What We Heard: March 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).
“Many people use poetry to heal, and many people have no control over the poetry they are driven to write. Mount Eerie, whether intentional or not, employs poetry as a healing tool that was already in place before he knew he needed to use it… In NOW ONLY, he moves from the proceedings of grief to processing it, and again, uses poetry and art as the medium with which he explores it.” — Tapley Eaton on Mount Eerie’s continued journey through the experiencing loss on NOW ONLY
“I don’t want to get too much into what he has to say, because this is a journey that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense if not taken as intended. But here’s what I will say: the emotional highs and lows of this record, particularly the second half, are extraordinary. It’s not perfectly constructed (…), but the trick that Andrew W.K. is consistently able to pull on listeners is that when you think he can’t get bigger, when you think he can’t rip open his chest any more, he does it.” — Adam Cash on the reassuring warm hug that is Andrew W.K.’s YOU’RE NOT ALONE
“Along with many other downright silly vocal quips, the shouting or murmuring throughout gives MIRROR MIGHT a giggle worthy, jovial nature… the songs here are often pushing up to or past the three-minute mark, leaving them feeling far less claustrophobic and allowing for a far less rushed and unfinished experience. The whole project feels much more like a cohesive and complete album rather than a wannabe mixtape. This is easily The Garden’s best project to date…” — Will Turmon on MIRROR MIGHT STEAL YOUR CHARM, a peak release from Orange County brothers The Garden
Other Notable Recommendations:
Lucy Dacus’s motherfucker of a sophomore album, HISTORIAN
Soccer Mommy’s huge leap forward on CLEAN
A music podcast about the wide realm of rock from Steven Hyden, over at Uproxx, entitled CELEBRATION ROCK
Interviews with hardcore group All Pigs Must Die and the up-and-coming act Foulard
