Jagjaguwar US レコード& CD

Review: Indie and alternative rock have changed a lot since the mighty Jr. first hit us with grizzly riffs and Gen X tones. Nevertheless, this is a band that helped change the face of the Western guitar scene back in the late-1980s, and their influence and impact is still felt today. The whole reason the sound of this three piece is so familiar is it helped pave the way for much that has come since.

Sweep It Into Space might be the best reminder of that. Originally pegged for release last year, with Kurt Vile involved, sadly he fell ill and was unable to offer his talent, leaving the original Dinosaur Jr. lineup to do their thing. And do their thing they did. It's lo-fi but powerful, romantic but broken, high-energy but cool, gritty rock music for streets, skateparks and late-night bars and bonfires, and we never want it to end.

Review: Angel Olsen's Aisles is an 80s cover EP that has been put together after her last two emotionally wrought albums. It has some great moments like the brooding sounds of her versions of classics such as 'Forever Young' and 'The Safety Dance.' The artist says she heard the source material while in grocery stores and was inspired to just "have a little fun and be a little more spontaneous." Laura Branigan's Euro-disco anthem 'Gloria' is another standout as here it becomes a moody rework with slow tempos that draw you in deep, while there is a real tenderness to her take on Alphaville's 'Forever Young.'

Review: Unsurprisingly, Aromanticism - meaning to have little or no romantic attraction to others - is exactly the idea Moses Sumney explores on this stunning debut. Having written the majority of this album's lyrics in the solitude of remote north American cabins, Sumney's songs about loneliness and distance feel natural and sincere. Throughout 'Aromanticism' Sumney shows off his affinity with vocal acrobatics, leaping from his rasping lower register to achingly dulcet falsetto. Both in his instrumentation and as a vocalist, Sumney strikes a pitch-perfect balance between acoustic and digital, exhibiting his ability to blend the two. Sumney blends passages of spoken word, neo-soul, broken-beat, and the vocal harmonies and movements, cascading with gospel precision, that shone on his 2016 EP 'Lamentations'. 'Aromanticism' is a powerful and heartfelt opening statement from an artist well worth keeping an eye on in the future.