Matt Monroe
Webmaster
Thousands of albums have been released this year from artists of all genres. With all those albums, one needs a medium to sift through the good and the bad.
Radio student Mallory Wuellner said “I’m always discovering new music on Spotify. I also find new music on YouTube, and local radio stations.”
However, even with those new ways to discover music and more, I still feel like people are missing out on certain albums I’m jamming to, so, here are a few of them that could be considered as music highlights so far this fall.
First up, there is the Georgia based independent experimental rock band Deerhunter’s seventh album, “Fading Frontier.” Compared to previous Deerhunter efforts, “Fading Frontier” is much more approachable and cleaner than their previous releases.
Despite some minor changes in sound for the group, this album, vocally, lyrically and production wise, still keeps things consistent with the rest of the Deerhunter discography.
In an interview with Pitchfork Media, frontman Bradford Cox said, “I feel hollowed out. That sounds so dramatic and negative, but I find it comfortable!”
Next on the list is Neon Indian’s “VEGA INTL. Night School.” Neon Indian is the solo project of Alan Palomo, who is mostly recognized for being a pioneer of the electronic/pop music subgenre known as chillwave.
However with this new album, his first in nearly four years, Palomo ditches most of his chillwave roots for an album that combines synthpop, vaporwave, funk, disco, electronic music, and 1980’s pop for a wildly successful album.
“VEGA INTL.” is not only Palomo’s look back at the night life of 1980’s, it’s his chance to rewrite it, creating his own universe which any music fan should visit.
And finally, we have Canadian post-punk band Ought with their second album, “Sun Coming Down.”
With this album, Ought follows their impressive debut, “More Than Any Other Day,” with a much more improved sound. While they soaked in their influences on that album, this new album has the band finding their own unique identity.
As a member of this current generation, I and many others can easily relate to some of singer/guitarist Tim Darcy’s biting lyrics, from satirizing the repetitious “9 to 5” lifestyle to general powerlessness.
Speaking with Vox Magazine, drummer Tim Keen said, “I am mostly interested in bands that are entirely concerned with the quality of their work and nothing else. And that’s all that I would like from this band.”
That’s what we get, quality. With its vocals, lyrics, instrumentation, production and more, “Sun Coming Down” creates a soundtrack for any frustrated college student trying to find their way.
Anyone interested in listening to any of these albums can stream them at the following links: spoti.fi/1OxQ7EL (“Fading Frontier,”) spoti.fi/1MHIfiv (“VEGA INTL. Night School,”) spoti.fi/1P7JVjT (“Sun Coming Down.”)
