Amen Dunes - Love
Since the beginning of the year, I have listened to Amen Dunes' latest release 'Freedom' countless amounts of times. I then decided to dive into his previous releases. I was initially shocked by how much he had changed his sound. 'Love' is very different compared to 'Freedom' in that it is more acoustic and less polished. That doesn't mean it lacks in depth, rather than it puts you in a completely different state of mind. While 'Freedom' was good old fashioned proper rock 'n' roll song writing, 'Love' is more of a trip you want to take alone. I would highly recommend both of these albums to anyone looking for their next summer classic.
Favorite Track: I Know Myself
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
Carrying on with peaceful summer albums, we have 'Carrie & Lowell' from 2015. A lot of people tend to compare Sufjan with Bon Iver, and I can see why. However, there has always been something more astonishing with Sufjan's albums that take them much further than any Bon Iver album. Don't get me wrong, I love all of Bon Iver's work, but without hesitation I would choose a Sufjan album anyday. 'Carrie & Lowell' only further validated my decision with it being one of my favorite of his releases. Once again, this is a must listen for anyone needing a mini break from their day job this summer.
Favorite Track: Fourth of July
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
It only seems fitting that I finish off this week with another oldie, but goodie that's perfect for summer. After a long day of work, or perhaps relaxing, sometimes it's nice to sit outside and enjoy the night time sky. Who else but Radiohead has owned this time of day better. Whether you're in the mood for a musical experience, or to just turn off your brain and relax, Radiohead will always be perfect. Like most Radiohead albums, 'A Moon Shaped Pool' wasn't an initial love. It took multiple listens and settings for it to click, but once it did, I enjoyed it as much as the rest of their work... "go back in your hole Pablo Honey we aren't talking about you." This has grown to be one of my favorites the band has released. I'd be curious to hear if you agree. Comment below if you think it's overrated or one of their best.
Favorite Track: Present Tense
P.S. Fun fact, if you noticed the track listing is in alphabetical order, that's because they initially ordered it this way just to listen to the album in its entirety and move songs around where they best fit. However, they loved the order the way it was after the first listen, and kept it. This lead to many confused fans when the track listing leaked. People thought it was fake because it seemed pretty unlikely that the track listing would be arranged alphabetically.
