Lav's Music Corner

Straight Line Was A Circle - The Beths I was late to The Beth's rock-solid 2022 album Expert In A Dying Field , something I still regret. That's why, going into this album cycle, I was paying close attention to the singles, something that paid off. The New Zealand indie rockers conjured hazy, dreamy, catchy bliss one time after another, starting with the sentimental "Metal." That same indie punk zeal pops up on the delightful "No Joy" whose verses have been drilled into my head for weeks. But the band also showed off a more sentimental side on songs like the gentle "Mother, Pray For Me" and the deep cut "Mosquitos."  The opener and title track, "Straight Line Was A Lie," is a punky tongue-in-cheek opener that sets up some of the punkier themes of aimlessness that the record explores in depth and does it with an irresistibly sweet guitar riff. Just like it starts on a strong sequence, the album ends strongly, starting with my fav...

Wolf Alice are a versatile indie rock band who have been impressing fans and critics alike with their distinct array of sounds since 2014. After their debut became a bit of a modern cult classic the band found even more success on their sophomore album which ultimately rewarded them with the 2018 Mercury Prize. In the 4 years since its release the band has kept a relatively low profile but emerged earlier this year to begin releasing a string of positively received singles leading up to this albums release. For about 6 years now Wolf Alice have been one of the most interesting bands in the field of indie rock. Their ability to interpolate genres like dream pop with their indie flavored punk rock is incredibly impressive and has made for a recognizable but also chameleonic sound. That sound was on display on a great debut album that I still really enjoy to this day and it popped up in flashes on their slightly less adventurous sophomore record. Honestly the only thing I wanted from the ...