This week, Nick Landolfi, WTSR assistant music director, highlights some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.
Band: Basement
Album: “Promise Everything”
Hailing From: Suffolk, England
Genre: Melodic Emo Punk
Label: Run For Cover Records
Basement is back! For those who don’t know what I am talking about, “Promise Everything” is the third studio album from U.K.’s Basement, which just so happens to be the first album after the band’s mysterious hiatus. However, their separation was apparently fruitful as they created a great album from it. “Promise Everything” delivers. It is a perfect balance of fresh tunes and Basement’s true-to-form sound. The album starts off on a great note with “Brother’s Keeper,” a quick little pop punky song with some wholesome crunch for good measure. Overall, the album delivers a strong punk sound that doesn’t reach into catchy pop sounds, which are all too easy to fall victim to.
Must Hear: “Brother’s Keeper,” “Lose Your Grip,” “Aquasun” and “Oversized”
Band: Photo Ops
Album: “Vacation”
Hailing From: Nashville, Tenn.
Genre: Synthy Folk
Label: Bad Friends Records
Photo Ops is the musical moniker of Terry Price, a solo artist who is opening up on a huge note with “Vacation.” Obvious influences can be heard on this album such as Real Estate, Vampire Weekend, Surfer Blood and bands of the like. Price masterfully crafts his sound using a variety of instruments that pull together like an orchestra, even though he is a solo musician and plays all of the music himself. His lyrics and vocals sit at the forefront of Photo Ops, and for good reason. For an album with themes such as sickness, death and mental illness, Price delivers a beautifully bright and optimistic sound to which you can jam. This synthy, folky beach goth album is definitely something new on the horizon.
Must Hear: “I’d Be Dead,” “You Could Be Great,” “Memories that Glow” and “Maybe We’ll Change”
