What We Heard: January 2018
In What We Heard we highlight a few choice quotes from our writers regarding albums that stood out from this month, and provide you with a playlist of this month’s best songs (featured in the “Favorite Tracks” section of each review).
“ . . . There’s something to be said, though, for (Kyle) Morton’s dedication to storytelling and his commitment to making it come alive. He’s earnest in his attempt to capture something so difficult to grasp, a profound sadness with a ribbon of hope laced through it. Typhoon has proved with OFFERINGS that if you’re going to go for it, you’ve got to do it with gusto.” — Claire Epting on Typhoon’s latest heartbreaker OFFERINGS
“ . . . THE OFFICIAL BODY proves to be a slightly more optimistic, but much more fundamentally danceable (post-punk) alternative, remembering the all-important Allegiance to the Groove that got lost in the revival. The jagged edge of the surf punk-reminiscent guitar work locks you firmly in step, the vocal affectations are a treat to snarl along to, and the requisite roiling bass keeps each song jerkily propelling forward across the finish line.” — Thomas Seraydarian on Shopping’s notable post-punk ripper THE OFFICIAL BODY
“WHAT PEOPLE CALL LOW SELF-ESTEEM is an album about trying to find that connection, either by fixing ourselves or by surviving as who we already are, and Taylor appropriately sings like her life is dependent it… a crushing album of detailed and heartbreaking existential pensiveness over a simple, whispering guitar melody by earnestly asking us a question: ‘You read me like a book, didn’t you?’” — CJ Simonson on San Jose emo rockers awakebutstillinbed’s surprising and soul-searching debut
Other Notable Raves:
First Aid Kit’s latest folk odyssey RUINS
Jeff Rosenstock’s journey through Trump’s America on POST-
tUnE-yArDs self-aware and socially charged fusion album I CAN FEEL YOU CREEP INTO MY PRIVATE LIFE
A pair of music podcasts for your consumption: HARD TIMES AND WEIRDNESS WITH REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND and I ONLY LISTEN TO THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
The Year In Music on Crossfader’s very own IN THE CROSSHAIRS
Best Tracks of January 2018
