Album of the Week – 21/07/23

The big release of the week is Blur with their new album The Ballad of Darren! Yes, it’s good to have them back and there are a few gems on it, to be sure. There is also a new release from Bloc Party (The High Life EP).

A new name (to me at least) that is well worth checking out is Cut Worms (aka Max Clarke), with his new album imaginatively called… Cut Worms! It’s his 3rd album, so I’m obviously not paying enough attention. There are also some new sounds from Mull Historical Society (In My Mind There’s a Room) and Wren Hinds (Don’t Die in the Bundu). It’s very hard to ignore the legends that are Guided By Voices who have another new album! It’s called Welshpool Frillies, definitely listen to Meet The Star below…

While it’s hard to find a winner among all those names, Mr Brid edged it which his lovely new album Outside Problems! You can check it out below.

Album of the Week – Andrew Bird – Outside Problems

“I wanted to record Inside Problems outside, but this plan fell apart when it became clear that some dude with a wood chipper could really ruin our day. I did so much casual recording during the pandemic, in my backyard or in Ojai, that I gathered enough outdoor recordings to make Outside Problems. Most of these were made without any intention of making an album, just improvisations on simple themes, some of which make up the musical backbone of Inside Problems. I mostly write lyrics with a guitar in my hand on the couch late at night but to find the real musical language of an album, I go outside with my amp and looping pedal and spin out hours and hours of improvisation.”

Albums of Note:

— Bloc Party – The High Life EP

— Blur – The Ballad of Darren

— Cut Worms – Cut Worms

— Guided By Voices – Welshpool Frillies

— Mull Historical Society – In My Mind There’s a Room

— Wren Hinds – Don’t Die in the Bundu

Albums Released – July 21st:

— Agriculture – Agriculture

— Allegra Kreiger – I Keep My Feet on The Fragile Plane

— Andrew Bird – Outside Problems

— The Arcadian Wild – Welcome

— Babyface Ray – Summer’s Mine

— Bill Brewster – Late Night Tales presents After Dark: Vespertine

— Bloc Party – The High Life EP

— Blur – The Ballad of Darren

— boukie Young-White – All who can’t hear must feel

— Bruno Major – Columbo

— Burial and Kode9 – Infirmary / Unknown Summer EP

— Charm School – Finite Jest EP

— Cian Ducrot – Victory

— Cloudland Canyon – Circuit City

— The Criticals – Clever Girl EP

— The Cucumbers – Old Shoes

— Cut Worms – Cut Worms

— Dante Bowe – Dante Bowe

— Dismember – Historia Mortis

— Elf Power – Vainly Clutching at Phantom Limbs (Vinyl Reissue)

— Erin Viancourt – Won’t Die This Way

— ford. – Guiding Hand

— Gorgon City – Salvation

— Greta Van Fleet – Starcatcher

— Guided By Voices – Welshpool Frillies

— The Holy Family – Go Zero

— Ice Spice – Like..? (Deluxe Edition)

— Inhuman Condition – Panic Prayer EP

— INJI – LFG EP

— John Lee Hooker – …and seven nights (Vinyl Reissue)

— Johnny’s Uncalled For – The Lost Album

— Kai Campos & Mount Kimbie – City Planning (Deluxe)

— Kehli – Pity Party EP

— Kitba – Kitba

— Landscape – Landscape A Go-Go: The Story Of Landscape 1977-83

— Lauren Auder – the infinite spine

— Logan Lynn + Yellow Trash Can – Distracted EP

— London Grammar – The Remixes

— Lonnie Smith – Turning Point (Vinyl Reissue)

— Lori McKenna – 1988

— Michaël Brun – Fami Summer EP

— Miss Tiny – DEN7 EP

— Mizmor – Prosaic

— Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – City of Gold

— Mort Garson – Journey to the Moon and Beyond

— Mother Tongues – Love in a Vicious Way

— MÒZÂMBÎQÚE – Peril 1998 EP

— Mull Historical Society – In My Mind There’s a Room

— Nathanael Larochette – Old Growth

— Nevāda Nevada – Past Life

— Nils Lofgren – Mountains

— Nina Simone – You’ve Got to Learn

— Oscar Lang – Look Now

— Outer Heaven – Infinite Psychic Depths

— Oxbow – Love’s Holiday

— Pantera – The Complete Studio Albums 1990-2000 (Vinyl Box Set)

— Paris Texas – MID AIR

— Pelican – The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon The Thaw (Reissue)

— Rachel Sage – The Other Side

— Raquel Bitton – C’est Magnifique

— Saint Agnes – Bloodsuckers

— Sam Burton – Dear Departed

— SkyeChristy – The Summer I Lost My Lover EP

— Strange Ranger – Pure Music

— Sunshine Convention – Sunshine Convention

— Tanner Adell – Buckle Bunny

— Upper Wilds – Jupiter

— Valee and Harry Fraud – Virtuoso

— The Vandals – Hitler Bad, Vandals Good (Vinyl Reissue)

— Various Artists – Barbie: The Album

— Various Artists – Landscape A Go-Go: The Story Of Landscape 1977-83

— VOIVOD – Morgöth Tales

— Wren Hinds – Don’t Die in the Bundu