by PJ Wascher

I’ve had a little time to think about the format I want this site to take. As discussed in my first post, my goal is to help everyone find new music and share my favorites. This is a test for my monthly format called “Five by Five.” Every month I plan to spotlight five of my favorite albums and five of my favorite songs, pretty self-explanatory. Often these songs will be coming from my SOTD feature done throughout the year on Twitter. The albums featured here caught my ear and may appear on my end of the year “best album” list. I’ll note albums that currently appear on that list. As the year goes on, it should get harder to appear on that list. You may notice as this site develops, I like lists and ranking music. It’s how I bring structure to everything I listen to. Let’s get this thing started!

Five Albums

Songs are fun, but albums are what define my year in music. It’s been a slow start to the year, but things are starting to pick up! In 2015, the first half of the year released 4 of my top 5 albums. It’s early, but there are a few contenders out there that may make my end of the year lists.

 

1. A Man Alive by Tao & The Get Down Stay Down (released March 4) *In My Top 5

I had the opportunity to see this group at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival a few years ago. Their lead singer Thao Ngungen, was so dynamic I became instantly curious. Their first album had moments where you could hear the possibilities of something very cool. This second album appears to develop into a full set of songs realizing that potential. It’s a mix of funk, pop, punk and just really different. If you close your eyes and squint really hard, I get a little tUnE-yArDs vibe. The off kilter beats are probably driving this.

 

 

2. Ouroboros by Ray Lamontagne (released March 4) *In My Top 5

Ray Lamontagne has a smooth pop folk sound that can often be compared to the likes of Amos Lee and Van Morrison. His latest album is creating a new sound. The songs travel in an airy space with funky bass guitar sounds and bluesy rock guitar solos. The vocals in this soundscape can almost sound Pink Floydish at points. This change in sound has been a great surprise to me and kick started what has been an overall slow start to the year musically.

 

 

3. Good Grief by Lucius (released March 11) *In My Top 5

I love this group. Their first album was one of my 2014 favorites. This is one of my most anticipated albums for 2016. So far in the early listens I’ve had, they did not disappoint. The group has a retro pop sound that doesn’t sound out place today. They are sticking with this successful format, but appear to be exploring some other decades this time around in addition to the 60s/70s. The vocals and chemistry Jesse Wolfe and Holly Laessig possess allow the audience to let go and enjoy no matter what decade it is.

 

 

4. All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend by Auroa (released March 11)

This month is SXSW in Austin, Texas. It’s one of the best times of year to find new artists. Looking through all the lists of performers at this year’s festival, this was my favorite find. Spare pop with sharp female vocals is a format that continues to suck me in. In the likes of Oh Land and Wet, Auroa needs to make sure she defines her own unique path. This album goes in several directions, will be curious to see if she can add an extra layer to this the next time around.

 

 

5. I like when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975 (released February26)

I haven’t made up my mind about this album yet, but I am curious. It just came out on Spotify this month (March 11) and it’s pretty long (17 tracks). It took me awhile to notice that The 1975 features two sides in their albums. There’s the fun pop-rock side and then a much slower R&B/Electronic side. That second side does not usually play very well on the radio and can be completely missed if you only hear their top hits. They’ve once again used this formula with several hits on the top of the album, but it quickly shifts to something with more layers. I’ll be evaluating this album through the spring, but it has a shot to be on my end of the year list.

 

 

Five Songs

My goal is find something new everyday. These are songs that caught my ear in the first quarter of the year:

 

1. Runimals by Philco Fiction

One of my favorite songs this year. Might be my song of the year if trends continue.

 

2. U Up by Soft Lit

Following a mini theme in this post: Great female vocals with spare electronic sounds in the background. This one should get you dancing.

 

3. Mercury by Yates

Flip my formula on its head and go with some male vocals.

 

4. Dusseldorf by Teleman

No, its not Depache Mode, but I’m ready for this sound to make a comeback.

 

5. Mind Make by Beach Tiger

As the weather warms up, this should make for some nice chill music on the beach.