CLARK – Sus Dog
A glitchy EDM album that’s more Radiohead than David Guetta, and not only because Thom Yorke is on it. (7)
BRANDY CLARK – Brandy Clark
Fourth solo album by country songwriter to the stars, includes a couple of real gems like “Ain’t Enough Rocks”. (8)
ELEGANT WEAPONS – Horns For A Halo
Superb metal supergroup put together by Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest) and featuring Scott Travis, Rex Brown, and Ronnie Romero tips the hat to 80’s non-Priest classic hard rock/metal – songs like “Do Or Die” might as well be retitled to “Do Or Dio”. (8)
ROBERT ELLIS – Yesterday’s News
This is so weird, back in 2016 this guy had again released an album on the same day as Paul Simon with the two albums blending seamlessly when played back-to-back, and the same thing happens now – “Yesterday’s News” is like a younger Paul Simon rooted more in country than in folk, and it’s sparsely orchestrated like “Seven Psalms”. (7)
GHOST – Phantomime
The between-albums EP is becoming a tradition for Tobias and this one is just cover songs, featuring a provocative mix of tracks originally by Television, Genesis, Stranglers, Iron Maiden, and Tina Turner (good timing). Great, as expected. (8)
ARLO PARKS – My Soft Machine
More textured than her wonderful bedroom pop debut a couple of years ago, adding a few “rock” bits into the mix (the grungy climax of “Devotion”, Phoebe Bridgers guesting on “Pegasus”), and again quite poetic, this sophomore effort will establish her as one of the most interesting voices of her generation. (8)
PAUL SIMON – Seven Psalms
A suite consisting of seven beautiful, chilling, sparsely orchestrated songs evoking spiritual imagery. A worthy addition to the catalog on one of the world’s greatest songwriters. (8)
COLIN STETSON – When We Were That What Wept For The Sea
If you thought you had a general idea of what one saxophone can do, well, think again. Another haunting, beautiful, scary masterpiece from Stetson and his amazing circular breathing technique. (8)
SBT – Joan Of All
Laura Marling does Lou Reed, or vice versa. And it’s a grower, you really start getting it on the 4th or 5th listen. (8)
MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES – Altitude
Wow. A revelation. Who would’ve thought that a 65-year-old country veteran who used to be in Johnny Cash’s band would come up with such a fantastic Byrds-influenced country rock album in 2023? (8)
TINARIWEN – Amatssou
By now they’re like Iron Maiden – they’ve been around since the late 70’s, they’re the biggest act in their genre (the Tuareg peoples’ assouf, known in the West as “desert blues”), they've released quite a few masterpieces, they're now dependable but predictable. (7)
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