Five Songs, 5/11/2022

Forest Swords, “The Weight of Gold”

Always nice to heart from Forest Swords! I’d like to hear a new album from him, actually, although I suppose the wait between the first two albums is about what we’ve waited since the second album. So maybe soon! I’ve convinced myself!

Negativland, “Either Or”

True False, the 2019 record from Negativland, is something of a return home for them, although without some dearly departed members. It’s based around the same kind of collage work that they used on their biggest albums, and the sound is in the same vein as those records. For people like me who have been listening to them for decades, it’s comforting in a way to hear it. But, of course, as befits Negativland, it’s not wholly comforting, as the material on the record is mostly downer stuff around the media’s negative effects on the well-being of society and our own minds. As always, it’s a thoughtful record, and the world would be a better place if something like Negativland was more prominent.

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Five Songs, 11/27/2019

The Decemberists, “When The War Came”

There’s a lot to really like on The Crane Wife, especially the epic songs on it, but this song isn’t really one of the highlights. It’s fine, I don’t mind it, but it’s not one of the songs I would seek out.

J Church, “I Can’t Be Nice To You”

Meanwhile, here’s a song that I can easily belt out all the lyrics to without even half thinking about it. Prophylaxis is one of the albums I love the most that nobody has really heard of. Is it available on Spotify? Friends, it is not.

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