A certain massive pop star released a double album (quick listen: meh) this week, so I’d guess most mainstream artists avoided this week if they were able. The exception turned out to be Pearl Jam (quick listen: a pretty decent record!), though they too have a pretty avid fan base.
Anyway, indie rock, punk, and hip hop had some pretty good releases this week, with Pink Balloons by Ekko Astral (Listen) being my favorite of the bunch. Ekko Astral, who bill themselves as the pioneers of the “mascara moshpit” genre, are a DC based punk band that mix the noisy punk of McLusky with the riot grrl attitude and lyricism. It works really well – it’s fun, catchy, and super witty. Favorite tracks: “On Brand”, “Sticks and Stones”, “Devorah”, “Head Empty Blues”, and “Baethoven”.
Honorable Mentions
- Final Summer by Cloud Nothings (Listen) – their eighth album, which is kind of crazy. The band is very good at their brand of catchy lo-fi indie rock and always seem to put out quality releases. This is no different.
- Heads I Win, Tails You Lose by The Alchemist, Oh No, & Gangrene (Listen) – the kind of alt hip hop I like, in the vein of everything that was on the Def Jux label back in the 90’s/early 00’s.
- Your Day Will Come by Chanel Beads (Listen) – lo-fi synth heavy indie pop that hits you like you’re in a dream. Some really high moments, like “Police Scanner”, make it a worthwhile listen.
