Some intriguing albums by well-known names have trickled out in recent months.
While we’re always on the watch for great new debuts, this short list includes some of the mainstay indie singer songwriters of the past decade or so.
Angel Olsen – Whole New Mess
The songs on Whole New Mess are not new. They are alternative versions of the tracks on last year’s excellent All Mirrors. These songs don’t have the production gloss of the 2019 versions. Yet, they are fascinating and incredibly mournful, a fitting soundtrack for this year.
On Gold Record, Bill Callahan tells more stories about characters in a style he has mastered over decades as Smog and under his own name. This collection includes a tribute to musician Ry Cooder, a reworking of the 1999 Smog song Let’s Move to the Country, the tongue in cheek Protest Song and the opening track Pigeons, which begins with Callahan deadpanning “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” Check out Another Song below.
Gold Record by Bill CallahanMicrophones – Microphones in 2020
Microphones in 2020 is one song just shy of 45 minutes. Since 2005, Phil Elverum has performed under the name Mount Eerie but before that, he recorded as the Microphones. Having put out music steadily over the past two decades, his offerings over the past several years reflected the devastation of losing his wife to cancer and becoming a single parent. On his latest release, Elverum doesn’t sing until more than seven minutes in. His music is still personal and some of his reflections now look back at his years as a young musician.
Mike Polizze – Long Lost Solace Find
Mike Polizze may not be a well-known name but his band, Purling Hiss, has gotten attention here over the years. On this solo album, Polizze sounds much more like friend and fellow Philadelphian Kurt Vile than Purling Hiss. In fact, Vile performs throughout the album.
All the Young Punks 