A Buncha New Releases

Got a few new(ish) albums in rotation right now. Let's go!

Robyn Hitchcock, 1967: Vacations In The Past

One of my long-running musical heroes, Robyn Hitchcock has always used his evocative words not just in his lyrics, but in liner notes and live commentary... and finally got around to writing a memoir last year. It's focused on a very narrow slice of time, the titular year, walking us through glimpses of his childhood and, especially, his musical discoveries. Now we've got the soundtrack, Hitchcock covering his favorites of the year--some obvious, some less so. Given that he's always worn his late 60s psychedelic affectations on his sleeve, it's no surprise he handles these with appropriate levels of love and wonder, with lovely takes on "A Day In The Life," "Waterloo Sunset," "See Emily Play," "Whiter Shade Of Pale," "Itchycoo Park," etc. It's mostly stripped down, drum-free, Robyn's reverbed vocals and a few guitars. Still, nice to see some accompaniment from former Soft Boy colleague Kimberley Rew, as well as tasteful sitar from Kelley Stoltz, another musician I've been into of late.

Buy it on Bandcamp.

Amy Rigby, Hang In There With Me

I've made no secret of my adoration of Amy Rigby, one of the finest singer-songwriters of the last 30 years (wow, it's been that long!). She's less prolific than back in the day, so a new album is a welcome surprise, and she's in top form here. Obviously aging is on her mind--with songs like "Hell-Oh Sixty" and "Too Old To Be So Crazy"--but her loving, alternatingly observational and deeply confessional songwriting remains in top form. Her gentle, Americana-tinged jangly pop gets some bracing buzz on a few tracks (perhaps the contributions of her partner, first wave pub/punk-rocker Wreckless Eric), a bit of punch even though her bloggings-set-to-music stand up well on their own. Its brief half-hour-ish running time leaves you wanting more, but it's a good excuse to head back to the beginning and play it again.

Buy it on Bandcamp.

Peel Dream Magazine, Rose Main Reading Room

The SoCal indie act has dropped the noisier shoegaze elements from their early albums, leaving buoyant sunshine pop with touches of electronica. It's feather-light and bubbly, a little something to play in the background on a warm afternoon. Think High Llamas, Stereolab, maybe a touch of Sufjan Stevens...

But it on Bandcamp.

The Softies, The Bed I Made

Hey, as long as we're in a mellow mood after that Peel Dream Magazine album... How about a reunion LP from The Softies? The bedroom pop duo of Rose Melberg & Jen Sbragia are back after a 24-year absence (!), and they pick up right where they left off, still sounding like a couple young women with unstoppable joy in their hearts--gentle acoustic strummings and sweet harmonies, some old friends inviting you to hang out after a long day and just play songs while the sun sets. 

Buy it on Bandcamp.

The Cleaners From Venus, Lilli Bolero

The UK's answer to Robert Pollard, Martin Newell continues his insanely prolific run of top notch tunes, both solo and with his Cleaners From Venus operation (among other side projects). No surprises here, just another slab of winsome, distinctly British indie pop, the reliably affecting and baroque mash-up of Ray Davies and Monochrome Set and Jazz Butcher and Television Personalities. If you're new to Newell and his overwhelming catalog, it's a perfectly fine place to dive in.

Buy it on Bandcamp.

Illuminati Hotties, Power

Last up, we've got another batch of earworm indie rock nuggets from Jill-of-all-trades Sarah Tudzin and crew. It bounces around between straight alt.pop of the sort that oughta be heard on the radio (if people still listened to the radio) and edgier, fizzy post-punk. Mellow jangle-pop numbers like "Sleeping In" would work fine alongside some of the gentle records noted above, but buzzing bubblegum hooks abound in tunes like "I Would Like, Still Love You."

Buy it on Bandcamp.