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...

The five best new tracks released this weekend below: 5.  Valentine  - Snail Mail The lead single kicking off Snail Mail's new era is a bit of an instrumentally dry indie rock cut. It's mostly made up for with personality both vocally and lyrically spinning a worthwhile tale in Lindsey Jordan's recognizable style.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxarOZ0JBcc 4.  Earthlings  - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds One of experimental rock and chamber music's all time great acts is releasing a B-Sides and rarities collection which is being teased by this previously unheard track from the Ghosteen era. It features a bright and intense organ arrangement and anguish vocals from Nick all of which set up for a satisfying full chorus finale in just under 3 minutes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_xnkVhz270 3.  Tales From The Trash Stratum  - Oneohtrix Point Never (Feat. Elizabeth Frazier) On this track Oneohtrix Point Never further proves his experimental clou...

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis are a singer/songwriter and composer respectively who have been a part of the legendary indie music project Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for decades. While this is their first official collaboration under their own names they have worked together closely particularly on the previous trilogy of Bad Seeds albums over the last decade, each of which have some level of sonic connection to Carnage . Review By Lav: While I'm obviously a fan of Nick Cave and many of The Bad Seeds records over their nearly 40 year career, I'm not quite as die hard a fan as some of their most dedicated and studious followers. That being said I did enjoy both of the previous Bad Seeds albums with 2017's somber and harrowing Skeleton Tree  being one of my favorite projects from the group in decades. Given that this was a surprise drop I didn't have much time or any singles to set my expectations for the project and ultimately I'm glad, because the highlights here a...

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are a long running Australian rock band that has served a constantly rotating cast of musicians around frontman Nick Cave. The group is known for lyrically dense and narrative heavy songs that interpolate a wide array of styles within rock music. The band released a stark, minimalist and emotionally potent album three years ago, Skeleton Tree  which dealt predominately with the death of Nick Cave's teenage son. Review By Lavender: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have a long history of making energetic, unique and captivating rock music that is all their own. Across records like The Boatman's Call , Murder Ballads  and the always underrated Tender Prey  littered the 80's and 90's with Cave's unmistakable style. While the Nick Cave discography is huge not everything is as good as say The Mercy Seat  (One of the greatest songs ever written from a songwriting standpoint, by the way). The 2010's didn't start off great for Cave wit...