This is the last in a series of posts on my musical year in 2018. Today, I talk about something by Dawes. I admit I fell off the Dawes bandwagon a little bit after 2016’s We’re All Gonna Die. It had too much bite, masking a little bit of Taylor Goldsmith’s excellent song-writing. In its restraint, Passwords […]
Many Moods At Midnight – Ghostpoet
Nearing the end of A Year In December but not losing steam. Today, I talk about something by Ghostpoet. The title for this song is apt. Ghostpoet’s music conjures a particular type of imagery, a certain mood. A voice that marries The National’s Matt Berninger’s deeper tones with King Krule’s lackadaisical riffing, I associate the […]
Throwback – Jim James
Sometimes, we want things loud. Today, I talk about something by Jim James. I liked heavy music when I was young. The type of music where the screaming was unintelligible, where the guitars were tuned so low it’s a wonder they could even be plucked, where the double-kick drums worked overtime. I don’t anymore, though […]
機関銃を撃たせないで(Kikanju Wo Utasenaide) – MONO NO AWARE
Sometimes, we listen to music we don’t understand. Today, I talk about something by MONO NO AWARE, indie rock darlings from Japan. I saw MONO NO AWARE at a music festival called Scramble Fes in Shibuya, Tokyo. Going into the festival pretty much unprepared, I was impressed by what was on offer. The band makes […]
Friends – Glorietta
Friends make the best music. Today, I talk about something by Glorietta. The one time I saw Matthew Logan Vasquez perform live was at Delta Spirit’s final show. When it came time to perform ‘California,’ a soaring electrical anthem that is probably the band’s most well-known hit, he instead handed it off to Kelly Winrich, […]
Joel Mak 