The Weekly Coos

20. Aly & AJ – With Love From

Aly & AJ’s return to music hit a momentous high on their excellent follow-up to some remarkable EPs: a touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun, and that consistency shined through and through. It keeps us fans, but as fans, we also understand what we like and don’t, so for their follow-up, With Love From comes with incredible highs, continuing that consistency with potent new directions that elevates the craft beyond pop, shifting to pop sounds that carry the influence of Americana and Country music on its sleeves. Unfortunately, the album doesn’t stay with this throughout, sometimes shifting back to a more pop-rock-focused sound, even when they aren’t as bad. These pop songs woven within the tracklists feel like it panders to the pop music fans have gotten to love when they could have had more consistency by keeping the aesthetic constant. But With Love From is one solid album that expands beyond the acoustic-driven fortitude of its sonic influences, creating an emotionally potent album. Link to Review

19. SKYZOO & THE OTHER PEOPLE – THE MIND OF A SAINT

Like Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones, Skyzoo keeps the narrative in constant motion, keeping the aesthetic realized from production to the verses, and never breaking character, keeping the swagger intact. The Mind Of A Saint is effusive and personal, at times expressing that sly coldness that comes with one’s own comfortability flexing this kind of success at the expense of the common folk and their addictions. It’s raw and honest, making you zero in on the nuances of his bars, and it starts to hit you in the middle as Skyzoo brings Franklin Saint to life, and keeping it real – the tracks, “Straight Drop,” “100 To One,” and “Bodies!” It doesn’t stop there as it continues toward a strong ending. Unfortunately, not all tracks are dense, as some allusions to interactions in the show can leave you with questions; it’s a positive that it’s significant enough to possibly influence one to watch it as it did with me. – Link To Review

18. Zombie Juice – Love Without Conditions

Love Without Conditions feels like a lucid trip, except in reverse, as the contemplative work comes at the beginning and end; the midway point brings more of that aggro-druggie typicality we’ve heard from the Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers prior. Though I could call this a two-track pivot in the middle more of that heightened visual pretense that you get told about when it comes to LSD, but not as unique. It’s what happens when it becomes habitual, or more recurring, that its visual effects aren’t as potent like the first time. They have a leveled balance that would make fans of the groups rejoice with delight as these two groups were significant cornerstones in the shift of NY East Coast Hip-Hop in the early 2010s; it just doesn’t all work here since they feel more like blank slates to flex over. It’s like they are the visuals, coming late to the party, letting the listener/user feel engulfed in their thoughts. It’s a downturn from the intricate and intimate balance within tracks like “Hootz” or “Say Enough,” where the piano becomes a vital component, fleshing the base of the beat by Tyler Dopps to new heights.  Link to Review

17. SKRILLEX – DON’T GET TOO CLOSE

Quest For Fire builds dynamic intensity within the pores of its percussion notes. A type of intensity that your typical club flair couldn’t capture the energy amassing from the hard-gripping percussion that you’ll just want to mosh instead of relaxing to some crisp melodies that fit a wider audience without thinking lesser of its listener. Quest For Fire is like a rave, a fantastic time, and uncontrollable. Don’t Get Too Close is like having your moment under blue lights, sometimes neon, and vibing more loosely to the sounds instead of grooving chaotically. Quest For Fire has a few danceable moments, like “Butterflies,” “Ratata,” and “Leave Me Like This,” but beneath that aesthetic, the percussion loomed over the synths and bass; it becomes more defined through its individuality. It kept the album centered on a resounding sonic theme, while Don’t Get Too Close does so with its approach to delivering the vocal melodies and keeping its tones consistent. The individual performances wane, some shine, and some hit the nail perfectly while acquiescing with the production fluidly.  Link to Review

16. LP GIOBBI – LIGHT PLACES

I often come across artists that capture my attention to the fullest, furthering my pursuit to listen to their discography or a short collection of songs before an impending release. Recently that has been the case with LP Giobbi, a Piano House star in the making, precisely as she continues to establish an identity beholden to who she is and more. As noted through her Instagram and interviews, Giobbi grew up a Dead Head, i.e., a core group of superfans who used to travel just to watch The Grateful Dead perform, and that has stuck with her today, specifically in her craft. As Evan Sawdley of PopMatter.com noted, “The idea of mixing the music of the Grateful Dead with contemporary dance trends sounds sacrilegious on paper, but for LP Giobbi, it is nothing short of a dream.” We’ve heard LP make remixes of the music of The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia’s music and deliver Dead House sets, blending the music of the former with house; now she’s giving us her debut solo album that continues to highlight her strength as a pianist and electronic musician. Link to Review

15. The Aces – I’ve Loved You For So Long

The Aces don’t forget who they are and what makes them so distinct beyond treading genre lines of Synth-Pop. Throughout their career, they have been tackling varying dimensions of pop, whether internal or external, as they establish a base without gender being a tag and becoming something unique on their own. They’ve built a base with intricate sonic layering, bolstering the contextual identity of the production, allowing them to separate from some of its simplistic percussion and string patterns, which becomes slightly less apparent on their new album, I’ve Loved You For So Long. Though past albums made the directional minimalism feel profound when constructing these enigmatic rock anthems, they still have flavor as they continue to steer focus towards the strings and synthesizers – more so the former, which has its share of solos and quick licks that you can’t help but keep latching, especially with the synergy it brings with the performances. As viscerally gripping as their hooks are, they still come second to the written verses that establish thematic poignancy within the crevices of their words and shine through with viscosity, despite the album hooking you, unlike their last output, Under My Influence. Link to Review

14. JENNY LEWIS – JOY’ALL

Joy’All is a fantastic equilibrium of seriousness mixed with amusing anecdotes that speak wonders about who Jenny Lewis is and how she thinks and creates. That first waft hits you significantly, specifically as Lewis takes it upon herself to define this rebel Americana that sings to her rhythmic and lyrical desire. Thus, it isn’t much of a shock when continuing after the opening song, which plays on this notion of being seen as a “Psychos” – one focus is being different, happy, and thriving, despite others thinking she’s out there. The content of the music stays grounded with its content, never seeming to exceed into fantastical territory, keeping it real with the choruses – bridging connectivity, you’re in lockstep with Lewis’s musical direction – co-spearheaded by Dave Cobb, a Nashville producer who has worked with Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, as examples. Joy’All isn’t a pure Country record, but as past acts have done, the inclusion of a Country music producer adds musical dimensions, as they have a more distinct ear for emotionally potent string arraignments – there’s a twang to the layer progression, furthering the emphasis of specific notes Lewis sings – Cobb is no stranger to it, especially working with the guitar-focused works of Chris Stapleton, or the rounded indie flair of Americana that he co-produced on Brandi Carlisle’s last two albums. Link To Review

13. Gorillaz – Cracker Island

Cracker Island is a vibrant orchestration of sounds that levels the varying sonic styles we’ve heard throughout the years. It doesn’t truly aim for all the glitz and glamour, reminding us more of earlier Gorillaz, stripped down and direct, while showing a sense of growth as they assimilate naturally to ever-shifting sonic palettes. I can’t help but get their reggaeton song with Bad Bunny out of my head, like most of the album, which I hope does similarly with you. You get entranced from beginning to end by the synergy created between vocals and instrumentations, and maybe you’ll let the lesser tracks come and go without a blink. Link To Review

12. Boygenius – Boygenius

Entwined with the seismic grasp of indie rock’s guitar-centric oeuvre, Boygenius has found a way to bring more value than some systematic construction, especially within the areas of the choruses and bridges. Much of that comes from members Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and Phoebe Bridgers, who are equally adept at writing these auspiciously poignant songs that turn into something expansive from common themes it imbues, bringing dynamic lyrical and melodic depth over whimsical strings. What separates Boygenius from others is their ability to create polished production through this subtle rough studio aesthetic that pushes the instruments toward an individualized spotlight. They continuously showcase the elements of rock, conjoined through the motions of the trio’s collective musical characterizations. It gives fans a sense that each brings this unique touch, whether coming from the slower emo textures of Baker & Bridgers or the more nuanced singer-songwriter vocal aesthetic from Dacus. The vision Boygenius has is evident as it gets delivered powerfully on their debut album, the record. Link To Review

11. The Blaze

Like their first album, Dancehall, it doesn’t take long before the production puts you in a zone without shifting toward something more obtuse beyond a consistent breadth developing through the percussion and synths. You get this quick whiff instantly as Jungle opens to a track resembling something from an early 2010s Bon Iver or STRFCKR album; however, its production shifts the parallel further from it. The vocals are airy and coated behind this screen of atmospheric electronic textures, which creates a nuanced take on pop and French House, almost taking it as a guiding principle and establishing sounds that accentuate with cadence. Whether it’s on the opening track “Lullaby” or the subsequent “Dreamer” and “Lonely,” it separates itself from the production, becoming its own thing where the landscape shifts between being more percussion or synth focused. While it establishes its core direction, one can easily get lost in its vibe, but as you swim through the ten-track album, it’s like exploring new avenues of rich sounds. Link To Review

10. Foo Fighters – BUT HERE WE ARE

Foo Fighters aren’t trying to sugarcoat what they’ve felt. They brought to life the influence and greatness of Taylor Hawkins through specialized performances not long after his passing, and those thoughts, whether celebratory of a remarkable life or demonstrative shift towards the darkness, knowing your friend is gone forever. In some ways, you can hear it from Dave Grohl’s emotional poignancy in how he hits the bass, snare, and cymbals with vigor, making it as if it is keeping the music together; it does. Bringing as much emphasis to this is the songwriting, which tackles loss through different perspectives and avenues to relay its effect, either instantly or through time. It’s an introspective reflection on lessons learned and the value of patience and grief, considering how deeply affected the Foo Fighters are, especially Dave Grohl, who can’t seem to escape an unreal landscape and retreat into reality. It’s as if he doesn’t want to accept it, and as the title says, But Here We Are, the title song brings nuanced reflections which allow us to hear and witness how disillusioned one can be with loss. Link To Review

9. Blondshell – Blondshell

After giving Blondshell a few listens, one element of the music’s appeal became evident, the lure it uses to grip the listener. It keeps us hooked by letting the songs flow on repeat without focusing on forcing something to be catchy, whether it’s the hook or lightly layered melodies and rhymes. It’s centered on the performance and the multi-faceted layers beneath the vocal performance, where the instruments elevate and evolve the music exponentially. It makes it known instantly with the riotous “Veronica Mars,” placing a stamp on a type of aesthetic that will get heard again later in a listen-through. In between tracks of that ilk, Sabrina Teitelbaum brings some tempered balance with these downshifts, letting us hear the depth of her artistry with some stripped-down but layered instrumentations that balance modest pop vocals with its indie rock core. As we listen to her deliver themes of heartbreak, anger, toxic relationship dynamics, addiction and substance abuse, and social anxiety, there is this rich sense of understanding amongst varying levels. Though it may be a lot of themes, Blondshell never feels bloated or over-sizzled, as Teitelbaum keeps a steady balance between performances.  Link To Review

8. Overmono – Overmono

Overmono’s debut album Good Lies is full of rich textures, encapsulating breakbeats and some fluid songwriting as they continue to showcase the range and potency of their music. Like most dance/electronic music, there’s usually a bridge between tones, allowing sonorous self-reflections to exist within a zone of dance fever. The synchronistic connectivity the two have comes from this notion of dancing your problems away, and it does so without being so black and white. There’s depth and nuance within the productions that you’re inhabiting a new sphere of music where vibes are there to get you elevated, but at the same time, intaking these rich layers of sounds that make the whole electronic genre more than just something to dance to.  Link To Review

7. LARRY JUNE & THE ALCHEMIST – THE GREAT ESCAPE

Within Rap music, we have artists with the viscosity to deliver many projects throughout a 12 Month span. There’s Curren$y, Boldly James, Papoose, Termanology, and G Perico, to name a few, but on the opposite end of the LA coast where G Perico hails from, there’s Larry June from the Bay area of California. Entrenched within soulful vibes, it becomes a guiding principle that boasts the production’s eventual turns as we get hints of refined melancholic sounds, which places a board for June to deliver visceral lyricism akin to his world. That’s what we get with the resoundingly beautiful The Great Escape, an album collaboration with famed Hip-Hop producer The Alchemist. Considering the hype behind both artists, it’s safe to say that the album delivers and then some; it keeps a smooth vocal cadence throughout, immersing the listener within the transparent sounds that push the writing to the front. It fits within June’s repertoire of music that follows a similar aesthetic; however, between less engaging choruses, there is so much to love about the album, especially Alchemist’s production. Link To Review

6. AVALON EMERSON – & THE CHARM

Explorative and melancholic, Avalon Emerson takes what she has learned via making music and performing music since first tapping into it at an early age, eventually leading to her delivering a fantastic debut with & the Charm. It isn’t a reflection of histrionics and more so a tempered and expansive POV into the mind of someone who aims to take that next step in musical creation, furthering from the more House/Dance aesthetics of past EPs – fewer vocals, more dance grooves – tapping into the corners of varying sub-genres of Electronic music. In doing so, Avalon Emerson continues to dig deeper into the performative aspect of creating an album, one where she doesn’t have to thoroughly rely on the production to form a sense of being as a means for the listener to get instantly catapulted into a positive stupor emboldened by vibes. As you hit play, you get lost within this wormhole of Electronica, some Trance, and Ambient, that Avalon Emerson weaves, allowing us to dig deeper into the complexions of her artistry and sense how poignant her songwriting is. Link To Review

5. CAROLINE POLACHEK – DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU

Production exploding with momentous energy, vibrant songwriting, and whimsically enigmatic vocal directions, there was so little I didn’t love about the new Caroline Polachek album, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You. Polachek’s follow-up to Pang offers a continuation of nearly transcendent sounds beautifully engineered and delivered with rich depth; it keeps the album’s distinct direction flowing in constant motion as we get whimsically fantastic lyricism. It’s as if Polachek had varying canvases and painted them with grace, allowing these varying genre complexions to flash and coat her emphatically moody poppy melodies with more than just an identity. It gives it meaning beyond the conjectures of its finite production; Polachek weaves intricate themes through metaphorically inspired storytelling as she tackles individualism and spiraling upward while balancing thematic melodic and sounds through others. It’s a triumphant continuation that has kept its presence on loop significantly, even with its less-than-stellar moment, which are rare, and further delivering one of the best projects of 2023 thus far. Link To Review

4. Killer Mike – Michael

Aptly titled Michael, the album contains music pertinent to Killer Mike’s upbringing, the visualizations of the truth – where he takes note and relays the bias-racial divide – and flexing without regressing to the means of typicality. It’s awe-inducing – keeping me on my toes. There aren’t genuine moments where I found myself detached from the music, though minor inconsistencies have left me yearning for a tighter album, like its pacing, which begins to teeter slightly after the mid-way point. Yet, as I kept it looping, there weren’t moments I disliked, despite being a little flawed. Michael sees Killer Mike triumphantly returning as he rounds the bases with some illustrative music that you can overlook the minor missteps.  Link To Review

3. Raye – My 21st Century Blues

My 21st Century Blues has innate consistency, weaving through contrasting and detailed styles that expand beyond pop. The first few tracks have this gripping sense of musical grandeur, which boasts the impact of the songwriting, like the trip-hop heavy “Hard Out Here,” which sees Raye reflecting on her bleakest moments and weaving infectious confidence about making it out here. So it’s safe to say I was immediately mesmerized by the production; it bolsters Raye’s performance to showcase the emotional density she brings. It reflects in Raye’s melodies, which shift from the more atmospheric Dance-Pop aesthetic of Euphoric Sad Songs to unearthed complexions within and adding some hip-hop flows. We’re listening to that lyrical potency from Euphoric Sad Songs growing into naturally seamless synergy between the beats and performance, creating this larger-than-life book with each page centering on the blues. Raye isn’t sugar-coating the lyrics, coming at it directly while being able to paint the scene for the situation or story she chooses to tell.  Link To Review

2. Jayda G – Guy

When “Both Of Us” began blowing up beyond the underground House music scene, it became evident to many that Jayda G was a talent we shouldn’t be sleeping on. She soon established herself as this luminously outward dance DJ and producer, shifting trends to stay authentic with her artistic direction. It’s there in her 2019 release Significant Changes, and even more so with Guy. With Guy, we hear her pivoting inwards, getting more personal with the writing and vocal performances, taking a direction that’s not as focused on sound first, and instead more introspective and illuminating. Jayda G lost her father, William Guy, at 10, and before his passing, he recorded videos recounting his life for his family; using those audio samples, Jayda G delivers significant range as she finally processes it all as an adult. She went through the archives, his journals, and videos, creating a concept album where the focus is never lost. Speaking from the perspective of her father, and her journey discovering these stories, Jayda G delivers a stunning album where it only stumbles in the pacing briefly. Link To Review

1. DAUGHTER – STEREO MIND GAMES

Softening the listener with a melancholy instrumental as the intro, Stereo Mind Game quickly grabs your ears and pits you against a concurrent run of deep songs where its themes come to life like popping out of a book. We’re hearing Elena Torna, lead singer of Daughter, sing about these moments where you feel sullen, unknowing how the world shifts around you as time passes, and the feeling of displacement while motionless on “Dandelion.” We hear her sing about contrasting emotions that come with loneliness, like the peaceful feeling on “Be On Your Way” or the depressive longing that comes from not seeing certain loved ones on a regular on “Isolation.” It continues to build and build with the production elevating the senses further. Reflections of these themes are resonant through differentiating directions and unique constructions where originality becomes a dominant positive. It allows you to dig deep and listen carefully, getting through these auspicious themes that carry semblance from track to track. It extends beyond this, as there are roots within them that build character depth and growth. Link To Review