In No Particular Order: 3 Must-Hear Albums of the Week (11/13/20)
Nothing unlucky about this post.
Sure, it’s November 13th in 2020, but if you can ignore that for a moment, then the fact that there are three phenomenal new albums for you in this edition of In No Particular Order is pretty damn lucky.
This week, I’ve filtered through plenty of new music and brought you my favourite albums, including the debut release from Austin breakout group Nané and Gambian/British hip-hop artist Pa Salieu. As well, Vancouver alt-rock veterans Yukon Blonde return with their sensational, fifth full-length.
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Nané – Nané
8.5/10
Southern Rock/Alternative
Every once in awhile, a frontman of a certain level of charisma and confidence emerges into the music world: Daniel Sahad is one of those unique figures to come into the spotlight. As the lead singer of Austin rock group Nané, both his strong stature and commanding musicality demand your welcomed attention on the group’s debut, self-titled full-length. Since forming back in 2016 at the University of Texas at Austin, the six-piece group, rounded out by guitarist Ian Green, bassist Scott McIntyre, drummer Brady Knippa, and keyboardist JaRon Marshall (of Black Pumas), have been making waves almost immediately.
Fans of Alabama Shakes and Kings of Leon will be able to see the resemblance with Nané. The hazy guitars mixed with the twangin’ rhythm give new life to the southern rock genre, while Sahad’s vocal range mimics that of Brittany Howard’s as he moves seamlessly between airy falsetto and bellowing growl. Each song on the 10 track collection moves in its own way, taking the instrumentation in different directions from sweet and groovy on “Always On My Mind” and “Clementine Tree”; punchy southern jam rock on “Much Too Much” and the sensational “Blue Velvet”; there’s even hints of the ’70s with the R&B-style “Pink Jag” or classic rock on the explosive “Something’s Got To Give”. The push and pull of the record keeps things light and interesting, as Nané hand deliver their heart and soul into the music.
Similar to Sahad, the album has a lot of personality and positive spirit. It’s something you can listen to when you’re already feeling great or as a pick-me-up when you need a boost. Sahad’s energy is infectious, and the rest of Nané are equally as cohesive and exciting on their debut release.
Notable tracks: “Always On My Mind” // “Blue Velvet” // “Something’s Got To Give”
Yukon Blonde – Vindicator
8.5/10
Indie rock/Alternative psych-rock
For the past ten years, Vancouver’s Yukon Blonde have never restricted themselves to a specific genre or sound over the course of their discography, and on their new fifth album Vindicator, they’ve excelled at letting experimentation and exploration take over.
Not only does the record flip through various rock formats (from psychedelic to synth-rock to even futuristic-electronic), the band also loosen the reigns on the recording process, taking a DIY approach to recording, producing, and mastering from various home studio spaces in Vancouver. The result is an indie album that possess the strength of an established, veteran band, but with the hands-on, homegrown sound of the earlier days of a band emerging into the scene.
From opening track “It’s What You Are”, Vindicator sweeps listeners into an encompassing, balanced vortex of sound, rhythms, effects, and melodies, careful not to be overwhelming in its composition but rather exciting and stimulating. “In Love Again”, being another worthy example of the band’s close attention to detail and risk taking, closely followed by the two-part electronic song “Good Times”, a stand out track, not only because of where it stands compared to the rest of Yukon Blonde’s discography, but also because of its engaging transformation from groovy alt-rock to dynamic electronica. Songs like “You Were Mine”, “Your Heart’s My Home”, and “Get Precious” take what could be considered more “traditional” Yukon Blonde songwriting and elevate it into textured and layered alternative rock hits that blend with experimental elements.
Vindicator is unexpectedly refreshing. The collection of psych-rock and synth-rock influences teleport Yukon Blonde’s sound back to the future, as they pass through decades worth of musical evolution to morph it into their own, free-spirited sound.
Notable tracks: “You Were Mine” // “Good Times” // “Your Heart’s My Home”
Pa Salieu – Send Them To Coventry
8.5/10
Rap
Since his emergence in 2019, Gambian/British hip-hop artist Pa Salieu has been making a splash in the UK rap scene. His blend of Afroswing, grime, dancehall, and drill has helped propel him to a stand-out breakout year in music. His debut full-length/mixtape Send Them To Coventry is a well-rounded and dynamic foundation for what will be a upward trend from the young artist.
Following a drive-by shooting in his hometown of Coventry where Pa was the target, he remembers telling himself that it wasn’t the end. Send Them To Coventry is the proof of his resilience and from opening track “Block Boy”, a worthy introduction from Pa, the record instantly stomps forward with his confident and dominating flow.
Standing at 15 tracks (13 if you exclude the two interludes), Send Them is a longer than usual debut for a mixtape. But after moving through the first seven tracks, it all makes sense – it just isn’t enough (“Frontline”, “Informa”, and “Betty” being stand-out performances). The second half of the record does an equally as impressive job at showcasing his formidable style, especially on previously released singles “My Family” featuring fellow UK artist BackRoad Gee, and “B***K”.
The 23-year old artist came from basically out of nowhere, and now with this release, he has solidified his seat at the table and will (hopefully) be not going anywhere anytime soon.
Notable tracks: “Frontline” // “Betty” // “My Family”
