Albums of the Month: February

By Zach Zollo


2020 is shaping up to be an excellent year for new music. Here's a recap of my favorite releases from last month, and what YOU should be checking out! 



Face Down In Meta - Pet Shimmers

My current (and way-too-early) album of the year, Face Down In Meta is the debut record by Bristol-based seven-piece Pet Shimmers. The band describes themselves as being “for fans of sparkle force and gender Neutral Milk Hotel,” which bottles up their aesthetic and central theme as only an Internet-age artist could. Rooted in a lo-fi approach to neo-psychedelia and dream pop, the sounds concocted on this record are varnished in haze, experimental in assemblage and sweet as Skittles. Lyrically, the struggles of gender identity are front and center, eloquently articulating experiences of relationship failure and finding community. With poignant statements like “Oh, glorious comedy hoped you beloved in me” throughout, Face Down In Meta may end up being the single-most adventurous, introspective, and innovative album of the year. 





Fungus II - Wasted Shirt

My OTHER current contender for album of the year, the collaborative effort by Ty Segall and Lightning Bolt’s Brian Chippendale is as batshit insane as you would expect it to be. I think it’s safe to say that this is Ty’s least accessible - and most gruesomely noisy - project since Reverse Shark Attack, his studio effort with Mikal Cronin. The distortion is twisted, the jams are shrill but extensive, and the vocals are maniacally demonic. But it’s Chippendale’s rhythmic impulses that steal the show on this album, especially on album closer “Four Strangers Enter The Cemetery At Dusk,” a brittle, sludgy opus that would make Flipper blush. 





Honeymoon - Beach Bunny

The debut full-length from Chicago summer-bummers Beach Bunny, Honeymoon is a lean, mean emo-pop machine, the perfect middle ground between It Looks Sad. and Surf Curse. While frontwoman Lili Trifilio may share a striking resemblance with Alvvays’ Molly Rankin, her confessional lyrics of self-doubt and heartbreak are particularly #feels-worthy, turning difficult stories into something relatable and accessible for all. The brevity of this album also works to its benefit, as I’ve found myself listening to this 2-3 times in a sitting without feeling overfed. I can definitely see this becoming one of my go-to rock albums of the year.




Image result for big baby earnhardt

Big Baby Earnhardt - Big Baby Scumbag

Florida’s Big Baby Scumbag may follow in the current wave of personality-driven SoundCloud rappers, but he’s notably dedicated to preserving the most essential elements of that classic, dirty South sound. He’s also a meme-savvy Lil B disciple, whose kitchen-sink approach to variety is an equal-opportunity offender. There won’t be another mixtape this year that features Marshmello and Yellowcard doppelgangers sandwiched around country-trap. There also won’t be another rapper as exuberantly self-aware of themselves, either. Sometimes it’s good to stand your ground against trendy, Gen Z bullshit. But sometimes, you just need “GO GET THE FUCKING MONEY” shouted at you.




Natural Beauty - Mo Troper

Portland’s Mo Troper has made his best album yet with Natural Beauty (which is, whattaya know, ANOTHER album of the year contender). I’ve already written a review about it (which you can read here), so I’ll keep it brief: the album’s a blue-ribbon winner. It showcases what’s already made Mo a noteworthy artist, while advancing the themes, song structures and instrumentation he employs in exciting new ways. 





you were overwhelmed - oldsoul

Lowell, MA emo outfit oldsoul released their second album via Counter Intuitive and Chatterbot Records this month, and it continues to feature what makes the band great: straightforward guitar leads, an autumnal atmosphere, evocative song concepts and Jess Hall’s impassioned, fluttering melodies. While it tends to meander in its own mood a bit too often, it’s a worthy standout in New England’s current emo scene, with Jess presenting some of her most compelling thematic material yet. Highlights include “Like No Surprise,” “Language” and “Black Hole.”




Pludo 1 - Pludo

Chicago’s Pludo self-released debut record is an exemplary display of taking the old-school influences of DIY and translating it to something that is just as compelling. Taking equal influence from Built to Spill, Pinback and Weezer, Pludo creates tuneful indie rock with abrasive sound play and engaging structures. Highlights include “Crime Dog” and “Radio Shitty.”





Image result for the slow rush tame impala cover

The Slow Rush - Tame Impala


Kevin Parker’s fourth record as Tame Impala is his most meditative record yet, both instrumentally and thematically. While not a psych-rock odyssey or synth-pop stunner, The Slow Rush plays as a chillwave and house spiced record, perfect for the millenial sentiment of dancing away your problems (but not too aggressively). Whether it’s the piano chords of “Breathe Deeper” or the galloping groove of “Lost In Yesterday,” Parker finds ways to simplify his sound without sacrificing what enticed listeners in the first place. It’s an understated success that’s a lot more humble than it should be. 


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