New Musical Swag from May!

This is my newer music from the last few weeks (not pictured here is and MP3 copy of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's album, The Heist). I was so excited about showing you all what I am going to be writing about in the next couple of weeks that I forgot to turn off the flash (which is why the Phoenix album looks like it's about to explode in the first picture). Then when I did shut off the flash the whole set took on a yellowish tinge, so I decided to just include both pictures.

Here's a breakdown:

Top left corner: Dream of Life by Patti Smith. This is one of my favorite later albums by Patti. It was produced by her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith who also wrote the track "People Have The Power." It's one of the albums she made after she was married and had at least one child (I think both at that point), and her focus has really transitioned. The art is obviously prime in her mind, but the accessibility is also there. I cannot wait to listen to this on my record player.

Top right corner: Streetlights by Bonnie Raitt. I walked into Bullmoose Records thinking I wanted some early Bonnie Raitt, and then I proceeded to look at the covers of all the albums they had until I found one where she looked like a baby. Even so, it's still her fourth fucking album. But the great thing is that it has "Angel of Montgomery" written by John Prine and "The Song About The Midway" by Joni Mitchell on it. I have never listened to much Joni Mitchell, but she is a musician who I want to delve into, so I figured this is a good way to start.

Bottom left corner: Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend. This album is supposed to be gloomy. I mean, just take a look at the cover art, which is an actual picture of New York city one of its smoggiest days - a day when people actually died from the air pollution. So yeah, this is distopian Vampire Weekend, but I think it's still right in their wheelhouse. Jumping from cardigans and yachts on Cape Cod, and rich people problems, to - well - the problems that rich people sometimes create seems pretty perfect.

Bottom middle: United by Phoenix. I have been surprised by my interest in Phoenix's latest album, and my brother noticed this, so he bought me Phoenix's first album for my birthday! This is so great. It's a hodgepodge in the best type of way, and I finally realized that Phoenix is a French band (where have I been?).

Bottom right corner: The Sky Is Calling by Kim Boekbinder. I Kickstarted this album awhile ago, and I was pumped when it came in the mail. It's a whole bunch of pop-rock tunes inspired by space, space travel, etc. It's like if Neil Degrasses Tyson and Madonna had a baby, and then that baby hung out with the Cure and Occupy Wall Street people.

I cannot wait to do this music justice on this blog. Hopefully, I will be a font of productivity in the next few weeks and I won't leave you all hanging.