Top 10 for week ending in 10/9/21

 

10. Men I Trust – Untourable Album (self-released)

“Dreamy and melancholy, this album explores nostalgia and isolation while simultaneously slowing down time for the listeners. Very relaxing and beautiful release so all tracks have something to offer.”

– Tawny H.

9. Torres – Thirstier (Merge)

“[Thirstier] exudes a strong sense of adaptation and growth from an artist who was once feeling lost and left alone in a time of losing everything she had worked towards. The album is driven and shameless, reflecting that of one who is done bending backwards for those who do not have her back. This confidence shines through her new record and hopefully creates a path for more records in the future.”

– Merrill L.

8. Clairo – Sling (Republic/Fader)

“Radiating with near-total resignation and then quiet anger and then resignation again, Sling plays as if it exists more for Clairo than for her audience, making it clear from the outset that this record is intended to be 44 minutes of Clairo working through some stuff, but nevertheless welcoming us along for the ride.”

– Meg M.

7. Shannon and the Clams – Year of the Spider (Easy Eye Sound/Concord)

“This album is full of hope in the face of tragedy, and this track captures that sentiment perfectly. This album is a journey through the eyes of someone who has watched their loved ones die, their relationships end, and their world fall apart, but comes out with a hopeful message of triumph in the process…”

– Casey C.

6. Low – HEY WHAT (Sub Pop)

“[HEY WHAT] strikes a delicate balance between their previous record, Double Negative, and their more traditional “rock” albums like I Could Live In Hope. The use of distortion over the electronic production really complements their vocals and maintains the tone of the record.”

– Casey C.

5. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3000 (KGATLW)

“…this record trades the band’s iconic rock-driven style for synths and MIDI sequences to create an uplifting record detailing the process of growth and metamorphosis using the symbol of — you guessed it — butterflies… this record is full of psychedelic lyrics and catchy rhythms that stay with you long after the first listen.”

– Casey C.

4. Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)

“Michelle Zauner defined this album as her singing about joy rather than the sadness steeped in her previous albums after the death of her mother in 2014… in tracks like “In Hell” and “Posing in Bondage” Zauner lapses into reflective sadness, but the melancholy is so beautifully executed one barely notices the sad nature of her lyrics.”

– Casey C.

3. Amyl and the Sniffers – Comfort To Me (ATO)

“If you’re a fan of 80s/90s riot grrrl groups like Bratmobile and Sleater-Kinney, you’re sure to love this. Take the attitude and feminist perspective of those groups and combine it with the modern indie punk style popularized by bands like Idles and Shame, and you’ve got one hell of a record.”

– Michael C.

2. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (AGE 101)

“…Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (an acronym for Simbi) shows the rapper’s continued trials and triumphs of writing sick flows that have helped her through both traumas and successes. Simbi the introvert and Simz the performer both have a voice on this record as do her authentic and vulnerable musings about life. Finally having the means to actualize songs how she imagines them, this translates to an album that Simz says she is proud of and was inspired by higher powers to make.”

– Amelia A.

1. Jose Gonzalez – Local Valley (Mute)

“José González returns with his 4th solo studio album Local Valley this time singing his current thoughts about the world in three languages, Spanish, Swedish, and English, while building upon his signature sound and craft guitar work… [the songs] are all still generally quiet and celebrate an intricate look at topics like the struggle between ‘fake news’ and science, secularism and the environment while being melodic and hypnotizing at the same time.”

– Amelia A.

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