New Music – March 2015 – A Top 5 List
#5 | Buxton - Half A Native
Houston five-piece combines swirling guitars, soulful lyrics, and a rootsy vibe on a fully realized studio effort that puts them on a short list with some of my favorite purveyors of this sound (see My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses).
#4 | Destruction Unit - Live in San Francisco
If Castle Face Records keeps it up, their ongoing Live in San Franciso series will be in our list every month. This time around they’ve managed to capture underground noise makers Destruction Unit in all of their magnificently chaotic glory.
#3 | Moon Duo - Shadow of the Sun
Long time side project of Wooden Shjips’ guitarist Ripley Johnson, and Sanae Yamada, Moon Duo expand to a trio on Shadow of the Sun, trading in drum machines and adding real life drummer John Jeffrey to the mix. Johnson’s soaring, spacey guitar solos and Yamada’s droned-out keys still define the sound on Shadow of the Sun, but the addition of Jeffrey on drums loosens the feel on this expansive album from these space rock veterans.
#2 | Ufomammut - Ecate
Ufomammut gives you exactly three minutes on Ecate, their eight studio release, to either board this ship before it takes off or get the fuck out of the way. On board? You’re in for a forty seven minute masterpiece. A pummeling assault of doom, stoner, sludge metal that only Ufommamut can deliver.
#1 | Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar set the bar about has high as it could with the release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. That album instantly went into heavy rotation for me, and has never been out of regular rotation for more than a couple of weeks since its release. Maybe I was expecting another Good Kid, but I didn’t fall in love with To Pimp a Butterfly on the first listen. In fact, while a few tracks stood out, I wondered if this album would make it into my top five this month. Five spins later, and Kendrick Lamar is once again at the top of the list. This more mature, funky (really funky!) Kendrick Lamar album once again sets the standard not only for hip hop, but for all artists.