The Hard Quartet (2024)
This came out of the blue right? When I first saw it announced I was a bit down seeing Malkmus jamming with a bunch of old dudes instead of the Jicks, and the first single (
Earth Hater) was a bit same old Malkmus. Then we got the single and video of the year (
Rio’s Song) followed by a totally unexpected Big Star/Teenage Fanclub song (
Our Hometown Boy) so I took it all back.
The album itself feels Malkmus heavy, I haven’t counted the track by track. There is a solid 12 minutes of him in Six Deaf Rats and Action for Military Boys playing back to back. Both great. Some lovely ‘stones stuff going on here with Matt Sweeney’s tracks. Aforementioned Rio’s Song, and It Suits You has some real stones feeling guitars finding space between each other. Although it is spooky sounding.
I really like it. For a ‘supergroup’ of aul lads, it’s fresh. It’s too long and has too many tracks. 20 years ago you could have Renegade, Thug Dynasty and Chrome Mess as b-sides. But maybe this is the only record the lads will make together so I can see the point in throwing everything down.
M.Stevens & the Ghasts – Sycamore Helicopters (2024)
At the risk of being insulting, this sounds surprisingly good. Like, really good. As if it was recorded in somewhere fancy, with all the time in the world to get all the parts recorded with no stress or self-doubt. Lovely layering. Lovely organ in I Look For Sad Songs.
I’m going to give a shout out for the guitar lines and solo in Suddenly Everything Makes Sense. We all hate comparisons (I don’t) but that’s getting into Nels Cline territory. The whole song itself is really prime era Belle and Sebastian (sorry).
Great length and number of tracks. Every Foolish Mistake is a really fabulous ending. Well done
@snakybus @hugh and
@mark It's not even that wussy.
It seems like the lads are becoming better musicians as time goes on and not worse after hitting a peak in their 20s. Which is equal parts inspiring and annoying.
Hope you get the gig sorted and book somewhere that has good sound.
Daniel Romano – Visions of the Higher Dream (2020)
Bought at the recent gig. I have been listening to this guy so much over the last year. Constantly. And still haven’t even gotten all of his 2020 output. The story is he released 10 full albums in 2020 with lockdown putting a halt on touring. I don’t know if he’s an enigma or what. There are so few interviews, reviews, or anything about him online.
Anyway, what I gather is this is one of 3 of the 2020 releases that were made of previously recorded material. The ‘archives’ series. This is known as the psychedelic record, I think. But it sounds a lot like a folk rock record to me, there is some flute. It’s the 8th full length album of his I’ve gotten, and, once again, it is such high quality. I cannot get my head around how many songs this dude has crafted in a relatively short space of time.
This is just great. I wouldn’t recommend it as the album to get in to him, but why not in fairness. How Ill Thy World is Ordered is the one I started with. Maybe I’ll do a review of everything of his I have some time.
Daniel Romano feat Danny Carey – Forever Love’s Fool (2020)
A 22 minute full-on prog song. Like everything he’s done, fully authentic.
