Every month, Uproxx culture critic Steven Hyden compiles an unranked list of his favorite music-related items, including songs, albums, books, and movies released during this time period.
1. Various Artists, Cardinals at the Window
“Cardinals at the Window” by Various Artists
John Coltrane. Nina Simone. Thelonious Monk. Ben E. King. George Clinton. Dr. Watson. James Taylor. Loudon Wainwright III. Emmylou Harris. J. Cole. Jodeci. Randy Travis. Eric Church. flat duojet. Loaf archer. Super chunk. Avett brothers. Silvan Esso. Wednesday. MJ Lenderman.
All of these artists and bands come from North Carolina music backgrounds. Clearly, this is a state that has been given a lot. Now it’s time to give back. Cardinals at the Window — A massive 135-track compilation featuring unreleased songs from REM to The War on Drugs, Sharon Van Etten and dozens more Contribute to relief efforts. People there are still trying to pick up the pieces. Help them out and enjoy great music in the process.
There are few terms in the modern music lexicon more detailed than “supergroup.” It implies a gathering of famous musicians, but what it really conveys is “probably an overwhelmingly short-lived marriage.” It remains to be seen whether The Hard Quartet, the new group featuring Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Jim White and Emmett Kelly, will survive beyond their self-titled debut. However, the beauty of this album is how un-supergroup-like it is. It feels homely and lived-in, more like the fourth or fifth LP in a catalog than an introductory book. And there’s a certain humility in the way the various singers and songwriters complement each other. Malkmus’ loose surrealism, Kelly’s laconic cool, and Sweeney’s campfire croon sound like they’ve been coexisting for the better part of a decade already.
3. Styrofoam Winos, real time
This Nashville trio is very reminiscent of a hard quartet, only the members aren’t as well-known in the indie genre. But they occupy a similar space of loose-limbed guitar music that can meander without losing its lyrical and melodic plot. Perhaps what I’m trying to say is that both bands remind me of American Water. The presence of Malkmus, who plays in American Water, helps, of course, but so does the Styrofoam Winos, who live on the same “almost eccentric and impressively erudite” side of the Nashville watershed. Even more importantly, “music that reminds me of American Water” is one of my favorite subgenres.
4. Bon Iver, Sable
Justin Vernon has long harbored a certain malaise about his most famous musical project. As Bon Iver’s releases became less frequent, it seemed reasonable to think that they might eventually put the brand name on hold for good. Therefore, the arrival of this EP registers as a surprise in various demographics. One is because it exists. But more importantly, this has to be the simplest, most accessible music he’s ever released with Bon Iver. Singing in a natural lower register and largely eschewing the terror-techno digital distortion of his late 2010s work, Vernon sounds more or less like the man who shaped the current generation of sad-guy superstar singer-songwriters. (I’m referring to Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan, and many others.)
5. Wild Pink, Daring the Horn
This Brooklyn band has been saddled with the dubious label of “critics’ favorite” for so long that it must feel like a hindrance at this point. It didn’t affect the music in any tangible way. This is their fifth very good album released in the past seven years. (Congratulations on passing The Five Albums Test, everyone.) This might be their most purely enjoyable record yet. After the emotionally taxing “ILYSM” due to frontman John Ross’ battle with cancer, “Daring the Horns” feels decidedly lighter despite rocking harder. It will be done. At its heart, Wild Pink remain an accomplished heartland rock band at the top of the Lost in the Dream class, but their adoption of a noisier sound with Daring the Horns adds an additional layer to their music. It gives me grit and power.
6. Good Looks “Chase Your Demons Out”
Speaking of heartland rock after “Lost in the Dream,” Good Looks’ “Lived Here for a While” has been in my regular rotation for the past few months, and will probably be released in October. They released two more songs that appear to be from the same session. Both are great, but “Chase Your Demons Out” immediately belongs among the finest, spotlighting the alchemy of Tyler Jordan’s heart-tugging songwriting and guitarist Jake Ames’ inspired improvisation. I’m guessing.
7. Kelly Lee Owens, Dreamstate
The Welsh producer’s previous work could be classified as “thinker’s” dance music, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. (I try not to use the even more clichéd “IDM” tag.) I’ve enjoyed her past albums, but Dreamstate was the most shocking to me. Mainly because it sounds like a record you can actually dance to. I don’t dance to it because no one wants to see it. But in theory, you can definitely dance to this album. My Indiecast co-host Ian Cohen describes this as her “basic” album, and he means that as a compliment. So am I.
8. Peel Dream Magazine “Rose Main Reading Room”
I became a fan of this LA band after listening to their second album “Agitprop Alterna” in 2020. Based on that album, I positioned them as proponents of Stereolab’s stereotypical drone pop. It turns out that Peel Dream Magazine isn’t so easily categorized. Pad, from their next album 2022, shifted towards a more orchestral, Pet Sounds-like sound, but their latest work refines that aesthetic a bit, with songs like Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois and Air It alludes to “Moon Safari”. This is catchy, sophisticated, lavishly produced and well-constructed pop music.
9. Tim Heidecker, Slip Away
The difficult balance between “a genius comedian who skewers the media” and “an unassuming, serious singer-songwriter” is set to get a little easier in 2022 with the warm and witty song cycle “High School.” It’s aptly named The Very Good Band. Heidecker’s latest work further enhances the spirit of touring. “Slipping Away” is an old-school “live in the studio” effort, with Heidecker setting the musings of a suburban father to a rollicking country rock reminiscent of Glam Person and some of his most upbeat early numbers. Rolling Stones in the 70’s.
10. 2nd grade, planned explosion
Power pop is a very difficult genre to master because there is nowhere to hide. You either have the song or you don’t. Most bands of this kind tend to keep making records long past the point where they lose their melodic touch. Thankfully, that’s not yet the case for this Philadelphia band. His previous album, Easy Listening, was one of my favorite LPs of 2022. Scheduled Explosions wasn’t as successful as that record, but it didn’t seem like it was. It should be. This is a deliberately messy record, as if mid-’90s GBV were trying to sound more like the Monkees. Of course, that’s great.
11. The Voids, like everything before
I mention this record also because I feel like virtually no one acknowledges its existence. And those who have it generally consider it garbage. But I’m obsessed with Julian Casablancas’ ridiculous side projects. There he can indulge in the most intense and most inconsistent ideas. Like All Before You is thus a sort of political, quasi-philosophical treatise on Buddhist scriptures, religious cults, and such miscellaneous things, complete with discount synths and shredded Megadeth style. is conveyed by a confusing jumble of riffs. Is it good? As always with The Voidz, I honestly don’t know. But I can’t stop listening.
