Lav's Music Corner

Blur are one of the definitive bands of the Brit-Pop era, helping to define the sound of British music in the early 90s. In the wake of their 1995 album The Great Escape  they shifted genre focus towards other styles and genre experiments. Though the various members have kept busy, the band had only released 2 albums since the 90s. Their last project, 2015's The Magic Whip  came amid an era of turmoil for the group in their attempt to reform. This new tour and album has been much more clinical by comparison. Review by Lav: Blur is one of my favorite bands of all time. ANYONE and I do mean anyone who knows me personally can probably recall a time where I tried to convince them to join the fandom. The band's bouncy attitude, witty lyricism, dynamic songwriting, and unparalleled ability to conjure up brilliant hooks first caused me to fall in love with them almost a decade ago and the admiration has only grown since. While I've covered solo works from the various members a num...

Flume is an Australian electronic music producer who has spent the last decade fusing mainstream EDM with various subgenres of electronic music. This has given him a wide-ranging fanbase of electronic music fans following his career. Palaces  is Flume's first full-length release since 2018's  Hi: This Is Flume  mixtape and his first album since 2016's Skin .  Review By Lav: This was one of my most anticipated albums of the year. Not only did I just call Flume's self-titled debut one of the best albums of 2012 a few months ago, but I also loved his previous project in 2019 and still feel like I underrated it in both my initial review and on my year-end list. Since then he's released a number of singles that I really enjoyed punctuated by the excellent Toro Y Moi collaboration The Difference  in 2020 and numerous singles from this record which I've dished out praise to this year. While the singles still worked for me and there are some very satisfying deep cuts in...

I'm late, sorry, I was at a music festival. Let's not waste any more time. Enjoy <3 5.  Falling Apart (Right Now)  - Wilco When Wilco announces a new album it's still an event in indie music. When that announcement comes with a short but catchy and slightly psychedelic tinged lead single it is even more of a moment. Nothing about this is mind blowing but it's a very solid start for one of the more respected acts in all of indie to return with. Listen 4.  Big Time  - Angel Olsen If you ever hoped that Angel Olsen would try her hand at writing a Courtney Barnett song I think this is the closest you'll get. While it doesn't have the same kind of snarky attitude to it and the instrumentation is much more folk inspired this is one of the wordiest tracks I've ever heard from Angel Olsen. While I do enjoy what she has to say I also can't help but think the song is crying out for a climactic moment to complete it.  Listen 3.  Hello, Hi  - Ty Segall Ty's e...

Eggnog hangover, or something like that I'm writing this weeks in advance so who knows what will happen. Assuming the world continues spinning as usual yesterday was Christmas and I dropped my first of 7 year end lists, here is part 2. This one's great because I don't have to do anything but assemble it. If you're not a regular reader I reviewed over 200 projects this year and right at my side was my little baby boy and also professional photographer Tyler Judson, who pens brief reviews of the accompanying album covers for all of them.  These are Tyler's top 10 album/EP covers of 2021 and in my kingdom, his word is law. Enjoy <3 10. An Evening With Silk Sonic  - Silk Sonic This cover, like the record itself, is smart and effective. Rather than going for photography this illustration has a timeless quality. It sets a theme of for the album and has a classic and easily identifiable feel to it. I love the drawing, it captures the personality of both artists involved...

Damon Albarn is a singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist and musical curator who has had his hand in all kinds of different projects across his 30 year career. He started as the front man of Britpop icons Blur in the early 90's and has continued to work with the band and its members ever since. His most well known project internationally is Gorillaz, the cartoon band that blew up for it's genre fusions and high profile collaborations. His musical imprint stretches even further into various side projects like The Good, The Bad & The Queen and Africa Express, as well as numerous soundtrack albums. Fountain  is Damon's 2nd true solo album and comes 7 years after his solo debut Everyday Robots . Review By Lav: If you know me, you know how I feel about this album. If you don't know me, hey there it's nice to meet you, yes Lav is short for Lavender, and I'm very sorry about whatever album you love I gave a bad score 3 years ago. Now that we're acq...

The best tracks released this weekend below: 5.  Crutch  - Band Of Horses Nobody ever accused Band Of Horses of being TOO original, and the chorus of "I've got a crutch on you" is a real eye roller. But with all that being said the band clearly still knows how to make a bouncy indie pop song with pinpoint precision. The sweet melodies and wandering guitar leads are impossibly pleasant and make up for the familiarity of the song.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCzPIrvlGXs 4.  Self Made  - Erick The Architect After releasing an underrated EP earlier this year, Flatbush Zombies' Erick The Architect is back and with a beat that fits in really well with the reserved jazz rap stylings that have taken over his native New York. Over a beat that sounds like something the Armand Hammer boys would rap over Erick flexes his credentials as a rapper and the authentic following he built with his come-up.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNzHA3_hmEg 3.  Against The ...

The five best new tracks released this weekend below: 5.  Big Energy  - Latto Latto's most recent banger is built around a feature of Tom Tom Club's Genius Of Love , yes you heard that right. It uses the songs indelible key phrase as the base for an impressively sung hook while Latto attaches her trademark charisma to the verses all themed around the title concept. It's like a more mainstream and more danceable version of Shygirl's BDE  from earlier this year.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8GpG8C0YzA 4.  Nightfall  - Explosions In The Sky The best track so far from post-rock outfit Explosions In The Sky's new PBS affiliated soundtrack album is a short dreamy cut. It kicks off like a lullaby before driving into a wonderfully slinky and atmospheric conclusion, all in under two minutes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FghKzKLgBlU 3.  U+Me  - alt-j Despite their extended break alt-j still sound just like themselves with an exciting and instr...

Best new tracks released this weekend: 5.  Good Ones  - Charli XCX With her new era Charli promised to leave experimental pop behind and pivot to more conventional pop concepts. On Good Ones  she delivers on that promise with a dancefloor bop full of early Gaga worship that rounds in just over 2 minutes. It's a simple, catchy electro pop cut with hit potential, all of which are major flashbacks to some of Charli's earliest projects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjAuUXdSFaM 4  Sit Around The Fire  - Jon Hopkins (Feat. Ram Dass & East Forrest) This week electronic musician Jon Hopkins announced a new album entitled Music For Psychedelic Therapy  and it's safe to say the lead single delivered on that promise. The 8 minute lead single features an ambient like haze over which Hopkins places a meditative guide from Western spatiality guru Ram Dass. The results are a relaxing and sonically compelling experience that experimental music fans are sure to appre...

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Parklife  one of my favorite albums of all time a a huge defining moment for britpop and the 90s in general, I'm ranking all the Blur albums so far. It wasn't easy given how much I love this discography but after spending sometime on it I think I'm comfortable with my rankings. 8. Blur  - 1997 The self-titled album lands here at 8 as the least "Blur" album of the bunch. The attitude is here as sharp as ever but the mock grunge music and high octane pacing conflicts pretty hard with Blur's usual sound. There are some tracks here like Song 2  and Beetlebum  that can maybe help us reimagine Blur as an edgy american 90s rock band, but there's a reason that's not who they are.  7. Think Tank  - 2003 Despite being released 12 years apart Think Tank  was the trial run for Blu's next album and retrospectively it looks a little bit less meditative and veteran than it initially may have. Despite having s...