The Useless Critic 2.0

Today I'd like to quickly share a song by the dreampop/shoegaze band Letting Up Despite Great Faults I have really enjoyed. It reminds me a bit of the apex of chillwave/dreampop we had back in the early 2010s - kind of vaguely like Wild Nothing (one of my favorites). This track is off the album "IV," which is their first in eight years.  On April 27th, they'll be playing with indie band Blushing at Linger Longer Lounge in Phoenix. See you there!

Yesterday, Montreal-based instrumental grunge group AXLAUSTADE (taking their name from an Axl Rose-related incident) dropped their debut self-titled album. The group envisions it as "the soundtrack to a cool story." Very apropos of the height of grunge, the protagonist's love interest is imagined to be a woman who resembles Winona Ryder.  Although instrumental grunge is not a genre I tend to gravitate toward - nor is grunge in general really - I have to say, AXLAUSTADE crafted a compelling record (with the mixing help of Justin Raisen who has previously worked with the likes of Angel Olsen and the mastering help of Mike Bozzi who has worked w/ Childish Gambino). It's certainly heavy in places, much more mellow in others, and it is extremely polished with ventures off into shoegaze periodically. Check out "axl au stade" below:

Riding a wave of critical success with her incredible album "Dark Hearts," Nordic indie queen Annie has released her fantastically synthpop take on the timeless Jesus and Mary Chain staple, "Just Like Honey." This song might be some 36 years old, but it still somehow manages to sound like it just came out this past week. And Annie's cover does it justice - it riffs on it, enough to make it her own, but at the same time not straying terribly far from the original. It's worth your time - in fact, I gave this song a spot on my summer playlist, which I will be sharing probably tomorrow. I know, you can't hardly wait, I understand.  And of course, here's the OG in all its shoegaze-y glory:

My favorite album of Beck's has long been "Sea Change," for approximately the 20 or so years it's been out. I would probably regard it as one of my personal favorite records, for its wistfulness and its beauty. When I heard about Zoon (aka Zoongide’ewin) - the musical project of Daniel Monkman - covering the "Sea Change" track "Round the Bend," I was somewhat skeptical simply because the album holds such a place in my heart. Now, prior to hearing about this cover, I wasn't so familiar with the work of Zoon. And now, I've got to say, in my best Owen Wilson - Wow.  Apparently we both hold the 2003 Beck album in high esteem. Said Daniel about "Sea Change," "After my first listen I was so moved and at the time I was going through a pretty bad break up and this album helped me process my depression. Throughout my time away from music I’d always have a copy beside me; it kept inspiring me that I could try any kind of music style. I...

So there has been a new Beach House album for approximately a month, and the Useless Critic has not released statements on it. That is now about to change. So, "Sparks." It's pretty fuzzy and lo-fi-esque. Not that Beach House isn't known for being somewhat that way, but this seems like a step up from where they have previously been. It certainly has some shoegaze elements as well. I think it's a natural progression from 2012's "Bloom."  Halfway through the song, it seems to pick up and find its footing. At first, it's not the easiest song to warm up to. But, still. It left me curious as to what "Depression Cherry" (such an appropriate title!) will sound like. In short: Less dreampop, more shoegaze/lo-fi. Not a stunner, but something of a grower. Yay "Depression Cherry." Sounds like a Popsicle flavor.