THE MOUNTAIN GOATS – DAYS
The Mountain Goats have a way of balancing the absurd and the emotional in a witty and catchy way. John Darnielle seems to be mining his memory for the nostalgic new album, Days, name checking everything from Layne Staley to Charlie Sheen, Woodstock ’99 to Hard Rock in 2013. You’ll feel in on the joke while also checking in on your own buried memories.
Stream • Thirty Tigers • Connect: @mountaingoatsmusic
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO – “DON’T YOU WANT ME”
Bands love a cover, but so many times there are just a note for note copy and paste and it seems kinda pointless. Conversely, changing up a classic can produce an absolute dumpster fire of a song. Meshell Ndegeocello and Cat Power thread a needle with their version of The Human League‘s “Don’t You Want Me.”
The Human League‘s original is one of the defining songs of the MTV era, but the Meshell Ndegeocello and Cat Power version transforms the synth-pop classic into a slow-burning reggae-infused duet, trading the original’s icy electronics for warmth, groove, and soul. This has me looking forward to Ndegeocello’s duets album, Synonym, that features a wild collection of partners from Chaka Khan to Brandi Carlile coming out in October.
Stream • UMG • Connect: @officialmeshell
SPARKS – LIVE ON THE MOON
Only Sparks could release their first official live album after more than five decades and claim it was recorded on the Moon. Whether you buy into the joke or not, Live On The Moon captures exactly why Ron and Russell Mael remain one of rock’s most beloved cult acts. The 20-song set spans nearly their entire career, hopping effortlessly between glam rock, synth-pop, art-rock, and whatever other genre Sparks happened to invent that week.
Stream • Transgressive • Connect: @sparksofficial
