INSIDE NOISE Week of 10/6
With all the major album releases coming this time of year, it’s hard to keep up. Here’s our guide to some of this week’s hottest records!
Several Songs about Fire by A. Savage
Parquet Courts co-frontman A. Savage returns to his solo project with Several Songs About Fire. This release is notably slower and more folk-centered than the high energy post-punk we're used to hearing from Parquet Courts. When placed in the context of acoustic guitar, shuffling percussion, and fiddle, Savage's distinct voice takes on a gentle folksinger quality. As always, the lyrics are endlessly thoughtful as Savage explores themes of change, broaching topics like leaving NYC and losing a friend. He continues to dream of a world beyond pollution and hyper-industrialization, working to overcome shame and distance in the pursuit of personal connection. 7/10. -Carrie
Javelin by Sufjan Stevens
I've never been dissatisfied with a new Sufjan Stevens album, but ever since Carrie and Lowell, I've been waiting for another electrofolk record that scratches the same itch. Though Sufjan may never top the lightning-in-a-bottle greatness of Carrie and Lowell, his new record Javelin comes closer than I ever thought he could get again. Infectious, cozy melodies support classicly Sufjan lyrics that paint the world as this supreme object of curiosity and wonder. Like some of his great earlier work, each song glides along on a gale of airy instrumentation that makes this record force a tear of joy and sorrow out of each eye simultaneously. 8/10. -Michael
Fanfare by Dorian Electra
I've had a bit of an on-again, off-again relationship with Dorian Electra through the course of their career. After absolutely adoring the first record and feeling fairly disappointed with the second, seeing Dorian live in concert completely changed my assessment of their art. This show delivered an unbelievable impact with precise cheoregraphy and intricate costuming that completely opened my mind to the possibilities available in the world of mid-size touring. Keeping that in mind, my assessment of Dorian as an excellent, theatrical performer probably saved Fanfare from getting a negative review. Like always, they gave us a few bangers on the lineup, but several of the songs here flirt with a stupidity that had the potential to ruin the entire record. However, I just know that Dorian will take these silly, over-the-top tracks and flip them into an extravagant live show that will leave you no choice but to take them seriously. 6/10. -Michael
