Top 10 for week ending in 10/30/21

 

10. The Shivas – Feels So Good // Feels So Bad (Tender Loving Empire)

“Feels So Good // Feels So Bad… is full of garage rock guitars, dreamy reverb heavy vocals, and extremely catchy hooks… While the sounds of this album can be pretty homogenous, The Shivas still manage to dip their toes in some other sounds like on the shoegaze-y track ‘You Wanna Be My Man’ or the heartfelt, acoustic closer ‘Please Don’t Go’.”

– Andy B.

9. Lala Lala – I Want The Door To Open (Hardly Art)

“Lillie West, the artist behind the sounds, brings forth a new style that slightly deviates from her previous indie-rock records. Her vocals on this record are at times reminiscent of Lorde and complement the mostly electronic production of the album.. this is an exploration of a new sound for Lala Lala, and it will definitely leave you wanting more.”

– Casey C.

8. Hovvdy – True Love (Grand Jury)

“The indie folk duo are back with twelve new tracks exploring the theme of relationships – whether it be family, friends, or lovers – and how briefly they often come to pass.”

– Michael C.

7. illuminati hotties – Let Me Do One More (Snack Snack Tracks/Hopeless)

“Pop punk hero Sarah Tudzin AKA illuminati hotties is back… Self labeled as ‘tenderpunk,’ Tudzin provides us with clever insight in expecting the unexpected and remaining resilient to life’s many curveballs. Even with a primarily spunky pop-punk attitude, this release takes some twists and turns exploring other musical styles like slower ballads with a grunge-y Phoebe Bridgers touch and folk…”

– Tawny H.

6. 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.

5. 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.

4. We Were Promised Jetpacks – Enjoy The View (Big Scary Monsters)

“These guys take the reverb-soaked production and roaring guitars of post rock bands like Mogwai and This Will Destroy You and infuse it with the energy of something you might catch on your local pop station…  the kind of energy captured on this album is more like a thunderstorm: powerful, overwhelming, and at times dreary.”

– Michael C.

3. Destroy Boys – Open Mouth, Open Heart (Hopeless Records)

“Open Mouth, Open Heart has a lot of new elements not found in [Destroy Boys’] previous albums… produced while the band quarantined during the pandemic, this album contains both English and Spanish songs, the latter of which are a tribute to guitarist and vocalist Alexia Roditis’ grandparents… Destroy Boys is sticking to their iconic girl punk sound while adding some unique additions.”

– Casey C.

2. Ada Lea – one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden (Saddle Creek)

“Montreal-based singer-songwriter Alexandra Levy, known by her stage name Ada Lea, brings us her second full length album… Riding high off a successful Saddle Creek debut, here Levy builds and expands on her first record… with a new album that seamlessly blends art pop, folk, and rock into a moody and melancholic haze… The line between Levy’s personal life and songwriting fiction is blurred, allowing the album the space to be the perfect mixture of relatable and personal.”

– Michael C.

1. Shannon and the Clams – Year of the Spider (Easy Eye Sound)

“This album is full of hope in the face of tragedy… 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.

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