Undefeated Primitive Dark Matter Radar

Another batch of really good 2024 albums, plus...

It’s finally time to talk about the albums from April and beyond (and before?) that I’ve been into since this last time I did a new music post. What’s crazy is that I have 11 2024 albums to talk about this time around, plus one from 2000…say, what??

Camera Obscura/Look to the East, Look to the West - It’s been 11 years since the last Camera Obscura album, Desire Lines, but that’s largely due to the tragic death of bandmember Carey Lander at the age of 33 in 2015. Thankfully, they have healed and are back with their 6th album (I first got into them with their 3rd, Let’s Get Out of This Country, in 2006). “Liberty Print” gets things started on a strong note with the band’s brand of indie pop still intact, but with a little synth added for texture. “We’re Going to Make It in a Man’s World” has a bit of soul in its in DNA. “Only a Dream” is a lovely ballad with a wobbly effect that I cannot explain. There is a piano solo in “The Light Nights,” a really strong one, in fact. “Sugar Almond” was written for Carey and is beautiful in the simplicity of voice and piano. The album wraps up with the title track, which unspools into some light horns and strings and ends everything on a hopeful note. It’s so good to have the band back.

Extra Arms/Radar - Can I interest you in an album that is packed with rock/power pop songs with sing-along choruses? How about one that runs through 10 songs in 27 minutes? Do you like guitar solos? All three? Well, you’re in luck, because this album is perfect for driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up. I think the first song, “Be Someone Else” is a good bellwether for your interest; it comes out of the gate with loud guitars, a driving beat, and prominent bass with some organ tossed into the mix and it’s out in 2:45. The next song, “Everything Disappears” follows the same formula without sounding like the previous one and it finishes in a pithy 2:10 (now you’re starting to see why the whole thing wraps up in under 30). Those two are followed by “All Good Things Take Time,” which is full of good things like crunchy guitars, cowbell, horns, and handclaps. The album doesn’t let up from here, sustaining the rock with only a small detour into a countryish mid-tempo tune. My guess is you will surrender to Radar’s charms.

Wesley Fuller/All Fuller No Filler - This album came out in the middle of March and I listened to it and thought it had a couple really good songs, but was otherwise just okay. I went back to it again and thought maybe I had missed something. By the next listen, I was all aboard. Sometimes that’s the way with power pop, though I wouldn’t say this is strictly power pop either. Labels sometimes get in the way. “Back to Square One” has some glam rock in its DNA but the vocals also seem to languish a bit behind the beat; it’s definitely compelling. “Pacific Coast Highway” has lovely harmonies and a cool bass counterpoint throughout. “Everything Is Strange” definitely owes a debt to The Beatles and is a very fun song to bop your head to. Fuller sings about capitalism in the insanely catchy “Trade War” and while I’m not sure what “The Velvet Affair” is about, it does bring back a touch of that glam feel with the layered vocals. I also want to quickly mention the Beach Boys-fueled “Look No Further.” Overall, I really like the varied pop songwriting here and will definitely have to check out some of his earlier music.

The Lemon Twigs/A Dream Is All We Know - The Lemon Twigs have been a band that I can’t quite figure out, where I feel like I should love them more than I do. I did eventually end up liking Everything Harmony from last year, though it took me multiple listens. I guess sometimes they feel like pastiche and I wasn’t sure what to do with that. However, I like bands like Uni Boys who are making music that sounds like it’s from 40 years ago, so I decided I would try to come to this album with a fresh POV. It opens with “My Golden Years,” which might just be the best ever Lemon Twigs song - it jangles, has great Beach Boy-esque harmonies on top of a strong melody, and just soars as it comes to a close. The title track has a psychedelic bounce to it and puts some theremin to good use. “If You and I Are Not Wise” is reminiscent of The Byrds with its jangle and dreamy vocals and “Peppermint Roses” has a Beatles circa 1965-66 sound. The album finishes with the rocking rave-up of “Rock On (Over and Over).” I have definitely connected with this album and perhaps this will allow me to unlock all of their music for me.

Old 97s/American Primitive - I’ve been a fan of the band since Fight Songs came out 25 years ago, so it’s a given that I would like this. It’s a bit looser than Twelfth, which was one of my favorite albums of 2020, and that’s just fine with me. Opener “Falling Down” allows guitarist Ken Bethea to get his twang on, but that’s part of the Old 97’s charm. The title track is a good song to see that charm in action - it’s got a rollicking drumbeat courtesy of Philip Peeples, backing harmonies from bassist Murry Hammond, Bethea on his lead lines, and smart songwriting from Rhett Miller. “Where the Road Goes” is a lovely tune with Miller singing to someone (maybe even himself) who has come through tough times in youth to a place of acceptance and it’s enhanced with some Peter Buck arpeggio. Another part of the band’s charm are the songs from Murry and “By The End of The Night” is a top-notch one with a whistling part that will get stuck in your head. There’s a really strong 4 song run from that Murry tune to the other one, “Chased the Setting Sun.” The album ends with an instrumental, “Estuviera Cayendo,” which has a completely different sound than anything they’ve done before. 13 albums in and the band is still creating vibrant music; that’s why I love them.

Pearl Jam/Dark Matter - About a month ago I got a text from my brother saying people seemed to be into this new album and asked if I’d heard it. I had, of course, and told him I liked it quite a bit. To be honest, I may like it even more than quite a bit now. I’ve kept up with the band’s new albums over the years and while I’ve liked songs, I just haven’t been drawn in the way I once was. Dark Matter, on the other hand, has that gravitational pull. It rewards repeat listens, as songs I thought were just okay on first listen (like the first 2 songs - “Scared of Fear” and “React, Respond”) really take on depth when you give them time. “Wreckage” is the first absolute gem, open-hearted and wide-screen. The title track has a tremendous guitar solo tucked into its thundering menace. The run that started with “Wreckage” continues with “Won’t Tell” and “Upper Hand,” the latter of which is your typical sprawling PJ song, and culminates with “Waiting for Stevie,” which has jumped to top tier Pearl Jam status for me - Jeff Ament’s bass is sharp, Matt Cameron delivers some massive drum fills, Eddie Vedder’s growl is right where you want it, and Mike McCready’s guitar solo is transcendent; plus, it has a coda that has nothing to do with the rest of the song. After the fast-paced “Running,” the album goes on another run to the end with the shambolic “Something Special,” the kitchen-sink sound of “Got to Give,” and the slower-starting but swelling towards epic by-the-end “Setting Sun.” So, that’s 8 really strong songs and the other 3 are all solid. Best Pearl Jam album of the 21st century?

Pernice Brothers/Who Will You Believe - The previous Pernice Brothers album, Spread the Feeling, came out in 2019 after a 9 year layoff, so it was nice to get this new one relatively soon. I’ve been a fan since a friend put “Overcome by Happiness” on a mix for me in the late 90s. Joe Pernice writes catchy songs with beautiful melodies and choruses - often with darker lyrics, which is a classic combination. The album starts with the title track, which proves my statement about his acuity with melody - one listen and it will already be lodged in your head. With lines like “it’s a comedy of errors/but it’s sad,” “What We Had” brings that beautiful melancholy with a perfect guitar solo for the song. “Hey Guitar” is fittingly the song that rocks the most - it even has multiple guitar solos. I’m always a sucker for a great duet and Pernice brings Neko Case in for “I Don’t Need That Anymore,” which contains the line “Oh, you could charm a dead man from his coffin/and leave him begging on floor.” The rest of the song maintains that wit, plus you get Neko’s voice; what a song. The album closes with “The Purple Rain,” a tribute to David Berman and maybe also Prince. It’s a lovely end to the album and may make you shed a tear. That’s Pernice Brothers in a nutshell.

Phosphorescent/Revelator - It’s been 6 years since the last Phosphorescent album, C’est La Vie, and 13 since their masterpiece, Muchacho. It makes sense that it takes Matthew Houck a while between albums with the length of his songs and the way he approaches his lyrics. The title track eases the listener in with a simple drumbeat and then Houck drops these lines - “I got tired of sadness/I got tired of all the madness/I got tired of being a badass all the time.” Oh yeah, that’s the stuff. The song has that wry sense of humor, but it also mixes in melancholy and a big-hearted openness while riding a steady groove. Honestly, that’s the band in a nutshell. The songs don’t sound the same but they are of a piece and if you like they space the carve out, you are very happy. Houck reaches for his falsetto in the repeated refrain of “Fences,” which is another example of the lovely and the lonely mixing together. “Impossible House” contains a reference to Home Alone (who saw that coming?) and ‘Wide As Heaven” offers “Time is a raven with a beak of blood”…and they are consecutive songs. Amazing. It’s hard to write about these sprawling songs, so I’ll just quickly highlight “A Moon Behind the Clouds” and “A Poem on the Men’s Room Wall,” which are perfect test cases whether you would like the band or not. The latter, in particular, is hilarious - “Phyllis Diller is a cock thriller, oh yeah” are the last repeated lines of the songs before you get heavenly “ooohs.” So happy to get a new album this year.

The Reflectors/Going out of Fashion - This band was brought to my attention by Jim Lenahan of the Rockin’ the Suburbs podcast back in 2020 and I spent quite a bit of time with their debut album, First Impression, that year. Their second album, Faster Action, came out in 2021 and now the band is back with their third. This is high quality power pop, as evidence by lead-off track “All the Way Down” with its herky jerky rhythm and nifty riff. “Limitation” picks up the pace while also leaving space for three guitar solos all in 2:39 - what efficiency! I also love the high energy of “Losing My Mind,” which brings a little punk flavor into the mix. “Supernova” ramps it back down while still keeping the melody and adding another strong guitar solo. You might think “Living in a Dream” is a lost early-80s classic, especially with that opening guitar tone. Closer “Time Is All I Have” is one of the strongest songs on the album and makes you just want to go back to the beginning…and with 14 songs in only 36 minutes, you have time to do so.

Superdrag/In the Valley of Dying Stars - So, why is there an almost 25 year-old album in this post? My dad was in the hospital for a few weeks and I spent time with him the day after he got home so my mom could go to a bridal shower. Dad decided to take a nap and I was scrolling Apple Music to find something to listen to and this album popped up. I thought, why not? Since then, it’s stayed in the rotation. The album comes out of the gate strong with “Keep It Close to Me,” which should have been a massive hit - it just leaps out of the speakers with those crunchy guitars and snappy drums. The guitars get even crunchier and the bass gets a little fuzzy on “Gimme Animosity.” That’s followed by “Baby’s Waiting,” which is just classic 90s style power pop. Since this is an older album, I will forgo delving deeper, but this album is strong from top to bottom. If you haven’t heard it in a while or have never heard it, do yourself and give it a go. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Frank Turner/Undefeated - I’ve always enjoyed it when my friend Keith has played a Frank Turner song on his radio show, but I never went any deeper than that. With this new album, however, I thought it was time to change that. My conclusion? I have been depriving myself. “Do One” starts with “Some people are just gonna hate you/No matter what you do/So don’t waste your time trying to change their minds/Just be a better you/It took me years to learn this/More than I’d like to admit/But through my ups and downs I figured one thing out/Don’t take anyone’s shit” and then kicks into a super-catchy rock song with even more incisive lyrics. Oh, I am all in. “Ceasefire” is a conversation between Frank and his 15 year-old self that is heartfelt and poignant, all coiling tension that releases into something anthemic. “Girl From The Record Shop” is a fun rave-up about a crush and buying vinyl without a turntable because he’s in love. “Pandemic PTSD” feels like Thin Lizzy in the best way. “Letters” is a breakup song with a very active bassline and a catchy chorus that’ll stick. That’s 5 of the first 6 songs and the one I didn’t talk about is also good, but there are still 8 more songs that are good to great. Undefeated has a really good chance of landing in my top ten this year and I’m betting I will find more gold in his back catalog…once I can stop listening to this one.

Vampire Weekend/Only God Was Above Us - I loved Modern Vampires of the City in 2013, but didn’t connect as much with 2019’s Father of the Bride, so I was cautiously optimistic for this one. As it turns out, that optimism was founded because this a really good album. There is a lot to hear in “Classical,” but the squawking sax might be my favorite. I really like the woozy feeling that runs throughout “Capricorn” and how that’s undercut by the squall and clatter of many instruments at times. “Prep-School Gangsters” has that lilting African-influence guitar you expect to hear, along with Ezra singing in many registers including his falsetto. You can just ride on the wave of different sounds in “The Surfer,” which is hypnotically lovely. And then there’s the sheer audacity of “Mary Boone,” which incorporates the drumbeat for “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand” amid its strings and choral voices. The album ends with the piano-led, almost 8-minute long “Hope” and it’s refrain of “I hope you let it go.” I can’t let go of the always interesting twists and turns these songs take and I like it so much that I think I’ll have to revisit their last album and see if maybe I just wasn’t ready for it yet.