Rogue Wave Album

The last Rogue Wave album was a disappointment, but I really am a fan of the new one. "Nightingale Floors" has at least two terrific singles in "College" and "Siren's Song." The band comes to the Black Cat on June 19. The album can be had for $6.99 on Amazon.

Also, Eleanor Friedberger's latest hits, too, along with Camera Obscura. Very good music day. 

New for Tuesday

I eagerly bought the Laura Marling album, on special on Amazon this week for $5.99.

And I'm looking forward to Eleanor Friedberger's latest, which is streaming this week on NPR Music. About "Personal Record":

As a vocalist, Friedberger's dryly flat affect has a slight tremble to it, with appealing plainspokenness to match arrangements like the one in "When I Knew," in which even the handclaps are muted. There's a lot of air in the sweet ballad "Echo or Encore" and elsewhere; she keeps enough spareness in these songs that when she switches up the formula — as in the lush choruses of "She's a Mirror," the bouncy strum of "Stare at the Sun" or the flashes of distortion in "Tomorrow Tomorrow" — the joys and surprises hit that much harder.

Camera Obscura's "Desire Lines" is also quite good. 

If there's been a legitimate gripe against Camera Obscura, it's that it pulled punches in the service of a caricature of emotion. Desire Lines is more confident and direct than anything in the band's catalog. In "Do It Again," it's clear what the "it" is: "You were insatiable / I was more than capable," Campbell sings. "Turn down the lights now / let's do it again." This from a woman who once sang, "I drowned my sorrows, slept around / when not in body, at least in mind."

Not that she's turned her back on cataloging minor moments that feel significant. Campbell's modesty is intact in "I Missed Your Party," in which she apologizes to a suitor for declining an invitation in favor of staying home to watch Flashdance, listen to and attempt to read Walt Whitman. On this album, lust and chastity sound like equally honest parts of the same whole. The combination makes Desire Lines sound like a career best.

Favorite Females

Three of my favorite female artists all have albums releasing this Spring. Eleanor Friedberger's Personal Record will be out June 4. The first single "Stare at the Sun" is available now for download.

Lissie, who is all over the place at SXSW, will release her next album in "early summer." Love her. And Laura Marling will release "Once I Was An Eagle" on May 27. So talented of a singer, especially for one so young.

Cannot wait for these releases!

Summer Tunes

Eleanor Friedberger was on World Cafe, and I started off the day listening to her fun and breezy tunes off the Last Summer Album. I think "My Mistakes" is my favorite summer tune, though I also like "Roosevelt Island."

Actually, with the Beirut and Bon Iver albums, a lot of songs this year have been mellower, haven't they been. And Bon Iver has teamed with James Blake, which continues that trend. I think a commentator described it as "emotionally exhausting," LOL. I do think it takes it a step too far. Intense, luscious tunes do need to do a bit more than just sound lovely and sonic.

I've enjoyed Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" as well, though the lyrics are disturbing. The Naked & Famous continues that vibe.

Now what is ahead for Fall? Well, Feist's first single pays heed to that earlier trend.  But I predict I will be enjoying Blitzen Trapper and and Mates of State quite soon, too.