THE DECEMBERISTS, AS IT EVER WAS, SO IT WILL BE AGAIN

For over 20 years now, The Decemberists have been making their own unique and distinct brand of folk-rock. It can be quirky, idiosyncratic, thought provoking, poignant, and always downright good. Their latest album and first in six years, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, is the longest album that the band has ever made. It is also a particular standout. I think it is in part because it's more accessible than some of their others....this is surprising given that the band describes the album's 13 songs as semaphores (I had to look up this word) of mutual recognition for our fraught times and faint hope. Not since The Crane Wife have I been this satisfied with A Decemberists' album. So glad that they keep making music.

CINDY LEE, DIAMOND JUBILEE

Listening to Cindy Lee's Diamond Jubilee is a journey—32 tracks spanning two hours and two minutes of immersive music. It’s a commitment, but one that rewards you with a timeless and otherworldly experience. Cindy Lee, the moniker of Patrick Flegel, brings together their diverse influences into a cohesive yet ever-shifting creation.

Flegel, formerly of the band Women, draws on a rich musical heritage shaped by AM radio and family jam sessions in their Saskatchewan upbringing. Their sound evolved from '90s rock icons like Beck and Nirvana to harsher, noisier textures, expressing raw emotion and resourcefulness. They humorously describe some of their earlier work as "fuck you, dad" music, marking their growth as an artist.

Drag and gender fluidity became integral to Flegel’s artistry after their mid-20s move to Vancouver. Influences like Japanese performer Akihiro Maruyama and Karen Carpenter inform their unique aesthetic, which also incorporates No Wave xerox art and Japanese pop designs. The result is a blend of noise, lo-fi aesthetics, '60s pop, and expressive visuals that feel deeply personal and genre-defying.

Diamond Jubilee embodies Flegel’s artistic evolution, creating an album that shifts effortlessly between styles while maintaining an irresistible flow. It’s a fascinating, wholly satisfying listen that leaves you curious for what’s next, even as you savor the moment. 

Diamond Jubilee cannot be streamed on any major platform. Flegel has rejected the streaming era's demands to create something entirely their own. You can listen to the album and purchase it on their Bandcamp site.

DEA MATRONA, FOR YOUR SINS

Childhood friends, Orláith Forsythe and Mollie McGinn began busking on the streets of Belfast when they were teenagers. This led to playing in some local pubs and music venues. Along the way they began performing under the name Dea Matrona which translates to "divine mother goddess"in Celtic mythology. As their popularity grew so did anticipating for a debut album. And now it has finally arrived to great fanfare in their home city and country of Ireland. Over 12 catchy songs the duo get to showcase their talent for all to hear...and there is a lot to hear. With so many great moments, For Your Sins is a great listen all the way through.

VILLAGERS, THAT GOLDEN TIME

Conor O’Brien can do no wrong. Since his Mercury Prize-nominated debut Becoming the Jackal, O'Brien aka Villagers, has delivered one outstanding album after another. On his seventh release, That Golden Time, O’Brien explores the tension between romanticism and realism with a softer, more reflective approach. The songs feel unhurried and intimate, with delicate arrangements and poignant lyrics that linger long after they’re heard.

This is one of O’Brien’s most beautifully crafted albums, leaning into simplicity and emotional depth. Where past works pushed boundaries, That Golden Time draws inward, offering a quiet, understated album that reaffirms his brilliance as a songwriter. 

KINGS OF LEON, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE FUN

I remember so clearly the thrill of listening to Kings Of Leon's debut album, Youth and Young Manhood, way back in 2003. It was a hotrod of an album with songs that just exploded with energy, rawness, and swagger. Then the band started 'maturing.' I was with it through Because of the Times. Then the band lost me for a few albums and years. With 2013's Mechanical Bull, the band returned somewhat to their earlier form, but I had to finally acknowledge that this was who the band was now. Fast forward eleven years and three albums, and the band seems to have found a nice balance between what was and what is with their latest album Can We Please Have Fun. I've been enjoying it a lot and glad to see that Kings Of Leon still have some edge.

CHARLIE CROCKETT, $10 COWBOY

Charlie Crockett's output of studio albums since 2015 has been prolific. Twelve in all! For me, 2022's The Man from Waco was a highlight. But his latest album, $10 Cowboy is in a league by itself. 

“America is a place where the casino that is America is rigged in favour of the house, but you can still win. Every American knows and believes that, on some level. That’s very much what makes us American. Travelling the world, you see the darkness and the beauty in it. There’s a lot of darkness. The fact that we even get to roll the dice, I know there’s a great amount of privilege that comes at the expense of a lot of the world that we just deal with or that I’m aware of as a traveller”.

Charlie Crockett

Crockett is a singular storyteller, and on $10 Cowboy, he weaves stories of this America. They are ones filled with characters who are struggling and succeeding, winning and losing, but hopeful and resilient. There’s a timelessness to his approach, as though these tales could have been told over campfires or in smoky backrooms of roadside bars today. Crockett’s ability to balance the grit of hard truths with the glimmer of hope feels uniquely his own. Backed by a stellar band, with horns that dance and strings that ache, Crockett has simply never sounded better. His voice, a mixture of weariness and determination, grounds each track with authenticity. A $10 cowboy…he is not, but he sure knows how to tell their stories.