This week, WTSR’s Nelson Kelly and Brian Marino highlight some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.
Band Name: Porches
Album Name: “The House”
Release Number: 3rd
Hailing From: Pleasantville, New York
Genre: Minimalist Sad Indie Electropop
Label: Domino
“The House” follows the release of Porches’ breakthrough album in 2016, “Pool,” an album just as minimalist as it is packed with gloomy synths. Porches return to its prior utilization of gloomy synths and spacey beats to create an album darker and more interesting than its previous album, “Pool.” Though it is still minimalist, Porches use more exciting instrumentation on this record. Many songs featured pounding drum beats and vocal effects. There were better vocals from Aaron Maine on this album than on “Pool.” Though dry at times, the album picks up as soon as it seems too empty. It becomes a captivating, dark, experimental and exciting listen, and the album is definitely worth one.
Must Hear: “Find Me” and “Goodbye”
Band Name: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Album Name: “Gumboot Soup”
Release Number: 13th
Hailing From: Melbourne
Genre: Psychedelic Garage Prog Rock
Label: ATO Records
Last year, King Gizzard promised five new records by the end of 2017. The second half of 2017 saw three surprise album releases courtesy of the bad boys from Melbourne, and the overall quality of each of these albums is staggering. As the title implies, “Gumboot Soup” features a wonderful of mix of genres. It features proggy ballads like “Superposition,” rip-roarin’ ragers like “All is Known,” blues-y musical journeys like “Barefoot Desert” to microtonal experiments like “Greenhouse Heat Death.” It is an excellent album from a prolific bamd.
Must Hear: “All is Known,” “Beginner’s Luck” and “Muddy Water”
