sawdustandgin: Alexander Vincent’s Liberation Originally appeared on LA Weekly.Ā  The newest single from Alexander Vincent, nĆ© Alex Tanas, features only seven words: ā€œI know I’ve got to free myself.ā€ Those lyrics, coupled with thunderous percussion, make it his mission statement. As a solo artist, he seeks liberation. ā€œFree Myselfā€ is just a sample of the majesty of Alexander Vincent, embracing vulnerabilities within himself and connecting … Continue reading

sawdustandgin: For Esmé’s new power pop single goes all-in on the mouth motif, and doesn’t ever feel obvious or trite. Not even as juice from a blood orange drips down her chin.Ā  My Favorite Music VIdeos of 2018 10. For EsmĆ© ā€“Ā ā€œDoubtmouthā€Ā  Continue reading

Shit I Missed Last Year and This Year’s Honorable Mentions Shit I Missed:Faith Healer – Try šŸ˜‰ Despite being way late to this LP, I still got my money’s worth listening to it in the early winter of 2018. The Edmonton artist, also known as Jessica Jalbert, has been making music in this vein of psychedelic art pop since 2011, but only released the first … Continue reading

Shit I Missed Last Year and This Year’s Honorable Mentions: Sidney Gish

Shit I Missed:Sidney Gish – No Dogs Allowed Sidney Gish thought she could avoid this year-end rigamarole by putting out No Dogs Allowed on the final day of 2017, but joke’s on her because I don’t actually care about when things were released. This record kicks ass. When I listened the first time, I saw it as a silly, joke record. While laughs abound, after … Continue reading Shit I Missed Last Year and This Year’s Honorable Mentions: Sidney Gish

Shit I Missed Last Year and This Year’s Honorable Mentions Shit I Missed:Gingerlys – s/t I spent a lot of the beginning of the year with the Gingerlys, and I was crushed when I learned that the album come out last year. I savor being able to include albums in my top ten, because I know that will memorialize my favorites. As this eponymous record … Continue reading

Shit I Missed Last Year and This Year’s Honorable Mentions Shit I Missed:Dresage ā€“Ā ā€œRenaissance (Live at the Chalet)ā€ My first encounter with this clip was as a submission in my inbox last December. I didn’t secure the premiere, but was able to set up an interview with the artist, Dresage. The article I wrote about our exchange remains my favorite thing I have ever written—in … Continue reading

Shit I Missed Last Year and This Year’s Honorable Mentions Honorable Mention:TIerra Whack – Whack World I struggled with where to place my praise for this burst of creative brilliance from Philadelphia’s Tierra Whack. I have no issue with short records, but this project feels like the precipice of something transcendental. For that reason, I see it as anticipation. I am awed by her breadth … Continue reading