10 Best Songs of Week: All We Are, Alex Lahey, Animal Collective, Nation of Language, and More

Oct 22, 2021 Mark Redfern (with Joey Arnone)

Welcome to the 40th Songs of the Week of 2021.

Kevin Morby on “Sundowner” and “A Night at the Little Los Angeles”

Oct 22, 2021 Web Exclusive

A pedigree chart shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one posterity to the next. Underneath the expansive branch of “The Midwest,” you might find DNA labeled as “blankness,” “vague,” or “ordinary.” There is a root in these derivative words, a seed of some sort, that is planted in the heart of midwesterners that either blossoms or festers. It all really depends on how you water it. Because, no matter how sharp your shears may be, there is no real way to cut this root. It is within you, regardless if you want it or not. Regardless, if you’re proud of it.

Hand Habits on “Fun House,” a Career of Collaborations, and Their Voyage of Personal Discovery

Oct 21, 2021 Web Exclusive

One could certainly understand Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy (who uses they/them pronouns) being a little bit on the sleepy side the Sunday morning we spoke. Forced into pandemic hibernation like the rest of us, Duffy has emerged with their best sounding and most revealing album to date, Fun House (due out tomorrow on Saddle Creek).

Indigo De Souza on “Any Shape You Take”

Sep 10, 2021 Web Exclusive

“It’s been crazy,” laughs North Carolina singer/songwriter Indigo De Souza, regarding the critical acclaim for her second album Any Shape You Take. “It’s also the busiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

Ranked: The 10 Best Courtney Barnett Songs to Date

Aug 12, 2021

Courtney Barnett, the songstress from down under, has graced us with four studio albums, an EP and several singles since 2012, and her latest ones, “Rae Street” and “Before You Gotta Go,” both precede her upcoming LP Things Take Time, Take Time (which is due out November 12 via Mom + Pop Music/Marathon Artists). The 33-year-old singer/songwriter/guitarist from Melbourne, Australia, is less about dividing her discography into songs you do and don’t like, and more about grouping them into the ones you love and the other ones you really really love. Indie folk, garage rock, stoner soul, she does it all, and these 10 picks are only a taste to get you hooked on the rest and tide you over until the new album comes out. Speaking of, we’ll start with “Rae Street,” which is not officially on this list but gives you an idea of where Barnett is at now (and was #1 on our Songs of the Week list), as well as “Before You Gotta Go,” which just came out this week. Then there’ll be an honorable mention and the full Top 10. By Lily Guthrie.

Focus Wales, Wrexham, Wales, UK, October 6-10, 2021

Oct 20, 2021 By James Thornhill

Focus Wales returns with a bang for its long awaited tenth edition.

Iron & Wine – Reflecting on the 10th Anniversary of “Kiss Each Other Clean”

Oct 22, 2021 By Austin Saalman

Rarely does a popular songwriter so drastically shift into an entirely different creative direction and sound so great in doing so that their original style is hardly missed at all. The year 2007 marked such a turning point for singer/songwriter Sam Beam, better known by his stage moniker Iron & Wine.