Here are some of the albums we can’t get enough of right now!
Weezer: Weezer (White Album)
For their latest self-titled LP (dubbed White Album), Weezer enlisted the help of new producer Sinclair, who was eager to help the band revive the spirit of their first two releases – 1994’s Weezer (Blue Album) and 1996’s Pinkerton. The result is a fun, summery album that’s sure to appeal to longtime fans of the California rockers.
The White Album opens with “California Kids,” which is reminiscent of “Pink Triangle” (Pinkerton). “L.A. Girlz” bares striking resemblance to Blue Album b-side “Suzanne,” while “King of the World” sounds like it would be right at home on the Green Album. There are a few misses (namely “Jacked Up”), but the album ultimately sets out what it intended to do, recapturing the spirit of Weezer’s glory days.
Must-hear track: “King Of The World”
Hinds: Leave Me Alone
Leave Me Alone is the debut full-length release from Hinds, an all-girl four-piece band hailing from Madrid. The album was released in January, but its carefree, sun-kissed vibes and surf rock undertones just scream summer. It’s basically a day at the beach in album form.
Hinds cite The Strokes, Mac DeMarco, and Black Lips as their main inspirations, and have also drawn comparisons to The Velvet Underground, Best Coast, and Vivian Girls – all of whom’s influence can be felt throughout Leave Me Alone. Opener “Garden” perfectly sets the tone for the album with its jangly guitars and catchy hooks. “Chili Town” is another standout that packs a whole lot of attitude, while the slow-paced “Bamboo” and “And I Will Send Your Flowers Back” provide depth to the album.
Must-hear track: “Chili Town”
Iggy Pop: Post Pop Depression
It was almost 40 years ago that Iggy Pop released his solo debut The Idiot, the first of two albums co-written and produced by David Bowie. His latest release – which he recorded in the middle of the Californian desert with the help of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme – harks back to those earlier works, serving as a tribute of sorts to his late friend and mentor.
Dark and introspective, Post Pop Depression boasts some of Pop’s best work to date (it’s also his highest-charting album ever). “German Days” recalls 1970s Berlin, where he and Bowie moved to kick their respective drug habits. “Gardenia” is one of album’s most compelling tracks, with Pop’s signature baritone crooning “All I want to do is tell Gardenia what to do tonight” over thumping bass. On “American Valhalla,” Pop ponders his own mortality, singing, “If I have outlived my use, please drink my juice.” Hopefully this isn’t it for Pop, but if it is, he’s gone out on top.
Must-hear track: “Gardenia”
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