In No Particular Order: Best Albums of the Week (July 9, 2021)

It’s been a busy week for fantastic new releases!

But what else is new – this week’s round-up includes 7 of my favourite albums of the week, including the latest from Royal Canoe, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Rejjie Snow.

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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Royal Canoe – Sidelining

Paper Bag Records

Indie rock

Now onto their fourth album, Winnipeg indie rock outfit Royal Canoe wanted to approach songwriting with a more relaxed and (somehow) more experimental mindset. When they sat down to write, nothing old was allowed in – everything had to come from those three songwriting sessions. The result is an album that feels true to RC, with its groove-based percussion and melodic, effect-laden indie rock – topped off by warm vocals and layering harmonies.

Notable tracks: “Sidelining” // “Butterfalls” // “Surrender”

Charlotte Day Wilson – Alpha

Arts & Crafts

R&B

With multiple JUNO nominations, two-time Polaris Music Prize listed, and a Prism Prize victory under her belt, Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and R&B songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson has finally released her debut album Alpha. Her capturing vocals and crisp instrumentation come together on the eleven track release, alongside notably features from BADBADNOTGOOD and Syd for a passionate full-length that highlights her strengths to be on of Canada’s most exciting new artists. Slow and patient, but never rushed or boring, Alpha is a commanding and genre-fluid release that will certainly find its way onto countless year-end lists.

Notable tracks: “I Can Only Whisper” // “If I Could” // “Take Care of You”

Scott Quinn – Better For Me EP

Independent

Indie pop

Scott Quinn has found success writing songs for the likes of BTS, Zara Larsson, and Keith Urban, but now the London-based artist is ready to make a mark on his own with his debut solo EP Better For Me. Leading the way is his rich and radio-ready vocals, following suit to acts such as LAUV, and JP Saxe, as Quinn effortlessly moves from pop hit to sincere ballad across the four tracks to highlight his strength as a pop vocalist and songwriter.

Notable tracks: “Better For Me” // “NIGHTMARE” // “Holding on to Letting Go”

Rejjie Snow – Baw Baw Black Sheep

Honeymoon

Hip-hop

Dublin-born, Los Angeles-based rapper and producer Rejjie Snow has put out his new album Baw Baw Black Sheep. His crisp flow and melodic combination of jazz, soul, and hip-hop, Snow’s latest is a upbeat and groovy collection, bringing along a few notable friends such as the late MF DOOM, Snoh Aaleagra, Cam O’Bi, and Tinashe. Celebrating his eccentric style and individualism, Baw Baw Black Sheep shifts between styles and moods with a flow mirroring the early days of album structure and track listing. Fusing together a lifelong obsession with the original Willy Wonka film, Baw Baw Black Sheep is Snow’s soundtrack to the film, complete with dialogue-based interludes and hints of the original soundtrack sprinkled in. On his own accord, he has also shared a short film “reaching up to heaven with a broken wrist” to coincide with the album’s message.

Notable tracks: “Mirrors” // “Disco Pantz” // “Shooting Star”

Tom Odell – Monster

Columbia Records

Singer-songwriter/Pop

Since launching to stardom almost a decade ago at the age of 21, British singer-songwriter Tom Odell worked and worked to keep his place in the starlight, turning his craft into an obsession. After eventually returning to his childhood home in 2019 to recover from his building anxiety, he slowly recovered, while just steps away from writing his latest record monsters. Naturally, the new record is a raw and deeply personal outlining of Odell’s struggle with his inner demons and mental illness. The unfiltered and stripped down performance across the majority of the album draw the listener into his soul, as synthesizers and piano add to its minimalist structure propelled forward by Odell’s powerful and exposed vocals.

Notable tracks: “numb” // “monsters vol. 2” // “lose you again”

Lex Leosis – Terracotta EP

Independent

Hip-hop

Born and raised in the West end of Toronto, Lex Leosis is a tried and true voice of her community, bringing her resilience and musical talents to represent her hometown. A self-made champion in the hip-hop scene, Leosis possesses a priceless aura of tenacity and strength in her voice that transfer perfectly into her poetic lyrics and songwriting on her five-track EP.

Notable tracks: “Won’t Wait” // “Wanted” // “That Feel”

BEL – Muscle Memory EP

Independent

Indie pop/Indie folk

After releasing three previous singles in the last year or so, LA-based singer-songwriter BEL has officially made a splash with her debut EP Muscle Memory. Borrowing the lush, effortless songwriting of Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell, BEL brings her own carefree, west coast edge to her music, as she navigates being in her 20’s, romance, and life itself.