THIS WEEK'S KEY RELEASES
Anathema _ "The Optimist"
Anathema's latest record, "The Optimist," is an exquisite mash-up between the upfront rock foundation of "A Fine Day to Exist," the heavenly orchestral atmospheres of their last three full-lengths, and some unexpected new routes that make it both familiar and fresh. That said, it also contains some monotonous moments and slightly underwhelming tracks that keep it from feeling as thematically rich, sonically ambitious, and emotionally essential as its immediate predecessors. "The Optimist" is nevertheless a wonderful record that continues the band's one-of-a-kind excellence. _ Jordan Blum
Chuck Berry _ "CHUCK"
John Lennon famously said, "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'" Indeed, the recently deceased Berry was the first rocker with staying power both as a singer, writer, and performer whose classics such as "Johnny B Goode," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Maybellene," "Sweet Little Sixteen" and many others form the core of the rock cannon. Berry's influence and importance cannot be overstated. The 90-year-old Berry planned to release a new album before he died, and it has been posthumously released. The good news is that while the man was no longer a groundbreaking creator of a new musical style, he still could rock in creative and energetic ways. _ Steve Horowitz
Big Thief _ "Capacity"
Glen Campbell _ "Adios"
Ani DiFranco _ "Binary"
Gov't Mule _ "Revolution Come ... Revolution Go"
Katy Perry _ "Witness"
Lady Antebellum _ "Heart Break"
London Grammar _ "Truth Is a Beautiful Thing"
Nickelback _ "Feed the Machine"
Phoenix _ "Ti Amo"
Rancid _ "Trouble Maker"
Rise Against _ "Wolves"
The Secret Sisters _ "You Don't Own Me Anymore"
Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly & James McAlister _ "Planetarium"
NOW HEAR THIS
Art Feynman _ "The Shape You're In"
California's Art Feynman sports an impressive sound that blends elements of motorik and Afrobeat into a thrilling mix that comes across as something akin to chilled-out funk. On "The Shape You're In" Feynman's instrumentation and muted tones are economical but decidedly funky with slinky beats and hushed vocals. "The Shape You're In" refers to our present political calamities as well as the dehumanizing effects of technology invading every aspect of our lives. "The Shape You're In" shows a young artist at the top of his game and it's a superb preview for Feynman's upcoming album "Blast Off Through the Wicker" releasing on July 14th. _ Sarah Zupko
(https://youtu.be/LXEdINtGBn4)
Mux Mool _ "Starfighter Courage"
Electronic producer Mux Mool is fascinated by the sounds of classic arcade games as well as abstraction and experimentation. He grew up in Minnesota endlessly absorbed by an inexpensive little sampling keyboard, amazed by how changed when you lower an octave. Mux Mool used that tool and many more keyboards after it to keep chasing the sounds he wanted to create. After a couple of releases through Ghostly International, Mux Mool released his 2016 album Implied Lines via Bandcamp, but now he's re-releasing the record via Young Heavy Souls and adding two tracks, including "Starfighter Courage".
(http://popm.at/2rBr3Xp)
WATCH THIS
Radiohead _ "I Promise"
At first it's a little jarring to hear a relatively straightforward rock song from Radiohead after years of ceaseless experimentation. Years that have seen the band morph into something almost unrecognizable to the one that changed modern guitar rock music in the late 1990s. The acoustic guitar, the marching, straight drumbeat all seem like forgotten keepsakes from past relationships. However, in the context of "OK Computer," it retains that visionary beauty of a band attempting to deconstruct the notion of a rock band and replace it with something subtle and more textual. Thom Yorke manages to capture the alienation and existential dread of the end of the millennium but does so through the simplest of ideas _ a deceptively straightforward vow to stick around and never leave. A gorgeous and welcome trip down memory lane. _ Paul Carr
(https://youtu.be/0sFvFVkeGVg)
Kingdom _ "Breathless" feat. Shacar
Producer Kingdom and singer Shacar make for a potent duo on "Breathless". For all its electronics and Auto-Tuning, the track feels naked and stronger for it. Shacar brings heartfelt expression to his performance, both visually and vocally, and Kingdom wisely keeps beats and instrumentation to a minimum, letting Shacar's lithe voice rise, fall, and wind around the music as the star of the song. The result is a dream, but it's not a sweet one all the way through _ it's a little surreal, a little tormented, and layered. A powerful low-key single. _ Adriane Pontecorvo
(https://youtu.be/y3KG1uQD5jY)
