jasmine.4.t is a British singer-songwriter who was announced last year as a new signee of the Phoebe Bridgers-led Saddest Factory record label. You Are The Morning follows a trio of singles that dropped last year and features Phoebe Bridgers' entire group, boygenius, on production throughout the record as well as occasional backing vocals from the trio. I was extremely excited for the release of the album after loving all of the singles and this style of indie-folk and singer-songwriter music in general. Delightfully, Jasmine didn't disappoint. When I say my expectation were high for You Are The Morning I mean it, because the album's three singles are an astounding bunch. Lead single "Skin On Skin" is a wonderfully written tune that's able to convey some unique sensations with the physical descriptions in its lyricism. It's also the moment where I first fell in love with Jasmine's subtle but beautiful singing and when the song rushes into its surpris...
Duster are a California band who experimented in slowcore and space rock during a run of material in the late 90's. In particular their 1998 album Stratosphere made them an indie darling in critical circles with a cult following. After years of inactivity in the 2000's and 2010's they reformed and released a self-titled 3rd album in 2019. Together is their 4th album and was released as a surprise with no singles or promotion. Review By Lav: While I am no doubt a critic, and there is plenty of reason to lump praise onto Duster's Stratosphere , what makes it so truly transcendent is a much more personal and emotional affair. The bands lucid, nostalgic and spacey style of largely instrumental rock is truly unique and seemingly universal in the way it evokes sad distance and isolation. While I enjoy the bands entire discography that moment in particular has always felt like an era defining masterpiece. For that reason I'll always be in tune with Duster whenever they r...
\ Ethel Cain is a singer-songwriter who has ridden a wave of popularity spawning from her 2022 album Preacher's Daughter . The record's vivid conceptual portrayal of rural living, vibrant coming-of-age narratives, and willingness to tackle difficult subject matter made it a critical darling and developed Ethel an instant cult following. Personally, I liked but didn't love the record, with my biggest complaint being the length of the album overall and the length of the individual tracks that often extend past what feels necessary for their emotional impact. That issue extended to her record Perverts earlier this year. It proved divisive with her fanbase as she abandoned many of her folk and singer-songwriter conventions in favor of an indulgence into the world of drone. But on Willoughby Tucker , Ethel returns to her familiar style and encounters similar pros and cons. I went into Willoughby with high expectations based on its two singles. The longer, darker, and ...