As usual, I ran out of month long before I ran out of great music to review in January. So I’m putting together a few posts over the next days with all the great albums that didn’t get enough attention. You’ve got everything from rock, pop and jazz to Celtic blues, country-rock, hardcore and much more. Rather than blather on myself about them all, I’m saving time by just including their press releases. But you can rest assured they all get the official Tinnitist stamp of Oh Hell Yeah. Give them a spin before they get lost in the rearview:
The Ah
Mere Husk
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jeremy Gustin is a one-of-a-kind drummer who has toured and recorded with Rubblebucket, Okkervil River, David Byrne, Marc Ribot, Delicate Steve, and Albert Hammond Jr. He has long been in demand for his ability to bring a touch of the unorthodox to highly structured and improvised musical settings alike, so it should come as no surprise that on his own solo project, The Ah, Gustin explores the outer boundaries of his imagination to the fullest. The Ah’s new album Mere Husk, the follow-up to 2017’s Common Bliss, sees Gustin once again crafting animal noises, water sounds, miscellaneous found audio, and his own playing into a harmonic language that straddles the line between his love of pop songcraft and his equally strong attraction to the abstract. Rather than employ gurgling fish tank bubbles and dolphin calls for their ambient properties alone, for example, Gustin bends them beyond recognition so that they mimic synths or serve the role of instrumental parts in an arrangement that falls together like a classic “song” — whether Gustin includes vocals or not. “I love songs and melody,” says Gustin. “As much as I like unusual stuff, I’m a song guy at heart.”
Anchor Lane
Casino
THE PRESS RELEASE: “UK rock band Anchor Lane released their eagerly awaited debut album, Casino. Already garnering rave reviews across the board, it showcases the band as exceptional rock musicians and skilled songwriters. The album was written by singer Conor Gaffney, guitarist Lawrence O’Brien, bass player Matthew Quigley and drummer Scott Hanlon in their hometown of Glasgow and was recorded at Vale Studios in the Midlands with renowned rock musician, writer and producer Toby Jepson (Wayward Sons, Gun, Little Angels). Anchor Lane have built a reputation as a thrilling and dynamic live act. After coming to the public’s attention with their stunning debut EP New Beginning, the band toured incessantly securing notable guest spots with Cheap Trick, Eagles of Death Metal and Tremonti as well as performances at prominent music festivals Download, Isle of Wight, Stone Free, Belladrum and Hard Rock Hell.”
Basic Plumbing
Keeping Up Appearances
THE PRESS RELEASE: “In 2016 Patrick Doyle relocated from London to LA, midway through writing his new album – the follow up to his recent acclaimed release as Boys Forever. The self-titled Boys Forever album was Patrick’s debut as a solo artist after years of playing in well-loved indie bands including Veronica Falls, The Royal We and Sexy Kids. Keeping Up Appearances perfectly captures the live and punchy sound Patrick had set about to achieve and is full of the kind of timeless indie pop hooks and effortlessly catchy melodies we came to expect from the musician. The album draws on influences from mid-period R.E.M. and The Breeders’ Title TK whilst also paying homage to some of Patrick’s favourite artists including Love and The Dandy Warhols. Lyrically the album tackles the end of a relationship, capturing the feeling of growing apart from the person you were once closest to with an unflinching directness such as on the Galaxie 500-esque Strangers and As You Disappear. Tragically, Patrick passed away shortly after the release of As You Disappear.”
Big Scenic Nowhere
Vision Beyond Horizon
THE PRESS RELEASE: “This album is a collaborative effort and even greater than the sum of its parts. The basic riffs and song structures were done by Bob Balch and Gary Arce, but the contributions from Tony Reed, Lisa Alley, Ian Graham, Mario Lalli, Nick Oliveri, Bill Stinson, Per Wiberg and Alain Johannes make this record what it is. There was never a discussion of what kind of music they wanted to make. This album is a unique gem, manufactured by multiple artists, including different atmospheres: from the melodic stoner mellowness, to faster tempos, to classic heavy sounds, but songwriting is never customary. We can say, “Fu Manchu’s killer riffing meets the desert psychedelia of Yawning Man.” For sure that is something that’s never been tried before! Bob Balch and Gary Arce together give life to an amazing new adventure which sounds fresh and dynamic. The vocal parts are always choral and interesting. There’s a variety in the songs which always keeps the listener focused and intrigued about what’s next. This is a very special record and deserves your full attention, because we predict that over time you will hear different elements within it. So dig in and get lost. Let your journey begin.”
Blackbird & Crow
Ailm
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Blackbird and Crow are a two piece band hailing from the wilds of Ireland’s Co. Donegal. Maighread Ni Ghrasta (vocals) and Stephen Doohan (Guitar/Bouzouki /Stomp Box) met in 2014 and discovered a shared interest in American blues, folk, rock and country, all of which they fuse together with a distinct Irish folk twist to create a unique and powerful sound unlike anything else out there. Honest, raw, and poetic in equal measures, Blackbird and Crow will get under your skin, and you’ll be all the better for it!”
Blossoms
Foolish Loving Spaces
THE PRESS RELEASE: “British chart-topping, award-winning, five-piece band Blossoms have released their highly anticipated third studio full-length. Foolish Loving Spaces was produced by the band’s consistent and talented team of James Skelly and Rich Turvey at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool. Tom Ogden’s increasingly direct lyrical range turns album three into a romantic page-turner of light and shade, while its divergent moods are supplied by Myles Kellock’s piano and keyboard lines, careering from urgent stabs of TV game show-theme synth to more classic, rolling notes. The record’s multi-instrumental color and widescreen sound is provided by pedal steel / lead guitarist Josh Dewhurst, while Joe Donovan on drums and Charlie Salt on bass bring fluidly danceable grooves throughout, complemented on occasion by a wall of gospel harmony. Speaking about the inspiration for the album, the band explains: “The album is a pure celebration of love in all of its splendid and baffling guises, toying with the so-called sins of lust and forbidden infatuation.”
