Jack White – Lazaretto
Sounds exactly like you’d imagine a Jack White album to sound like at this point, which is no bad thing at all. I’m a huge fan of The White Stripes and his solo output has the same sense of eccentricity and weirdness, which I like a lot. Though his music is arguably less special and idiosyncratic without the simplicity and innocence of Meg White’s drumming, it’s still a fun, genre-blurring mix of blues, funk, folksy strumming and much more, topped off with quirky lyrics.
Szymon – Tigersapp
When I saw the minimalist cover and the Scandinavian-sounding title while browsing at my local JB Hi-Fi, I thought this album was by some Icelandic dude or whatever, but it’s actually the first and only recording of a 19-year-old Aussie musician who took his own life before its completion. His family finished and released his work this year, nearly three years after his death. Albums rarely come with a story more tragic than this, but the music itself is actually quite upbeat, a whimsical and shimmering blend of electronica, folk and pop. Good music to listen to on a warm summer day.
David Gilmour – Rattle That Lock
With all due respect to Roger Waters, when it comes to Pink Floyders I’ve always been a Gilmour Girl, and it’s great to see him put out quality music at nearly 70 years of age, even if his gorgeous vocal sounds a tad more frail these days. This album is not as cohesive as On An Island and doesn’t have its melancholic, dreamy romanticism, and its cover art is frankly… ehh. But it’s a fine collection nevertheless. A couple of songs have a strong jazzy vibe, and daaaamn when that unmistakable guitar kicks in it just makes my heart soar. It definitely recalls Pink Floyd, but on a much smaller, more personal and intimate scale.
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