ON REPEAT: Vasily Richter, L'Rain, Mary Jane Dunphe, Kelela, CC Dust, Water From Your Eyes, Nourished By Time, Bar Italia
Never going to die, ooooooooh
It’s been a week. I was in the hospital for the uh, 5th time. Will be getting surgery soon! Happy holidays. Here’s where I keep all these.
L’Rain “Pet Rock”
L’Rain had my one of my favorite albums of last year with Fatigue, and the brand new I Killed Your Dog is just another late-contender for favorite album of 2023 that I’m just getting around to. Not bad for a self-described dog killer. (Don’t worry—Taja reveals that she is the dog too. Fuck.)
“It’s bit of aggro and contrarian, a bit of a fuck you to myself, attention grabbing and flashy, and also deeply confusing; Is the title an act of maliciousness and revenge or an expression of remorse and regret?”
Thankfully one cannot kill a Pet Rock, so this song is a bit more of an easy listen than the album’s title track. Ultimately it’s clear this record is a bit more fun, even if it’s a weird kind of fun that not everybody might get right away.
Vasily Richter “Lost in Herself”
I first heard Vasily Richter’s music on Darren’s WFMU show, on an episode highlighting Ukrainian musicians. I thought I’d find some cool new sounds and maybe support some artists that could really use it but instead found something so unbelievably up my alley I’m shocked I haven’t heard of it. It’s like a Slavic Mike Krol. I’m just getting around to his latest album and it’s full of low-fi rock hits.
Water From Your Eyes “True Life (Nourished By Time Version)”
Water From Your Eyes and Nourished By Time are neck-and-neck for favorite new discovery of 2023 for me (even though they’ve been around a bit longer than that). And they blissfully come together on the new Water From Your Eyes remix album, Crushed By Everyone.
Props to this album which likely tipped Water From Your Eyes up to my #1 most listened-to newer act of the year post-Wrapped. (Nothing’s beating my De La Soul career retrospective listens.) And it’s a shame these scrobbles will not add onto Nourished By Time’s final tally. BUT THE RULES ARE THE RULES.
The album also features another new favorite, Mandy, Indiana and a remix from The Dare, who did that ”I LIKE THE GIRLS THAT DO DRUGS (DRUUGS!)” song that got immediately overplayed in my previous party house living situation earlier this year and now gives me PTSD the way I’d imagine “All Around The Watchtower” does for Vietnam vets.
Also, keep an eye on BS for some NBT in the new year…
Kelela “Raven”
I’ve listened to this a lot lately and I’m just realizing it. It’s a great spooky, atmospheric R&B track which I guess is a hyper-specific genre that I listen to a lot.
I remember listening to her album Take Me Apart a few years ago but never doing the deep dive—that will change in the coming weeks, seeing as how she has seemingly collaborated with every cool person of the past 12 years.
Bar Italia “Guard”
I love this band.
Mary Jane Dunphe “Stage of Love”
Another late contender, Mary Jane Dunphe I realized is the nexus of a lot of things I like (not dissimilar to my recent Silicon Prairie discovery).
I loved the 2016 song “Never Going To Die” by Olympia’s CC Dust, which kinda was how I was living my life at the moment (producing a TV show for free and going out every night after a full-time job on top of auditions and writing and multiple monthly shows in expensive Brooklyn where I maybe didn’t exactly “eat” or “sleep” every day and the funny thing is I’m having more near-death experiences now when I do much less). But I also liked CCFX, unaware of the connection there. And I had no idea that the same person was also in this punk band I liked, Vexx (judging from this video it looks like she is somehow in the band twice). Also was in punk band Gen Pop and The Country Liners, a country band that I might actually give a chance to.
You, see this is why I like having a music blog even though it’s not 2005 anymore. Not only do I have more free time than I did a few years ago, it makes me a bit more intentional about listening to music than just plugging the algorithm into my veins and absorbing everything.
This new record already has a bunch of songs that jump out to me and just another great addition to a catalog of cool shit.
THE GOLD STANDARD
CC Dust “Never Going To Die”
The soundtrack to my ramen years! 🫡