Hipster music snob that I am, the depths of my musical knowledge is riddled with blind spots. For example: until last week, I realized that I had never knowingly listened to Dinosaur Jr. Continue reading
Shoegaze
Record #514: Beach House – 7 (2018)
Throughout their career, Beach House has consistently written textbook-perfect dream pop. Teen Dream is a bonafide masterpiece. It topped nearly every 2010 year-end list, and with good reason. Bloom was similarly brilliant.
When Depression Cherry dropped in 2015, it hit all of the same notes. But I started wondering if the world needed another Beach House record. Two months later, they released Thank Your Lucky Stars, and the question got louder.
Now that they’ve released their seventh LP, the music world is left pondering this quandary once again.
Record #513: Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (2018)
There is no curse greater than a masterpiece, and no one knows that better
than Deafheaven.
Record #511: Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action At A Distance (2012)
If nothing else, no one can accuse Deerhunter of making the same album twice. Their discography has shifted between hypnotic shoegaze to abrasive garage rock to doo-wop informed dream pop. But their discography is even further augmented by Atlas Sound and Lotus Plaza, the twin solo projects of co-lead singers Bradford Cox and Locket Pundt.
Record #510: Lotus Plaza – The Floodlight Collective (2009)
At first glance, it might seem like shoegazers/indie rockers Deerhunter are subject to their eccentric and unpredictable leader, Bradford Cox. He hogs most of the attention, and most of the press is focused on his singular strangeness.
But looking deeper, you’ll notice that Locket Pundt has just as strong a hand in the group. One listen to his work as Lotus Plaza proves that.
Record #498: Les Discrets – Ariettes Oubliées (2012)
I’m an absolute sucker for blackgaze.
On paper, it might seem like black metal, post rock, and shoegaze are a strange mixture. The three genres share a fascination with ambient textures and heart-rending emotion, but they take wildly different paths to get there.
Blackgaze splits the difference, and manages to capture every good bit of each—and then some. Continue reading
Record #492: Cloakroom – Time Well (2017)
As a guitarist, I sometimes bemoan modern music’s shift away from the instrument. Even modern guitar legends like St. Vincent’s Annie Clark have pivoted away from a guitar-centric approach.
But then, you have Cloakroom (who apparently live pretty close to me).
Record #485: Lantlôs – Melting Sun (2014)
Every once in a while, I’ll hear a record that ushers me into new revelations, that shift my musical center within the moments of the first song.
Albums like Sunbather, Panopticon, and Palms self-titled album.
Melting Sun as firmly among them.
Record #484: The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse (2007)
The Besnard Lakes claim to be a dark horse. And while the cooing harmonies that open the album might seem to suggest otherwise, they quickly prove themselves to be a few shades more menacing than most of their indie rock counterparts.
Record #472: HUM – You’d Prefer An Astronaut (1995)
I’m not sure if any record has indirectly influenced me as much as this one while simultaneously escaping my attention for so long.
This is one of the most important guitar albums to come out of the 1990s. It inspired many of the groups that inspired me. And yet, I’ve only gotten into it in the last couple months.
Why have I been wasting my time?