Cayucas -
Dancing at the Blue Lagoon (2015)
Highly anticipated but a letdown so far compared to their debut, Bigfoot.
Sauna Youth -
Dreamlands (2012)
This one starts out with a 10-minute track that is a lot of spoken word, but interesting, and then goes into their shorter indie pop/punk style that reminds me of The Thermals.
Male Bonding -
Nothing Hurts (2010)
I heard a few thoughts I thought were pretty good so I played the album, but wasn't impressed overall. Perhaps I need to try again.
Wavves x Cloud Nothings -
No Life for Me (2015)
I've listened to Cloud Nothings' two most recent albums but never got into them, mainly due to the vocals. But I really liked Wavves' last album, so I was really looking forward to this. On my initial listen I was completely underwhelmed with this album. My second listen revealed a few redeeming qualities in some of the songs, but I still feel it's a dud overall.
Failure -
The Heart Is a Monster (2015)
First listened on Monday and listening for the second time now. Very impressed on the first listen, considering this is coming 19 years after their last. It almost sounds like they never stopped making music. Tight as ever and does not lack the soul that many bands' reunion albums lack.
Jaill -
Brain Cream (2015)
I learned about Jaill with their 2010 album
That's How We Burn, which I was obsessed with its catchy indie pop for a while.
Traps came out in 2012 with a slightly more serious, less pop, and less catchy sound - a disappointment to critics but something I still enjoyed even if not to the same extent. So I didn't know what to expect from the new one, especially with the ice cream cover art. What we have is something that feels more raw than the last two, with the energy of
That's How We Burn (or earlier material) without being as pop. At least that's my impression so far after two listens. I like it.
Billy Woods -
Today, I Wrote Nothing (2015)
This guy's been on my radar for a few years but this is the first time I've played an album start to finish. I liked it, very Def Jux-style hip-hop.
Refused -
Freedom (2015)
I've read a lot of negative comments about this on various forums and while skimming reviews, but decided to dive in anyway. I was expecting some really wretched stuff based on that, but it wasn't nearly that bad. It didn't do much for me on the first listen, but I'm not going to **** on it. I think it's got some cool tracks.
Meat Beat Manifesto -
Kasm02 [EP] (2015)
New EP from Jack Dangers, part of a Skam Records sub-label collection. Probably the best MBM stuff to come out in a while. Of course, anything's easier to appreciate in smaller doses.
The Holydrug Couple -
Moonlust (2015)
I learned of the Chilean band in 2013 with their album
Notuary, which I thought was similar to Tame Impala with less-slick production. It was a good album. I spun this yesterday and was quite unimpressed with it.