. But after a first pass? Call me disappointed. 

Grade: 7/10   Initial release date: 7/12/24

Tyla – TYLA

This one came to me via recommendation, and I’m indebted because I loved this. I’m normally hit-and-miss on R&B, but this was pretty much all hit for me. It’s worth noting that I chose to listen to this on an evening where it was very nearly 100 degrees, and this is hot weather music. It expertly blends many different pop music influences, roping afrobeats and R&B into African pop. It’s also very sultry music, as sweaty as this heat-stroked listener was. This has the makings of a third or fourth album from a big-name artist who is priming themselves for an arena tour – not a debut from a hot but still underground artist. It’s an extremely impressive debut, one of the best of the year. She’s gonna be huge in no time.

Grade: 8/10   Initial release date: 3/22

Jelani Aryeh – The Sweater Club

This is just some pleasant indie! Aryeh has been on my radar for a while, and I’ve always liked what I’ve heard. He blends indie with R&B in a way that seems to be quietly getting more popular. It’s music that is inherently catchy, breezy and a bit sultry, and mostly always fun. This record strays closer to the indie side, a collection of fairly rudimentary but entirely effective guitar-based tunes. A wheel isn’t being reinvented, merely rolling full-speed down a hill. This is a thoroughly pleasant indie-pop record that I’ll definitely think I’ll be coming back to. 

Grade: 7.5/10   Initial release date: 6/14

Local Natives – But I’ll Wait For You

I’ve always been partial to Local Natives, but not exactly a fan. They’ve had tons of singles I’ve enjoyed, from their debut to now, and I’ve liked some of the albums. But I still approached this one cautiously, as the lead single “April” didn’t hit me. I will never discourage a band from advancing or changing their style, but Local Natives adapting synths is not something I personally wanted to hear. The band’s tender, forest-y indie has always sounded ripped from a different era. Thankfully, most of the album doesn’t actually follow suit, but it is probably their weakest effort. “April” is the liveliest song on the record, as mostly the band sounds disengaged. It’s worked for them in the past, but not here. Many of these songs don’t move out of the starting gate, meandering without any growth. It’s a shame, but sometimes bands can whiff. 

Grade: 5.5/10   Initial release date: 4/19/24

Various Artists – Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense

On paper, this should be something I adore – a diverse group of artists I like getting together to pay homage to the unequivocal best live album of all time, Stop Making Sense. In practice, it doesn’t work. What is imagined as a crossover homage comes off like the antithesis to the album it kneels to. The beauty of Sense is how the sum is better than the parts. What starts as David Byrne with a boombox ends as a cocaine-fueled dance party of a dozen musicians and a full college auditorium, with every song enhancing the previous one. This mix meanders, with some solid songs but absolutely no cohesion, nothing solid to grab on to. 

As is always the case with covers, it’s interesting to see how artists interpret songs. There’s no rhyme or reason to which songs work or not. The Linda Lindas and Paramore do thrilling and loyal versions of “Found A Job” and “Burning Down the House,” respectively, and Kevin Abstract does an awesome reimagining of “Once In A Lifetime.” But the National’s safe version of “Heaven” is downright dull, and Miley’s left-field “Psycho Killer” doesn’t work well (and she normally nails rock covers). The low point is the dismal cover of “Life During Wartime” by DJ Tunez. Chicano Batman nail “Cross-eyed and Painless,” and my standards are high; the Stop Making Sense version is one of my favorite songs. It’s “Found A Job” that takes the top prize – recorded by the youngest musicians on the record. Ultimately, it’s a nice tribute, and it floats by on good intentions. But it’s a biopic of an album – pleasant, digestible and acceptable but something that adds little to any conversation. Like a biopic, the problem lies in roteness. It starts making sense.

Grade: 6.5/10   Initial release date: 5/17/24

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I hope you’re not as burnt out on reading this as I am on writing it. Truthfully, I got about 95% of the way through the creation of this post and stalled out for two weeks. I am really enjoying this project though. Looking at my list of albums I still need to dig in to, there’s an incredible amount of heavy hitters and I know I won’t get to all of them. Normally I start kicking into a different gear in November but it’s gonna happen early this year (also, I will be on vacation for two weeks and probably won’t listen to anything!).

I hope you find some great stuff throughout this and other posts. While one man’s opinion on a months-old Timberlake album may add nothing to any conversation, it’s fun to write about, say, BRICKLAYER at the same time.

I tend to pick at random, so I can’t say for certain what will be in next month’s batch, but it will include Melvins, King Gizz, some indie girlies, the modern garage rock king, a triple album from a UK dance guy, and a pair of Mikes. See you in September!