THIS WEEK'S KEY RELEASES
Mount Eerie _ "A Crow Looked at Me"
"A Crow Looked at Me" is a masterpiece in the manner of "A Grief Observed" and "She Will Find What is Lost." All of these works create a special communion between creator and observer, artistic experiences that join individual circumstances of loss with whatever the listener/reader/viewer brings to the work. But these are not mere containers for our projections. They prepare us for times to weep and mourn, which will surely come. _ Thomas Britt
Pallbearer _ "Heartless"
Pallbearer's third album, "Heartless," is an epic and urgent meditation on our current moment. Its lyrics point toward the inward struggle of living a life encumbered by the weight of the past, but grounds this contemplation with gestures that point to greater problems in the world. On "Heartless," the past is not only personal but, also, cultural _ something shared and something in which we are all complicit. _ Tanner Smith
Craig Finn _ "We All Want the Same Things"
On "We All Want the Same Things" Craig Finn continues to carve out a niche as a solo artist distinct from his band the Hold Steady. This album, his third, feels like a natural progression from 2015's "Faith in the Future," and it's probably no coincidence that it was also produced by Josh Kaufman. Finn continues to tell his stories in his usual sing-speak style, but sonically he keeps the music low-key. _ Chris Conaton
NOW HEAR THIS
Fleet Foxes _ "Third of May / Odaigahara"
It's been six years since the last Fleet Foxes album, so "highly anticipated" is certainly the right term to use here. Since the release of "Helplessness Blues," drummer Josh Tillman jumped ship and became everyone's favorite sexy misanthrope, Father John Misty, yet the Foxes soldier on and are doing exactly what we expect of them _ deep, cavernous-sounding indie campfire folk with Robin Pecknold's keening tenor cutting through the heavy percussion and woodsy acoustic guitars. With this track, however, they diverge a bit with an epic, multi-part track reminiscent of the Decemberists' prog/folk diversions. The band test-drives their sound through a series of strange avenues but it still _ thank goodness _ sounds like Fleet Foxes. This is a band stepping out of its comfort zone and sounding so much better for it. _ Chris Ingalls
https://youtu.be/6GqgNebPm50
Lowland Hum _ "Folded Flowers"
Charlottesville, Va., indie folk duo Lowland Hum practice a sort of minimalism in their music. Focusing on soft and light tones, their songs possess an organic and fragile sensibility with spare instrumentation, right-on-the-money harmonies, and evocative lyrics. It's a potent combination that has helped their fan base grow quickly and passionately. On their latest video for the lovely "Folded Flowers", the married Daniel and Lauren Goans, take a pastoral day in the woods where music fits the scenery as naturally as birdsong. _ Sarah Zupko
https://youtu.be/LTERtJGxErw
WATCH THIS
The Weeknd _ "I Feel It Coming" feat. Daft Punk
Whereas "Starboy" was chilly and nocturnal, "I Feel It Coming" is all warmth and gentle buoyancy. The track closes out its respective album with a dose of youthful, romantic innocence, a morning where all the previous night's depravities have somehow melted away. Abel Tesfaye's vocals are clear and infectious, as are the percolating synths surrounding them. The track is more on-brand Daft Punk than "Starboy", but their telltale robotic backup vocals are still tastefully applied and may even provoke some welcome nostalgia, befitting the track's retro vibe as a whole. One of those songs you actually look forward to hearing on the radio. _ Andrew Paschal
https://youtu.be/qFLhGq0060w
Lorde _ "Green Light"
Lorde makes her grand re-entrance with a song that is both completely confounding _ in the way that it's nothing like anything she's ever done before _ and utterly infectious. It's the type of song you want to hear again immediately after it's over. For a minute it sounds like the Lorde we know and love, the prone-to-wallowing chanteuse whose anger and cynicism might get the best of her, but then it just explodes. There's an insistent house beat, there's a pounding, joyous piano line that recalls Moby at his best moments, and there's Lorde herself, soaring over the top of it all. In a just world, this would dominate pop radio for the next couple months. That a just-barely-20-year-old has accomplished this is mind-boggling. _ Mike Schiller
https://youtu.be/dMK_npDG12Q
Spoon _ "Can I Sit Next to You"
Even after nine albums, Spoon manage the remarkable feat of releasing a song that sounds nothing like anything in their remarkable canon. Whilst every album has seen them experiment with their sound in some way, "Can I Sit Next to You" sees the band move in a funky dance pop direction. It sounds supremely confident with the strut and the swagger of a band who have full faith in what they are doing. A welcome return that shows that Spoon are still capable of pulling off a few surprises. _ Paul Carr
https://youtu.be/6_yJYNF_Qas
