In No Particular Order: 6 Must-Hear LPs of the Week (Feb 26, 2021)
It’s been awhile since I’ve felt bombarded (in a good way) with album releases.
Apparently this New Music Friday is a particularly busy one. I wonder why…
Maybe it’s because they know tomorrow (Feb 27) is the big day and they wanted to double down on the celebrations.
What is tomorrow, you ask? Well, Dusty Organ turned 7 this year so to celebrate I’ll be hosting a live stream on Twitch! There will be prizes to giveaway, some unpredictability of live performances, and plenty of great tunes. Show don’t forget to tune in!
Back to the real world!
This week’s In No Particular Order is home to six worthwhile records that should definitely be on your radar. From the return of Julien Baker to the proper introduction of Sad Night Dynamite, there is a a lot to gather just below.
As always, you can find Dusty Organ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify to stay up to date on new releases. Also, you can find tracks from these albums and more on our Monthly Spotify playlist.
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Julien Baker – Little Oblivions
Matador Records
Singer-songwriter
8.5/10
On her third album Little Oblivions, Tennessee singer-songwriter Julien Baker has brought in a full band to round out her deeply personal lyrics and songwriting. Using her experiences with addiction, substance abuse, spirituality, and homophobia as the weight of the album, her familiar topics take on a more profound and exchanging shape thanks to the wider range of instrumentation.
Of course, her self-deprecating and brutally honest lyrics certainly help make Little Oblivions stand out. Openly penning songs about addiction, suicide, and depression with such a poetic rawness, Baker manages to keep things captivating and sympathetic with her past self, rather than simply dreary and dark. Despite its slow-burning nature, Little Oblivions is easy to melt into and never drags; there’s just so much take in, there’s no time to waste.
Notable tracks: “Hardline” // “Faith Healer” // “Favor”
Barry Paquin Roberge – Exordium to Extasy
Costume Records
Nu-Disco/Funk
7/10
Disco may have died a few decades ago, but its modern reincarnation of nu-disco is doing just fine, thanks for asking. Montreal six-piece Barry Paquin Roberge are travelling back in time and then forward in time with their electrifying new album Exordium To Extasy. Flashy costumes, buzzing synthesizers and flute arrangements turn the album into a party of groove and funk melodies built on a foundation of personality and retro spirit. On their new 10-track effort, BPR are ready to party like it’s 1979.
Notable tracks: “BPR Strut” // “Hot Stuff” // “Mystic Love”
Sad Night Dynamite – Sad Night Dynamite
Elektra
Alternative
8/10
UK duo Sad Night Dynamite gradually began taking over the new music scene in 2020 with their mesmerizing sound of nightmare-meets-dreamscape. Although technically a mixtape, their debut self-titled project has been one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Best friend pair Archie and Josh create a surreal and otherworldly experience with their music, in an genre-bending mix of hip-hop, electronic, dark pop, and film soundtrack. Their mysterious and somewhat enigmatic delivery flows over pulsating and interstellar production for the journey of SND, creating an overall experience of supernatural proportion.
Notable tracks: “Icy Violence” // “Killshot” // “Smoke Hole”
Russell Louder – Humour
Lisbon Lux Records
Indie pop/Singer-songwriter
6.5/10
PEI-born, Montreal-based trans artist Russell Louder has released their debut album Humour. Comparable to the sounds of The Eurythmics, Austra, and Florence + the Machine, Louder uses synthesizers and dreamy melodies to lift their vibrant vocal style. The songs exploring themes of identity, memory, and grief while being described as songs that will “make you dance and cry”.
Notable tracks: “Home” // “Hello Stranger” // “Lavender”
Elijah Wolf – Brighter Lighting
Trash Casual
Singer-songwriter/Indie folk
7.5/10
Brooklyn-based artist Elijah Wolf is back with his sophomore album Brighter Lighting. His lush instrumentation and interpersonal folk stylings come alive on the new record, as he moves through the concept of joy in times of darkness, solitude, and nostalgia. His approachable lyricism and textural indie folk aesthetic makes for a warm, summery feel throughout the album as he celebrates the charm of the little moments in life.
Notable tracks: “Brighter Lighting” // “The Point of Trying” // “Like This, Anymore”
Black Nash – Black Nash
Ramp Local
Indie rock/Alt singer-songwriter
7/10
Following his exit from the U.S. military in 2019, Jody Smith was faced with the challenge of re-adjusting to the “civilian” life. Eventually landing in New York City, Smith returned to his love of music and recorded his debut self-titled release, putting together a flurry of psychedelic-laden indie rock constructed from his experience during the year of rediscovery during lockdown. Performing under the moniker Black Nash, the songs on the record are fronted mostly by his guitar and voice, both equally dripping in effects and distortion as they add a certain playful crunch to the pseudo-’70s flare.
Notable tracks: “Alligator” // “Burn My Body Down” // “Love Underwater”
