Lav's Music Corner

Another stacked week of new singles, let's get into it.  5.  So Lo  - Pond I went back and forth on this track a bit because it really it so indebted to specific styles of 80s synth pop and new wave that it's almost parody. But it's almost like they've combined inspiration from many different places all into one and that attempt sort of forms its own originality in its wake. What results is something impressively catchy even if I can't shake the fact that every moment feels like I've heard it before.  Listen 4.  Frogs  - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds With a decade of releases that can be seen as often solemnly focused by Nick Cave Frogs  is a reminder that he can be as theatrical as anyone. This soaring and anthemic cut features belting to the rafters backed by dramatic sweeping baroque instrumentation and a chorus of supporting vocals guiding the songs ebb and flow. He continues to be remarkably interesting and refreshing even this late into his caree...

We are fully immersed in the end of year blitz where publications rush to not be the very last one to name their best music of the year. Like each of the past few years I will take up that mantle and release my best of lists in the last week of the year which means this week that many are spending dropping final calls, I'm cramming trying to get in as much reviewing work as possible before throwing myself into the year end haze. These are the last 3 EPs I'll be taking a look at before the end of the year! Alternate Lands  EP - William Doyle William surprised and impressed me earlier this year with his Great Spans Of Muddy Time  album, probably my favorite thing he's done since his East India Youth days. So it was easy for me to jump on board with a collection of tracks from the same era, especially after some singles I enjoyed. Everything I liked about Spans  shows up here with William's fragile intimate vocals providing chilling moments of reflection and the bright ins...