Liz Cooper and the Stampede- The Back Room of Colectivo, March 10, 2019

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Liz Cooper and the Stampede deliver a sonic wall of psychedelic-Americana music that is unique, genre redefining, thought-provoking, and above all, interesting and fun.  The Nashville power trio comprised of Liz Cooper (guitar and vocals), Grant Prettyman (bass and vocals) and Ryan Usher (drums and vocals) create introspective, observant, and simultaneously face-melting tunes, while putting on one heck of a live performance.  Their stop at the Back Room at Colectivo on a late winter’s Sunday in Milwaukee proved their power as a headlining act.

From the moment you entered the Back Room at Colectivo, Cooper and company had surprises in store, including cardboard cut-outs of the band, as well as faux floral arrangements on stage, alongside Garfield stuffed animals, rubber chickens, a stuffed dog, and even a plastic dinosaur.  Liz Cooper and the Stampede opened their show by taking the stage to John Williams’s “Hedwig’s Theme” from the Harry Potter movies.  This unique opening was most fitting as fans in attendance were truly about to experience a magical evening of music.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

The band drew heavily off of their stellar 2018 release Window Flowers, opening with the first track of the record, “Sleepyhead,” and wasting no time getting into a jammed out rendition of “Dalai Lama,” early in the set, which drew huge applause from the capacity crowd, and featured Cooper shredding through the nearly ten minute track on guitar.  Other set highlights included a groovy, laid back version of “Motions,” a fantastically harmonizing version of “The Night,” and a rousing and raucous set-closing “Hey Man.” The trust between band members was evident as the set went on as Liz Cooper and the Stampede seamlessly flowed songs into one another.  Drummer Ryan Usher is an incredibly engaging performer on stage and a virtuoso percussionist who anchors Cooper’s tunes along with Prettyman’s steady and powerful bass licks.

The band also tested out new material, including a new number, "Je Taime," written at “The Refuge,” a former monastery turned artist-retreat center in the Appleton, Wisconsin area.  From new numbers to old, there is a genuine joy and passion that is palpable while enjoying Cooper’s music live.

Recently we had a chance to catch up with Liz Cooper to talk about touring, performing, her cardboard cutouts and plans for 2019.  

MKE Rocks: Last year has been a great year for you, with your exceptional record, Window Flowers, which was one of our favorite records of the year on MKE Rocks.  When we first saw you perform it was in support of Phosphorescent this past December. What was that tour like for you?

Cooper: It was amazing. It was great because you really got to know everyone from the other band.  Everyone was super inspiring and a lot of fun. We meshed really well. We are doing all these shows now that we're touching the markets we played with Phosphorescent and seeing a lot of similar people coming out who saw us play with Phosphorescent.  It’s been really fun.

MKE Rocks: One of the things I loved about your show was the cardboard cutouts on the stage of you and Grant Prettyman at the start of the show.  I thought that was clever and kind of funny and interesting. I had never seen anything like that before. Do cardboard Grant and Liz come out for all shows, or was that a special occasion last time at Turner Hall?

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Cooper: Setting up Cardboard Grant, Cardboard Liz and now Cardboard Ryan on stage is a really fun thing to do when we are opening for other bands.  As the opening act, we set all of our stuff up and get it ready, and the first thing that the audience sees when they come in are the cardboard cutouts.  It is a nice and seamless thing to have at opening shows and people enjoyed it.

For headlining shows, it would be weird to have the cardboard cutouts on stage with another band opening up for us, so we do not use them in that capacity on this tour.  It is fun to have quirky things on stage, and as we grow that too will grow, and we’ll have different things to add as we go along.

MKE Rocks: You are in the midst of a very extensive tour, taking you all over the country.  What do you enjoy the most about touring and bringing your music to new audiences?

Cooper: I am really enjoying seeing who’s coming out to these shows.  A lot of people are new to seeing us, but a lot of people who have seen us play other shows are now coming and bringing their friends, and that is really amazing.  On this tour, we’re testing out new songs and playing them for people for the first time, which has been a lot of fun too.

We have never really played headlining shows on a big tour.  It is very different from opening and a totally different vibe.  It has been a really good learning experience People are coming and shows are selling out and in advance.  This is the first time we’ve had that, and it’s been really amazing. Having that kind of support is so inspiring and makes me want to work harder and play the very best we can play and make it a real experience for people.

MKE Rocks: What’s your favorite thing about performing your music live?

Cooper: Playing music, really.  We’re sitting in a van all day, so having the time to do what we love to do is so important.  We could be having an awful day and all of that goes away when we start playing. We change the set a lot and it’s really cool to experiment with that.  We like to come up with new things on the fly as a band and the interaction with us and the audience members are awesome too.

MKE Rocks: Do you have any big plans for 2019, aside from the massive tour that you’re on?  Anything you’re especially looking forward to?

Cooper: We are working on new music and making our second record and constantly writing.  I’m really looking forward to going on tour with Dr. Dog and Shakey Graves this fall.  I’m a big fan of those bands and can’t wait for that experience.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

MKE Rocks: It seems like right now is a particularly exciting time for women in the indie singer-songwriter scene with artists like Margo Price, Phoebe Bridges, Lucy Dacus, Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten, Amanda Shires and yourself in that mix.  As an artist, what is your take on the scene at the current moment?

Cooper: I think women are rising up!  There are a lot of really powerful women with a lot to say. I think we are dominating the music scene, and that is really amazing.  Margo Price is just someone to look up to and is very supportive of other women in Nashville and has been a mentor to a lot of my friends.  I think it’s really important for women to help each other. What’s best about all of this is that people are paying attention, not because there are a lot of talented female artists, but because there is a lot of amazing music being made.  People are doing amazing things and it’s their sound that’s important. In addition to the artists you mentioned, I want to throw Lilly Hiatt, Natalie Prass, and Erin Rae in that group as artists who are doing just amazing things too!

MKE Rocks: Speaking of good artists, anything that you’re listening to right now that you're particularly enjoying?
We listen to everything, really. Right now I’m really enjoying Amen Dunes, Childish Gambino and  Stereolab. Grant is always listening to Dawes and Vulfpeck. Ryan listens to a lot of Rhye We’re always listening to anything that stands out to us.

Setlist: Sleepyhead Outer Space Dalai Lama Motions The Night Fondly and Forever Mountain Men Je Taime Hey Man Encore: Feeling Good (Liz solo) Lights

Tyler Ramsey and Carl Bromel- SPACE, Evanston, IL 2/22/19

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

There was a palpable feeling of excitement, enthusiasm, and above all trust in the air in the cozy and intimate confines of SPACE in Evanston.  Walking through an enthusiastic and adoring crowd together, two marquee songwriters took the stage for what would be one of the most special and collaborative performances I've had the pleasure of experiencing in recent history.  Tyler Ramsey, previously a co-songwriter, guitar player, and multi-instrumentalist for Band of Horses, and Carl Bromel, best known as the guitarist for My Morning Jacket, joined forces to showcase their solo material in a collaborative show that saw both musicians accompanying one another.   Bromel is touring in support of his finest solo release to date, last year's Wished Out, and Ramsey has his new solo record, For The Morning, ready to drop on April 5th.  The comradeship and synergy between the musicians was so tight that it was often difficult to determine who was the primary song-smith for any given tune.  The harmonizing between the two men was on point and often both players would trade off solos and jams.  Bromel played acoustic and electric guitar along with pedal steel, whereas Ramsey played acoustic guitar, keyboards, and harmonica among other instruments.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Bromel's solo cuts from Wished Out were well-received live.  He wasted little time getting into the record, opening with "Dark Matter," Wished Out's infectiously contagious first track.  Another standout included Bromel shredding the axe with a super jam on the title track, "Wished Out," which got crowd revved up into a frenzy as if they were seeing Carl jam hard at a  My Morning Jacket concert.  Older tunes like "Snowflake," and "4th of July," were also set highlights and showcased Bromel as an accomplished solo songwriter and player.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Likewise, Tyler Ramsey had many occasions to showcase his craft as an exceptional songwriter.  There is a sense of wonder and the beauty of nature that perpetrates a lot of Ramsey's compositions. Like Bromel, Ramsey jumped into some of his finest material early in the set.  Ramsey performed songs from his 2011 solo record, The Valley Wind, including the heart-wrenching title track.  Other highlights included "1,000 Blackbirds," and "A Long Dream."  Ramsey's finest work, however, might be on some of his narrative and well-crafted tunes from his forthcoming record, For the Morning, which drops in early April. Ramsey's first single "A Dream of Home," is a great anthem about fatherhood and growing that resonated with the audience, including myself. "Breaking A Heart," another new track from For the Morning was also well-received and whetted the audience's pallet for Ramsey's new material that will be released soon.

While both musicians have styles that are both similar and uniquely different, the two-person show showcased two friends and a trusting audience enjoying an extremely special evening that will not soon be forgotten.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Trapper Schoepp Delivers His Best Work to Date with Primetime Illusion

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Trapper Schoepp is modern rock 'n roll's, consummate good guy-- an artist who cranks out amazing tunes time and time again; a songwriter who truly cares about environmental and social issues; a musician whose tunes relate to fans ages 3-103; a guitarist who constantly strives to innovate and progress while holding true to his bluesy roots; and a performer who brings his best every time, winning over audiences with his warm, kind and honest demeanor.

If you’ve had the pleasure of seeing Trapper live- you know what we’re talking about.  If you haven’t seen him live, you need to. Trapper and his band are simply that good… invoking the spirit of narrative rock singer-songwriter legends like Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Segar, while putting his own unique stamp on the rock ‘n roll genre.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

As a young man in his mid-twenties, Trapper clearly is a songwriter who is wise beyond his years.  With his new album and third LP, Primetime Illusion released this January, Trapper emerges with his finest work to date… crafting songs that try to make sense of our world in our current times- recognizing modern challenges that we face while simultaneously evoking a sense of eternal optimism, joy, and hope. Recorded last spring at "Wire and Vice" in Milwaukee with Wilco multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone serving as the producer,  Primetime Illusion showcases Trapper as an artist who continues to grow in his lyrical craft, while keeping his infectious rock grooves at the forefront of his songwriting. Album opener, “Shakedown,” is a great example of this, as is his first single, “Freight Train,” a track that Trapper has performed regularly as part of his live set.  In addition, Trapper stretches the bounds of his sound more on Primetime Illusion with tracks like, “What You Do To Her,” which features backing vocals from Nicole Atkins and tackles the topic of sexual harassment and misogyny in our culture.  Moreover, the standout track, “If All My 9’s Were X’s,” is a great example of Trapper telling a gripping story, using a bowling metaphor, while all-the-while leaving room for his listeners to fill in bits as well.  Front to back, Primetime Illusion is an album that hooks the listener with its first spin and keeps them coming back for more with new disoveries after each subsequent listen.

This past summer, we had a chance to catch up with Trapper about his new record, his robust touring schedule, and his diverse performances.

MKERocks:  Trapper, you have a really full tour schedule and are hitting a boon of festivals, music series, as well as gigs opening or large international touring acts like Frank Turner and Rhett Miller of the Old '97's.  Your show last summer at Cedarburg Summer Sounds was a great example of a fun local show. How do you approach these performances and what makes them special for you and the band?

Trapper: I've spent years on the road as an opening act playing 30-45 minute sets and looking at my watch worrying that we don't go over our allotted time. It's great to stretch out and have the whole night to ourselves at shows like Summer Sounds. These types of gigs allow for more spontaneous detours within the set. I love breaking down that fourth wall.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

MKERocks: I hear you have a new album in the works.  Can you share a bit about this project and when it's set to come out?

Trapper: We recorded the album with producer Patrick Sansone from Wilco in Wauwatosa. It'll be out in early 2019. The songs have a lot of deep grooves and space. It's inspired by 70s acts like Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, and Jackson Browne.

MKERocks:  Recently you did a series of shows where you performed a Tom Petty tribute.  Listening to your music over the years, there is definitely a link between your music and Petty's with both of you channeling what I'd call "All-American Rock."  Could you share a bit about Tom Petty's influence on your sound and about that performance?

Trapper: For me, he set forth the blueprints for a five piece rock n roll band. My dad had Full Moon Fever in his Suburban growing up so those songs are deeply ingrained in my psyche. It was cool to play his and my music back to back as it showed to me how much he's influenced me.

MKERocks:  The Milwaukee music scene has really seemed to be taking off of late with many great acts, including you gaining more attention both regionally and nationally.

Trapper: We have a nice melting pot going here. It's helped that the thriving coffee, beer and radio scenes have all helped elevate the arts. I moved to Milwaukee a decade ago and it's been cool to watch the city as a whole have a new life. Let's just hope Milwaukee doesn't lose its edge. Spoiler alert: it won't.

photo courtesy of Brian Norman

MKERocks: One of the highlights of your show in Cedarburg was seeing you play with your guitar students-- Ben and Abbey Norman.  Can you please comment on this experience from your point of view?

Trapper: Folk music is all about extending the line through song and passing things down to the next generation. I see teaching guitar as being apart of that whole idea. It's, of course, special for me to be able to share the stage the someone who has started to learn a craft from me.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's "Bands to Watch" 2019 Showcase- 88.9 Radio Milwaukee Studios, 1/12/19

The Milwaukee music scene is as lively and robust as I've seen it since I began following local bands in high school.  With wonderful support from stations like 91.7 WMSE,  88.9 Radio Milwaukee and others more acts than ever are getting attention along the shores of Lake Michigan and beyond.  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel music writer Piet Levy put together a diverse line-up of acts that all are pushing their sound past the shores of Bradford Beach. The "Bands to Watch" 2019 showcase drew an incredibly diverse crowd that appealed to a wide audience. The great thing about this event was the chance for me to enjoy several of my favorite artists who produced some of my favorite music of 2018, as well as checking out new artists I've never seen before.

On Saturday evening fans of all ages packed the 88.9 Radio Milwaukee studios for a showcase of local music making waves.

Buffalo Gospel- 
2018 was a breakout year for a band that is no longer our city's best-kept Americana secret.  These days Buffalo Gospel is selling out regional shows and has cultivated a strong following. With a stellar release On the First Bell, Buffalo Gospel continues to tighten and refine their sound.  Their live performance puts them up there with any Americana act I've seen and lead singer/songwriter Ryan Necci's vocals continue to grow in range.

photo by Stephen Bloch

Luxi-Luxi's performance was truly unique.  The solo electronic artist was joined on stage by a visual artist as she performed songs from her latest release Lost Letters (of Seraphina) which also has an accompanying video game!  Her trippy vocals reminded me a bit of early Portishead and played well to the crowd who appreciated her quirky and original style.

photo by Stephen Bloch

Versio Curs-
Versio Curs' power punk style was by far the most rocking act of the evening.  With a two-guitar attack, driving drums, and thumping bass, they had many of the younger fans in attendance completely engaged.  To quote one college-aged fan standing next to me, "these guys could easily be my new favorite band."  They are certainly worth a listen.

photo by Stephen Bloch

Christopher Porterfield of Field Report-
Christopher Porterfield's masterful songwriting has gained him and his group, Field Report, attention from coast to coast.  From performing at the Bradley Center with Bon Iver last February to selling out two nights at the Back Room at Colectivo this past spring to an epic "Home for the Holidays" show this past December, Porterfield had a great 2018.  What's even more encouraging is how he's debuting new tunes.  Despite some technical difficulties during his set, Porterfield's humble and earnest nature allowed him to jump into the crowd and play "Tightrope" without amplification (and despite a sinus infection), to the delight of fans in attendance.  Porterfield's vocal range continues to grow and his affable nature and endearing lyrics make him a constant favorite.

Photo by Will Piper

Lex Allen-
Lex Allen has become quite the prolific songwriter of late.  He's currently working on his follow up to his excellent 2018 record Table 7: Sinners and Saints.  Lex was the most dynamic performer of the evening with a stage presence that is energetic, theatrical, and above all, fun.  Lex's message of being who you are comes through in his songs.  Whether he's jamming with a young fan, leading the crowd in swaying and clapping or jumping into the audience to sing with fans, Lex Allen is perhaps one of the most engaging and entertaining acts out there.  How does one top "Struck Gold?"  Only time will tell.

photo by Stephen Bloch

Dead Horses:
Dead Horses' core combination of Sarah Vos (guitar) and Daniel Wolff (upright bass) closed out the evening.  The Milwaukee-via-Oshkosh duo has continued to refine their sound and grow as musicians.  Vos's vocals show yearning and peace simultaneously and draw the listener deeply into her songs.  Performing brand new material from an upcoming 2019 release alongside highlights from 2018's amazing release, My Mother the Moon, Dead Horses closed out a night of great music in grand fashion.

photo by Stephen Bloch

Pipes's Picks: Top Albums of 2018

2018 brought with it an array of great albums from familiar artists and new faces.  In particular, this was a year where Milwaukee artists really shined on a local and national level.  In fact, four of the artists on this list call our fair city their home. Milwaukee rocks, as we know, and it gives me great pleasure to see our music scene in the city flourish.  Special thanks to Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch for all of the photos in this piece unless otherwise noted. Blending together my favorite releases of the year, I hope you enjoy this year's Pipes's Picks Top Albums of 2018.  

Kurt Vile- Bottle It In

Vile delivers his most eclectic and diverse array of tunes to date with Bottle it In, a record of 13 songs that spans an hour and twenty minutes- a rarity in today’s music landscape.  Blending folk sensibilities, fuzzy jams, psychedelic arrangements, and quirky storytelling as only Kurt Vile can deliver, Bottle it In invites the listener into Vile’s world and provides new surprises with each and every listen.  Who else could write, “Christmas in Siberia with a little bitty case of the delirium tremens, for some reason I picture Roger Clemens, but Mike Schmidt’s more of the city I came with.” Seriously!  What’s best about Bottle it In is that these melodies and odd lyrical comparisons simply bore into your head and stick there.  

Notable tracks include, “Loading Zones,” “Bassackwards,” “Cold As the Wind,” and “One Trick Ponies.”  

Collections of Colonies of Bees: HAWAII
Making a bold move to add vocalist Marielle Allschwang into the mix proved to be a genius move for Chris Rosnau’s experimental rock outfit, “Collections of Colonies of Bees.”  HAWAII marks the band’s most innovative and accessible album to date.  Rosnau is a mad scientist with guitar pedals and along with his band creates some dazzling sounds on a record that I found myself revisiting time and time again this year.  The great thing about HAWAII is how well it works both as a whole piece, as well as stand-alone tracks.  

Notable tracks include, “Killerers,” “HAWAII,” and “Ruins.”

Liz Cooper and the Stampede: Window Flowers

The debut LP from Nashville’s power trio, Liz Cooper and the Stampede, pushes all of the right buttons mixing blues-rock, psychedelia, strong narrative lyrics, and even creative use of vocals (Cooper fluctuates from using a distortion mic and her natural singing voice).  Cooper is a one-woman wrecking crew on the axe, delivering jams that sound like vintage My Morning Morning or Jefferson Airplane. The grooves are infectious and Window Flowers just plain rocks.

Notable tracks include, “Dalai Lama,” “Outer Space,” and “Mountain Man.”

Jeff Tweedy: WARM

Wilco’s songwriter is perhaps at his most intimate and exposed on WARM as he’s ever been as an artist.  With songs that sound like they could fit in on really any Wilco record to date, albeit in a different form, Tweedy delivers a collection of strong, provocative and moving tunes.  Reading Tweedy’s autobiography Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) at the same time as listening to this record certainly gives the listener/reader a very personal insight into Tweedy’s mind and psyche as an artist. The collection of eleven songs certainly stands up or surpasses much of Tweedy’s more recent Wilco recordings and shows that the artist has a boon of more stories to share with his audience.

Notable tracks include: “Let’s Go Rain,” “I Know What It’s Like,” and “Bombs Above.”

Buffalo Gospel: On the First Bell
Buffalo Gospel is like a broken-in flannel shirt; relaxed, warm, and above all else, sincere.   There is a palpable sense of compassion and earnestness that emanates from Ryan Necci’s vocals. Their second LP On the First Bell sees the Milwaukee-based group at the top of its game blending elements of country, rock, and Americana to create a unique sound that invites listeners to shine their boots, sit back and basque in a truly soulful band.

Notable tracks include, “High Time to Hang Fire,” “Lonestar,” “On the First Bell,” and “18 Wheeler”

photo courtesy of Bangordailynews.com

The Mallett Brothers Band: Vive L’Acadie

Vive L’Acadie is a record that embodies all things that make Americana music great.  Catchy fiddle licks, mandolin fills, sing-along refrains, strummy guitars and full-bodied vocals are evident on each of the tracks of this ten song LP.  There is a gritty soulfulness that draws listeners into this band and makes them revisit Vive L’Acadie more and more.  With trading off lead vocal duties between several musicians, each track takes on its own unique flavor on the record.

Notable tracks, “Vive L’Acadie,” “Losing Horses,” “Too Much Trouble,” and “Headed Home.”  

Dead Horses: My Mother The Moon

Dead Horses in many ways is a band that purely captures the modern Americana sounds. With Sarah Vos’s warm soaring vocals and Daniel Wolff’s steady upright bass, My Mother The Moon is a record that you can envision being performed in your living room while listening to it.  The addition of mandolinist Ryan Ogburn has helped add depth and rich timbres to the group’s music and makes My Mother the Moon a start-to-finish introspective modern Americana classic.

Notable tracks: “On and On and On,” “Darling Dear,” “Swinger in the Trees,” “Turntable.”

Courtney Barnett-Tell Me How You Really Feel

On her most recent record, Tell Me How You Really Feel, Barnett continues to hone her chops on the guitar and paint vivid stories for her listeners.  Often fuzzy and grungy, Tell Me How You Really Feel is a more introverted and introspective record, as the songwriter wrestles a bit with her rise in popularity internationally.  Great lyrics drive the record, but the guitar work is noticeably more rocking than on her previous releases.

Notable tracks include: “Hopefulnessless,” “City Looks Pretty,” “Nameless, Faceless”

Field Report: Summertime Songs

Field Report’s third album finds the band in a tighter and brighter place. Christopher Porterfield is on top of his game as a lyricist, using creative similes and masterful imagery to bring Summertime Songs alive for the listener.  Field Report continues to mature and get tighter as an ensemble and this collection of songs showcases the band exploring its sonic landscape like never before.

Notable tracks include: “Everytime,” “Healing Machine,” “Summertime Songs, “Tightrope”

Father John Misty: God’s Favorite Customer
There is no other artist on the planet like Josh Tillman.  As Father John Misty, Tillman embodies a sound that melds classic “AM Gold,” with progressive rich soundscapes and quirky lyrics that draw listeners into Misty’s world like a Hunter S. Thompson tale.  The prolific Tillman has released a series of stellar albums recently, and God’s Favorite Customer is no exception.

Notable tracks include, “Mr. Tillman,” “Date Night,” and “Hangout at the Gallows.”

Jim James: Uniform Clarity/Uniform Distortion

In a totally “Jim James move,” Jim James released a pair of records that are both similar and uniquely different at the same time.  Uniform Clarity showcases the compositions with just James and a guitar, whereas Uniform Distortion showcases the same tunes with electronic instrumentation and backing musicians.  No matter which way you slice it, James writes darn fine songs that relate to our present state of human affairs. These two records catch James in a very raw state as a songwriter and musician and in a very weird way, these songs work almost equally well in both an acoustic and electric arrangement. Funny how that works with a great artist!

Notable tracks include: “Just A Fool,” “Yes to Everything,” “Over and Over,” and “Throwback”

Phil Cook: People Are My Drug
Phil Cook personifies the word soulful.  The Americana singer-songwriter’s second full solo recording, People Are My Drug, finds Cook digging deeper into gospel music. The nine tracks that comprise People Are My Drug range from ballads to juke-joint boogie tracks.  It is hard not to smile, nod or tap your foot while listening to Cook’s music.  His positive energy and vibes are infections.

Notable tracks include: “Another Mother’s Son,” “Steampowered Blues,” “Now That I Know”

King Tuff: The Other

Kyle Thomas, aka King Tuff, delivers one of the more fun and funky releases of 2018 with The Other, a downright groovy record.  Thomas’s songwriting is on point and takes the listener on a tour of modern times while having a darn good time in the process.  Catchy hooks and clever melodies dot The Other from start to finish.

Notable tracks include: “Infinite Mile,” “Psycho Star,” “Raindrop Blue”

The Decemberists: I’ll Be Your Girl

The Decemberists push beyond their nautical boundary waters with a collection of songs that draw on pop sensibilities and also push their traditionally acoustic sound forward.  I’ll Be Your Girl is a refreshing return to form for one of indie rock’s most tried and trusted groups.  Colin Meloy and company sound as fresh as ever, and I’ll Be Your Girl live translated even better than on the album.  “Rusalka, Rusalka/Wild Rushes” holds up as one of the band’s best songs from any era.


Notable tracks include: “Once In My Life,” “We All Die Young,” “Rusalka, Rusalka/Wild Rushes”


Enjoy this Spotify playlist featuring the artists on this list along with many others who made kiler music in 2018!