Crucial Releases for January 31

To end January, I am going to go with an all Honorable Mentions issue, as no releases this week stood out in the way I like for a "featured" record. All four of the records below had their moments, so I've added a little more detail than I usually provide for this section.

Honorable Mention

• Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd (Listen)
  I'm not a super fan, but The Weeknd certainly knows how to craft songs and a vibe. At 22 songs and 85 minutes it's a bit of an investment to get through the whole thing, but time passed quickly. Not a classic, but it's another solidly good, not great album from The Weeknd. Something he apparently specializes in... Favorite tracks: "Enjoy the Show", "Cry for Me", "Timeless"

• Big After I Die by Charlie Houston (Listen)
  I wasn't familiar with Charlie Houston prior to listening, but I saw the release was on one my favorite Canadian record labels (Arts & Crafts, home to Broken Social Scene, Feist, Hannah Georgas, Hovvdy, and others), so I dug in with interest. Really well done indie pop, that I was pleasantly surprised with... I think if there were maybe a one or two more standout tracks, I'd have featured it this week. Favorite tracks: "Pink Cheetah Print Slip". "Lewps", "Lighter", "Spiral"

• Showbiz! by MIKE (Listen)
  MIKE's 14th full length or mixtape and he's been consistently growing with each release. His 2023 album with Wiki made #23 on my end of year list and this release may be even more consistent and high quality than Faith is a Rock. MIKE mixes soul samples and lo-fi beats with a sort of stream of conscious storytelling. If you are a fan of underground hip-hop, this is well worth checking out. Favorite tracks: "Lost Scribe", "Bear Trap", and "Then we could be free.."

• The Purple Bird by Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Listen)
  A country themed album from the prolific Will Oldham, his 34th release since 1999. Known under the names Palace, Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Bonnie "Price" Billy, he's been a mainstay in the alt folk & lo-fi genres. Much like another prolific band, Guided by Voices, I tend to find most of his records fall into the "has moments" category vs. a complete start-to-finish listen. The Purple Bird is one of his more solid releases, however. Favorite tracks: "London May" and "Tonight With the Dogs I'm Sleeping"

Almost Friday (again) and a bunch of highly anticipated records coming out this week, including Sharon Van Etten, Squid, and Sleeper's Bell. Stay tuned!