acoustic

  • An interesting mix of electronic and acoustic sounds on this new three-track EP from multi-instrumentalist Michael RJ Saalman. This release is titled Eventually Dead, which features bright, minimalist-inspired compositions that remind me of dudes like Dan Deacon. Still, I find Saalman’s sounds to be a bit more experimental. He’

  • A warm acoustic track from J Mascis, which comes off the dude’s forthcoming single on Sub Pop records. the a-side is an Edie Brickell cover, and this track–though not a cover–reminds me a lot of Bob Dylan’s “I Want You.” Overall, a pretty soothing track.

  • A sorta candid live performance with the band Craft Spells. The featured track is “Your Tomb,” which comes from the band’s latest album, Idle Labor. It’s out now on Captured Tracks. The thing about Idle Labor is that it’s smothered in reverb, so it’s pretty odd

  • At the Wörthersee Hotel by The Uptights There’s nothing that kills an idea faster than a mindlessly copied trend. I think the idea of “lo-fi bands” qualify. Still, despite the grimy, rough recordings being spoiled for me a bit, I find this latest album from the Uptights kind of

  • Featuring eight new tracks, Humor Risk is gonna be singer-songwiter Cass McCombs’ second album this year. It’ll be released via Domino Recs this November, and the first track to drop from it, “the Same Thing,” features a much more driving, straightforward execution than much of the material on April’

  • MP3 Siskiyou is a Canadian quartet that’s readying to drop a second album via Constellation Records. The band’s approach to folk and folk rock has always been an experimental one, but this album sounds like it’ll be sporting a much bolder sound. On “Twigs and Stones,” Colin