Gold Soundz no. 3 (Bash’s Version)

by Sebastian Cruz, Staff Writer

Hi, I’m Sebastian, I’m a baby, you know the drill, and sort of like a baby, I feel bad. Not in the way that I imagine babies feel bad all of the time as a result of the whole just being born thing, but instead a deeper kind of shame. This is the shame of failing to have one finger on the pulse and the other wrapped ‘round my pen, of not actually being #tappedin to all releases of note. I was this close to diving into Jeff Tweedy’s two-hour three-disk Whatever The Hell out of desperation, and I am very sure it is very pleasant after three brews and ten years of sciatica pain. 

Yes, I do understand the concept of a release drought and how they're necessary in order to clear the way for fresher springs (or something.) But can’t a guy be a baby? Getting upset by the petty lack of that which nurtures me? Crying with abandon? Snot everywhere? I will never give up on this bit. 

In any case, here’s some new music, please listen/please don’t.

Jerskin Fendrix - Once Upon a Time… In Shropshire

Jerskin Fendrix should be a modern hipster icon, considering his association with and affinity for  ur-esoterique artists Black Country, New Road (a band) and Yorgos Lanthimos (a guy.) Still, Fendrix (né Joscelin Dent-Pooley, an even more ridiculous name) slipped under my radar and, I imagine, the radar’s of many others. Somehow, he manages to be stranger and more beguiling than his aforementioned compatriots. Shropshire is a real place where Fendrix is really from, and the whole thing is essentially one big, enveloping journey into nostalgic despair. His songwriting, especially his voice, almost Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel-like; painful and pretty.. It’s also pound-for-pound the album with the most references to getting wasted, in joy, in sadness, in passing and in lengthy loads. If Isaac-era BCNR is enough to make your skin jump, Shropshire will give you sepsis. And I think that’s brilliant.

Recommended if you’re… Irritating (but right).

Listen to: “Princess”

Snõõper - Worldwide

The discussion about “genre” is dead and buried as far as I’m concerned, but at the same time, I am glad that there is something out there called “egg punk” and it has no meaning and the music sounds like this. The preeminent band in its peer group, Snõõper may not sound too dissimilar to all of the other oddball rock bands who, after forty years of past stylings, still choose to be concise and resourceful in an age of limitless opulence, as in production resources, that even the smallest of creators can make use of. These are classicists for a good cause, the cause being music you should be listening to right fucking now.

Recommended if you’re… Feeling the walls closing in and loving it.

Listen to: “Guard Dog”

Titanic - HAGEN

I am allowed one obscure pick an issue as per my editor (not really), so let me get upon yon high horse and lecture the masses about listening to music in other languages, because the global hegemony of anglophones will never produce an album as breathtaking as this. Mabe Fratti’s singing just sounds like nothing else, and the music around her embodies an organism of constantly shifting qualities. Her voice mirrors the music very well: terrifying, divine, some sort of horrible angel of light and sound, something out of a myth, likefolk music for the undead or op music for a Conservatory pre-show soundtrack. And it’s 33 minutes. And it’s 33 minutes! Not a lot of things are this good and also 33 minutes except for an episode of Veep and decent sex.

Recommended if you’re… Alguien que pueda entender la letra a la primera escucha (o esto blurb).

Listen to: “La Gallina degollada”

Pinkpantheress - Fancy Some More?

Rochelle Jordan wins my heart and soul for surprising me, but Pink is someone I have a very simple and undying affection for. Her songs are pure pop with their humors perfectly balanced between sweetness, edginess, self-awareness and jolt-to-your-system fun. I was caught in the swell of her latest albumette Fancy That, so much so that I forgot how remix albums worked and began getting disappointed when other people began riding the pep and precision of “Tonight” or “Stateside”. It’s an impressive catalogue of collaborators! Kylie Minogue and Bladee will get the headlines, the second disk will get sifted for the obvious hits and everyone will remember that remix albums of this stature peaked with Charli xcx’s Brat but the name is overlong and obnoxious and not even in the pseudopoetic way that emo albums will have. I like what I like.

Recommended if you’re… So so sooooo huuuuungry.

Listen to: “Stars” (with YVES)

That Ol’ Taylor Swift - That Ol’ Taylor Swift Album

Dude. Dude. Dude. Dude. Dude I dunno if you heard, but there’s this new Taylor Swift album, right? And it came out and it’s like really bad. Actually it’s her worst. Her last one? Not the worst anymore. Remember how it was the worst forever? Nope. The KC Chiefs work miracles. Eldest daughter syndrome. Slop. Slop about slop that begets slop. Charli xcx diss. Tacky! Brilliant! Yes! Taylor Swift album Bad Version. Taylor Swift it’s meant to suck Version. Taylor Swift album But This Time It’s Personal. Taylor Swift album have you heard how she misinterprets Shaaaaaaakespeaaaaaaare? Jack Antonoff? More like Jack me Off Ant please sing me sweet songs because Max Martin is a conman disguised as a record producer. Everyone loves, everyone hates and no one loses except Taylor Swift, who instead of winning just gets richer in spite of herself. Taylor Swift. Swaylor Tift. Is this guy something or is she something?

Recommended if you’re… Pennsylvanian.

Listen to: The true version that’ll come out in ten years and will have the trap remix you’ve been waiting for