50% Hipster: The Afghan Whigs

Saturday, July 1, 2017

R.I.P. Dave Rosser

On Wednesday, Dave Rosser, guitarist for The Afghan Whigs, passed away at the age of 50.

npr.org

Rosser was a newer edition to the band, joining them for the 2014 reunion, Do to the Beast, though he had previously worked with Greg Dulli in The Gutter Twins and the Twilight Singers. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, but stayed with the band to record their latest, In Spades, released two months ago. His fellow bandmates announced his passing on Facebook.

Goodbye, Mr. Rosser!

Songs to remember him by:

The Twilight Singers - "She Was Stolen"
The Internet - "Under Control"
The Afghan Whigs - "I Got Lost"

Saturday, June 24, 2017

New Music Friday - May 5, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

The Afghan Whigs - In Spades

The Afghan Whigs returned from a 16-year break with 2014's Do to the Beast. The wait for the follow-up has been, thankfully, much shorter. Beast was a good album, but did not quite rise to the level of their previous work. They've spent the three years since their comeback reissuing their earlier work. Perhaps going back over their past work helped on this record, it's more of a return to form.

Watch: "Oriole"
Watch: "Demon in Profile"

Blondie - Pollinator

Blondie had their own recent return in 2011 with Panic of Girls, their first album in eight years. Pollinator is their third record since that return. The album sees the band moving towards some interesting writing collaborations. Nic Valensi, Sia, Charli XCX, Dev Hynes, David Sitek, and Johnny Marr all contributed to tracks.

Watch: "Long Time"
Watch: "Fun"

Juana Molina - Halo

Juana Molina is an experimental artist from Argentina. She started her career as a sketch comedy actress, and achieved fame in the pursuit, but shifted to a music career in the mid-90s. Twenty-plus years into her music career, she has come to be regarded as one of the best of Argentine avant-garde music. Halo is her seventh album.

Watch: "Lentísimo halo"
Listen: "Cosoco"

Logic - Everybody

Logic is Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, a mixed-race rapper from Maryland. His music often touches on the dynamics of being biracial and his experiences moving between both worlds. His third studio album includes features from Juicy J, Chuck D, and Killer Mike, among many others.

Watch: "Black SpiderMan" (featuring Damian Lemar Hudson)
Listen: "Everybody"

Perfume Genius - No Shape

Perfume Genius, aka Mike Hadreas, began his career making music that was often quiet and reserved. His third album, 2014's Too Bright, saw him become more defiant and bombastic. The follow-up is a bit less so, but still light years away from his early sound. In many ways, it sounds happier than his past work, perhaps inspired, at least in part, by his settling into a long-term relationship. None of this is to say that the output has suffered, this is another incredible album from the artist!

Watch: "Slip Away"
Watch: "Die 4 You"

Other Full-Length Releases

Amanda Palmer & Edward Ka-Spel - I Can Spin a Rainbow

Watch: "Beyond the Beach"
Watch: "The Clock at the Back of the Cage"

Big Walnuts Yonder - Big Walnuts Yonder

Listen: "Raise the Drawbridges?"
Listen: "Sponge Bath"

Black Lips - Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art?

Watch: "Can’t Hold On"
Listen: "Occidental Front" (featuring Yoko Ono)

Bonnie “Prince” Billy - Best Troubador

Watch: "Mama Tried"
Watch: "Bad Actor" (featuring Elsa Oldham)

Cayetana - New Kind of Normal

Watch: "Mesa"
Watch: "Bus Ticket"

Day Wave - The Days We Had

Watch: "Promises"
Watch: "Something Here"

Hoops - Routines

Watch: "On Top"
Listen: "On Letting Go"

Joan Shelley - Joan Shelley

Listen: "Where I’ll Find You"
Listen: "Wild Indifference"

Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

Watch: "One More Love Song"
Watch: "On the Level"

Nightlands - I Can Feel the Night Around Me

Watch: "Lost Moon"
Listen: "Depending on You"

NIIA - I

Watch: "Hurt You First"
Watch: "Sideline" (featuring Jazmine Sullivan)

Nite Jewel - Real High

Watch: "The Answer"
Watch: "2 Good 2 Be True"

Pond - The Weather

Watch: "30000 Megatons"
Watch: "Sweep Me Off My Feet"

Walter Martin - My Kinda Music

Listen: "Hey Matt" (featuring Matt Berninger)
Listen: "Trip on a Ship" (featuring Laura Gibson)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Cover Stories: Brandi Carlile Celebrates 10 Years of The Story — An Album to Benefit War Child

Watch: Dolly Parton - "The Story"
Listen: Pearl Jam - "Again Today"

DANGERDOOM - The Mouse & the Mask Reissue

Listen: "The Mask" (featuring Ghostface Killah)
Listen: "Mad Nice" (featuring Black Thought & Vinny Price)

Flasher - "Winnie"/"Burn Blue"

Listen: "Winnie"
Listen: "Burn Blue"

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 1984-2014

Small Circle - melatonin EP Reissue

Listen: "We Belong Here"
Listen: "Please Don't Touch the Moon"

Southern Poverty Law Center

Listen: Bonnie “Prince” Billy - "Treasure Map"

Thursday, December 29, 2016

New Music Friday - November 25, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

The Weeknd - Starboy

The Weeknd's first two albums, Kiss Land and Beauty Behind the Madness, made him a bona fide star. For his third record, he looked to two recently-departed icons for inspiration. Elements of the album's sound are influenced by Prince, while the album's title is a take on David Bowie's "Starman." With this record, The Weeknd has earned himself another hit; the album hit number one on the Billboard charts.

Watch: "Starboy" (featuring Daft Punk)
Watch: "False Alarm"

Other Full-Length Releases