I’m just going to skip this part. All things must pass.
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1. Pernice Brothers – Spread the Feeling
Equal parts Gene Clark and The Cars, glorious, often elegiac pop masterpieces. Joe Pernice isn’t breaking any new ground he’s just better at it than anyone else. Stellar Neko Case vocals in the song below.
“Love is a shoe-less charlatan
A silver-tongued huckster with a sadist’s lip-less grin
Love is the breaking of a bone
A burning cauliflower ear still throbbing on the telephone
Despite a college try
It paints a sorry sign
You piss away your life
Writing stupid songs that try to say what
Love is”
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2. The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers
Exuberant pop with ridiculous earworm hooks, harmonies, and jangly jump abouts. Just what I needed this year.
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3. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Reunions
A statement, a declaration, an announcement that Jason Isbell might just be the finest singer-songwriter we’re lucky enough to have. Traditions rest well with him and he carries the torch.
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4. Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
I have a conflicted relationship with this album. I’m convinced it’s a modern masterpiece. I just don’t feel the need to play it often, if at all. Time will tell?
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5. Pup – Morbid Stuff
Emo punk brilliance that makes me feel like I’m 20 again. Which, at my age, is a very scary proposition.
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6. Dogleg – Melee
See above and increase intensity.
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7. Fontaines DC – A Hero’s Death
Dublin’s finest post-punks continue to channel The Fall and add tinges of Joy Division to make things that much darker. Perfect soundtrack for our current dystopia.
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8. Districts – You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere
Yearning angsty guitar driven indie that would have fit right nicely on early 90’s Matador roster.
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9. Jeff Rosenstock – No Dream
A buoyant Joe Jackson type groove belies the darkness of the lyrics. Pop punk socialist rants never sounded like so much fun.
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10. Brian Fallon – Local Honey
Gaslight Anthem leader’s detour from Jersey to Nebraska.
Special Replacements Section –
Over the last two years the most consequential music releases for me have been The Replacements re-issues.
Dead Man’s Pop – The Matt Wallace mix reveals what I always believed to be great songs and rescues them from the original repugnant production. Love Tommy’s banjo on Talent Show.
Pleased To Meet Me – The rough mix is sometimes a bit, um, rough. Some of the extra demos are a delight.
Live At Maxwell’s 1986 – Beautiful chaos.
The Complete Inconcerated Live – Proof that when the ‘Mats were sober(ish) they were untouchable as a live band.