Between Girlpool’s first and second album, they added drums to build out their sound. The third album from the Californian indie rock duo, What Chaos is Imaginary, doesn’t feature any new instrumentation except for the deeper tenor notes reached by Cleo Tucker’s voice following his recent transition. But the songwriting and harmonies remain as strong as ever.
Jared Deck kept the Oklahoman singer-songwriter-y country vibes and added a political viewpoint between his 2016 self-titled debut and his aptly titled new album, Bully Pulpit. The album draws on various influences and Deck’s past lives in blue collar jobs, politics, and religion.
Chapel Hill’s Americana band Mandolin Orange formed in 2009 and have released four albums prior to their newest, Tides of a Teardrop. Like on their previous output, Mandolin Orange can lull you into a deep relaxation while hinting at deeper sorrows through these 10 songs.
The duo, Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, will be at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer on Wednesday, February 6.
Other albums we’re listening to this week:
Last week, we missed out on Milwaukee songwriter Trapper Schoepp’s fourth album, Primetime Illusion, which features “On, Wisconsin”, a song that Schoepp wrote for an unfinished set of Bob Dylan lyrics.
The debut album, This Is Not The End, from Norwegian trio Spielbergs builds on the classic rock-inspired punk of contemporaries like Japandroids and Titus Andronicus.
London synth-rock band White Lies have a little bit of Joy Division in them on their appropriately titled fifth album, Five.
Header image via Tosatonight.com.