INDISPENSABLE NEW MUSIC PICKS
January 2023
Kristine England
Jan 31, 2023
Liela Moss
Internal Working Model
The Duke Spirit and Roman Remains singer Liela Moss has released her third solo album, Internal Working Model. Collaborating again with Toby Butler, she diligently worked on the year for over a year before she was satisfied. The result, “Modular synthesis and glitchy-yet-organic drums are the engine of the record, the outcome being Moss’ best studio effort to date.” (Clash)
FEATURED TRACK: "Vanishing Shadows" (featuring Gary Numan)
Glyders
Maria’s Hunt
Chicago trio Glyders take a minimalist approach to creating music that is inspired by the analog recordings of yesterday. In spite of the group’s lo-fi aesthetic, its sound has many textures and moods -- pop, country, and some psychedelia thrown in for good measure find a home on the group’s latest record, Maria’s Hunt.
FEATURED TRACK: “Wrong Sometimes Right”
Margo Price
Strays
With Strays, the fourth album from Nashville-based country singer-songwriter and producer Margo Price went psychedelic. Inspired by six days of mushroom magic with her husband and collaborator, Jeremy Ivey, her latest record is a “country, psych and Patti Smith-style poetic rock’n’roll on a fourth album that creates a feeling of wild landscapes.” (The Guardian)
FEATURED TRACK: “Been to the Mountain”
Dhafer Youssef
Streets Of Minarets
The Tunisian musician and vocalist is a virtuoso on the oud, a Persian lute. Youssef expertly melds the sounds of his Middle Eastern heritage with jazz, and is joined by the legendary Herbie Hancock and Dave Holland on his tenth album, Street of Minarets. Recorded over a decade ago, it was not released at the time. Youssef revisited the recording during the pandemic and rewrote and rearranged it to his satisfaction. Now we can all enjoy this unique musical journey.
FEATURED TRACK: “Ondes of Chakras”
Ladytron
Time's Arrow
Liverpool’s Ladytron takes its name from a Roxy Music song and early in its career won the approval of Roxy’s electronics wizard, Brian Eno. The electropop quartet is back with its latest album, Time's Arrow. Pioneers of making music remotely over the course of its 20-year career,, the band assembled the record over the course of the pandemic to create “qualities of nuance and complexity, flowing in a dreamlike state…” (The Line of Best Fit)
FEATURED TRACK: “City Of Angels”
R. Ring
War Poems, We Rested
Another group that likes to keep it simple, R. Ring employs keyboards, guitars and vocals to get its message across. The guitarsare courtesy of Ohioans Mike Montgomery (Ampline) and Kelley Deal (The Breeders) who’ve wrangled friends Laura King (drums), Lori Goldston (cello)and Joe Suer (vibes) to join for a second go around War Poems, We Rested.
FEATURED TRACK: "Def Sup"
Tor Lundvall
There Must Be Someone
Tor Lundvall initially made a name for himself as a painter. Yet he couldn’t help but be drawn to music as others in his family before him like his engineer brother Kurt and his late father, Bruce, a legendary and respected record exec. His first album of moody, “dark ambient” soundscapes, Passing Through Alone was released in 1997, co-produced with Kurt. Dais Records released a special 5 CD box set spanning his work over the last quarter century.
FEATURED TRACK: "Forget It!"
H.C. McEntire
Every Acre
It’s always good to hear country music without the pop-rock pretensions that infect so many of the current crop of artists that lay claim to the genre. H.C. McEntire’s vocals and guitar playing are the real deal. Everything feels authentic, and it’s quite refreshing.
FEATURED TRACK: “New View”