As we inch toward the end of one year and the beginning of another, we can certainly find solace in not only the music that was, but the music that is to come. In lieu of a standard review this week, I offer a glimpse into some of my most anticipated releases in the year ahead.
Shame, “Songs of Praise”Based off of a few blistering singles and a slew of videos showing their live performances across the pond, I am eager to hear the “Dead Oceans” debut from this English five-piece. Sounds like controlled chaos and blistering, full-throttled post-punk. Album due mid-January.
Moaning, “Moaning”This Californian three-piece was birthed from the same DIY/punk scene spaces (The Smell, Pehrspace) that have created some of my favorite music of the last 10-plus years. Citing influences like Broadcast, New Order, and Slowdive, the two singles that have preceded their March release on Sub Pop sound earnest and necessary. If there was one album I’m most anticipating today, their self-titled debut might very well be it.
Ought, “Room Inside the World”Another band I owe to college radio, Ought makes its Merge Records debut in mid-February. I have yet to hear a single note, but their jagged, angular, and highly literate brand of indie rock was a favorite of mine when I first heard them in 2014/2015.
U.S. Girls, “In A Poem Unlimited”Back in 2015, Meghan Remy made one of my favorite genre-bending records of the year. Hard to pin-point stylistically but easily one of the most listened-to in our household. She incorporated loops, found sounds, electro-pop, and various other sound methods in “Half Free,” and I look forward to her next 4AD release in February.
Jon E. Lynch[email protected]
