In No Particular Order: 6 Albums of the Week (May 21, 2021)

Summer is just around the corner…

And just like every summer, artists are releasing albums like marbles in a playground. Fortunately, I’ve picked out six fantastic albums that should definitely be on your radar this week, and also give a few honourable mentions from last week that I didn’t get around to.

Just like From The Inbox, I’ve created a In No Particular Order Spotify playlist to match my weekly album picks! Featuring the three ‘notable tracks’ from each release, check by every Friday to find something new in your music library.

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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Trade Wind – The Day We Got What We Deserved

Other People Records

Alternative/Emo

One of the exciting parts of supergroups is that they tend to be an outlet for the members to step away from their usual routine of songwriting and immerse themselves in a more liberating and no-strings-attached enviornment. For the members of Trade Wind, who come from punk, hardcore, alternative, and touring band gigs, they have one rule when writing music: do whatever you want.

In an almost indescribable way, their third full-length The Day We Got What We Deserved ditches the concept of genre and labels, and instead focuses on creating music that is exclusively Trade Wind. With the melancholic tone of emo, subtle musicianship that points towards post-hardcore, and blanketed in a Midwestern folk echo, the 10 track collection is deeply seeded in the reflective lyricism of frontman Jesse Barnett as he touches on personal experiences and societal struggles.

A captivating aspect of the record comes from Barnett’s cool delivery. It never feels rushed, yet there’s a haunting sense of urgency and frustration lingering beneath the surface courtesy of the band’s hazy and dense instrumentation. Electronic influences in the style of Radiohead slip through the track list, warm guitar tones keep things heavy, while steady, textured percussion drives the music forward. The album’s unpredictability and rich personality create an enjoyable and cerebral listening experience.

Notable tracks: “Burning The Iron Age” // “DIE!DIE!DIE!” // “Walk Me In/Plant Me In Your Garden”

Mat Kearney – January Flower

Tomorrow Music/Virgin

Indie pop/Singer-songwriter

In the spirit of songwriting, Nashville-based artist Mat Kearney wanted to create music solely for the enjoyment of doing it on his new album January Flower. Mostly written back in 2019 and finished off in 2020, the new record is an organic and entertaining release, driven by Kearney’s rugged vocals and pop sensibilities. With an uncanny resemblance to Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Kearney has an exceptional way with keeping things cool and catchy with his music, as he plays with the familiar songwriting tropes of love, friendship, and nostalgia. From start to finish, January Flower is lush, friendly, and damn-right enjoyable.

Notable tracks: “Can’t Look Back” // “Pontiac” // “Anywhere With You”

Fiddlehead – Between the Richness

Run For Cover Records

Post-hardcore/Punk

In the most pure way, Between The Richness is a perfect blend of post-hardcore and emo. The aggressive, progressive punk instrumentation and raspy vocals are elevated by the raw, personal lyricism courtesy of Fiddlehead frontman Brian Flynn. Acting as a sequel of sorts to their debut album Springtime & Blind which was written as a cathartic release for Flynn who was grieving the loss of his father, Between The Richness reworks the perspective after Flynn became a father himself. The writing process started two weeks after the birth of his son, and so the cycle of life and death became much clearer.

Opening and closing with a reading of E.E. Cummings “I Carry Your Heart”, the album ties together grief, family, and growth with an anthemic and colossal intensity, bringing together the aggression from pain and punk with the heartfelt lyrics. The masculine vulnerability that is often left out of pop culture finds a new home on Between the Richness, giving it a visceral edge.

Notable tracks: “A Million Times” // “Down University” // “Life Notice”

PACKS – Take The Cake

Fire Talk / Royal Mountain Records

Slacker rock/Indie rock

Toronto’s Madeline Link started PACKS as an occasional solo gig while working as a set dresser. Within the last year or so, she’s brought along some friends to grow it into a full-band effort, rounding out her recognizable vocals with dreamy slacker rock.

Mirroring the track list’s slow-burning and laidback vibes, the album dives into more melancholic themes of the pains of dating, car-dodging in Toronto as a cyclist, and awful days at work. As Link puts it, the songs are “glorified coping mechanisms”, capturing the internal maniac energy that is then put out onto a carefree surface. Subtly melodic, Take The Cake quickly sheds away the droning aspect of slacker rock, and instead brings out a lo-fi pop aesthetic.

Notable tracks: “Two Hands” // “Hangman” // “Silvertongue”

We Were Sharks – New Low

Known Accomplice

Pop-punk

Ottawa pop-punk veterans We Were Sharks are reliving the glory days of the genre on their latest effort New Low. The ghosts of ’00s pop-punk are alive and well, showing themselves through the melodic riffs, sing-along choruses, and power-pop energy. In true pop-punk fashion, most of the songs deal with being the underdog, whether it be at work, with friends, or in a relationship; while you may be down, New Low is a sense of reassurance that you are certainly not out. Following in spirit of Canadian pop punk bands such as Sum 41, Simple Plan, and Ten Second Epic, We Were Sharks are making mood-boosting pop punk, despite the angsty undertones.

Notable tracks: “Shameless” // “Bring Me Down” // “Over This”

Sam Seccombe – To Be Quite Frank EP

Independent

Soul/Singer-songwriter

Written following a break-up, To Be Quite Frank captures London-based singer-songwriter Sam Seccombe’s mixed emotions, including passion, sadness, and acceptance. Finding himself at an ear-pleasing crossroad between R&B, pop, rock, and soul, Seccombe hits a pleasantly polished bedroom sound, somewhere in the territory of John Mayer and Ed Sheeran on his debut album. He picked up the guitar at age 11, sparking an interest in songwriting that has yet to slow down, and adds a wonderful flare to the track list. Drizzling in guitar licks and solos across the record, To Be Quite Frank flexes his musical talents while sharing his humble, honest songwriting.