Listening Habits 03.2018

"In A Poem Unlimited", the second album by U.S. Girls for 4AD and sixth overall since Meghan Remy first introduced us to her solo recording project about a decade ago, is her most accomplished and impressive work so far. The album, recorded in collaboration with members of the Toronto-based funk and jazz instrumental collective The Cosmic Range, uses electropop and disco rhythms to create songs that constitute vivid character studies of women grappling with power and protest the lies and hypocrisy surrounding us. Personal politics and fluid pop music combine to create a perfect protest record that fits perfectly with the current turbulent times.

Among the best albums we’ve listened to in the first few months of 2018, we also have "All Nerve", the excellent fifth LP by The Breeders, who make a spectacular return to form after a 10 year absence, this time with the same lineup that gave us the classic "Last Splash" in the 90s. First single "Wait in the Car" is the perfect companion to "Cannonball" in The Breeders "best of" playlist, while tracks like "Nervous Mary", "All Nerve", "Blues at the Acropolis" or the Amon Duul II cover "Archangel's Thunderbird" can easily stand next to their past glories.

In the 10 years between the last two Breeders albums, Ty Segall has released more than ten records, steadily building up an impressive discography that spans the whole spectrum of rock ’n’ roll, from garage and punk, to hard rock and blues. His latest work, "Freedom’s Goblin", adds also soul and funk touches to the mix, while somehow still managing to include nods to every single rock genre that has ever influenced him without ever losing the plot (as, I’m afraid, is the case with Jack White’s latest offering). The end result can easily be counted among his best efforts so far, a new peak to an already impressive run.

Check out below the 12 albums we've listened to the most in the last month and a half, the first batch of LPs that stood out for us in the 2018 release calendar:

Top 12 Albums

1.   In A Poem Unlimited - U.S. GIRLS
2.   All Nerve - THE BREEDERS
3.   Freedom's Goblin - TY SEGALL
4.   Plunge - FEVER RAY
5.   Songs Of Praise - SHAME
6.   Twin Fantasy - CAR SEAT HEADREST
7.   There's A Riot Going On - YO LA TENGO
8.   Little Dark Age - MGMT
9.   Always Ascending - FRANZ FERDINAND
10. I'll Be Your Girl - THE DECEMBERISTS
11. Boarding House Reach - JACK WHITE
12. Rough Trade Shops Counter Culture 17 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Top 12 Tracks

1.   Pearly Gates - U.S. GIRLS
2.   Blues At The Acropolis - THE BREEDERS
3.   She - TY SEGALL
4.   IDK About You - FEVER RAY
5.   Nervous Young Inhumans - CAR SEAT HEADREST
6.   For You Too - YO LA TENGO
7.   One Rizla - SHAME
8.   Over And Over And Over - JACK WHITE
9.   Little Dark Age - MGMT
10. Feel The Love Go - FRANZ FERDINAND
11. Severed - THE DECEMBERISTS
12. Shadow - CHROMATICS

U.S. Girls - Pearly Gates (ft. James Baley)