Here are a few albums I have found to be perfect for my brutally humid summer… until I’m finally reach the desert.
What’s on your summer music list?
Theon Cross Intra-I
Apple Music - Spotify - Website
I downloaded this album thinking it was going to be some spiritual bullshit that I could play as background noise for breathing exercises.
What a delightful surprise I received instead.
Theon Cross is a musician’s musician. He took an instrument and said look what I can do. And he did it well.
The best part is that he’s a talented songwriter as well, so this album is full of bangers.
J. Lamotta Suzume
Apple Music - Spotify - Bandcamp
I stumbled upon J. Lamotta during a plunge into the Spotify rabbit hole —
clicking on Similar Artists until what I started with has little resemblance to where I’ve ended up.
J. Lamotta is so smooth. Her voice can be playful or somber or a simple accent in a song. And she never seems to over-do it. Always in control and rarely belting out. Reminds me of Melody Gardot’s dynamics a bit.
She has released a few other albums & EP’s since Suzume, but you know how it goes, it’s never as good as the first time.
Nubya Garcia Nubya’s 5ive
Apple Music - Spotify - Website
Killer saxaphoning from Nubya. Minimal vocals for this instrument focused jazz.
She was a part of Gary Crosby’s Tomorrow’s Warriors, an organization making sure talent is developed regardless of circumstance.
Nubya is fun because she takes you to sonic places without it getting weird, like those free jazz records Coltrane recorded. The free jazz vision was to play without beat, harmony, and tonality. This New Yorker article gets into and why you should love it.
I enjoy free jazz when I’m thinking about it, but it doesn’t relax me in any way.
Nubya will melt your world away.
Moin Paste
Apple Music - Spotify - Bandcamp
Moin entered my ears after I found the drummer’s solo work — Valentina Magaletti.
Moin has this 80’s/90’s feel with interesting voice samples. The presentation of the music is very familiar and almost makes you want to think you’ve heard it somewhere before. It took me right back to the mid-90’s when I was listening to radio stations like Q101 and Rock 103.5 in Chicago.
Viagra Boys Cave World
Apple Music - Spotify - Website
These guys are on fire.
I heard the song Sports when it came out and it had me laughing out loud. Been hooked ever since.
At first, Viagra Boys are dirty rock/punk laced with humor. But the more time you spend with the layers of each track, the more their musicianship comes through. Justin Hawkins does a really fun breakdown of Viagra Boys and captures the subtle complexities they harbor.
The Afghan Whigs How Do You Burn?
Apple Music - Spotify - Website
The Afghan Whigs have apparently been around for a long while, and somehow I kept missing them until their 9th album was released. They have a great 90’s feel. Some of the melodies make me feel Juliana Theory but less emotionally dramatic.
Very strong tunes that ebb and flow beautifully with the vocal harmonies and bits of orchestration. Fun album that will get you moving.
Are you listening to better music than me?? Send recommendations.