This is a tough one to write.
Normally I would be overly excited for all the new music and concerts in the new year. I have to be honest that it has been especially difficult to deal with these surreal times. Live music and new sounds is integral for me.
April-May has always been the most lively of months as the bands from SXSW start to sprinkle northwards on their tours. Sadly all festivals and live gatherings have been affected. I’m currently diving hard into every band that was supposed to play live during SXSW and I’ll be composing a playlist soon.
I urge you to support musicians during this difficult time by buying their albums and when this whole mess is over, celebrate loudly with them.
Here are some current musical avenues that has been keeping me afloat:
Ben Gibbard’s daily live streams really helped me the 1st week in quarantine
Amanda Shires has been doing livestreams and Jason Isbell dropped in on one to play a killer Radiohead cover.
Rev. Vince Anderson and his Love Choir has been doing Union Pool every Monday night for 24 years. He live streamed the last one.
La Blogotheque “Stay at Home” series on Instagram at 2 p.m.
Vulture’s list
Here’s my first playlist of this year’s newest releases.
Some highlights:
Austra is finally back with a new album. Their album Future Politics was my #1 in 2017
Beach Bunny dropped a new album and I was quite excited to see them last week :< But catch em tonight Sat 4/4 at 10 EST at the UnCancelled Music Festival among many other great bands for the next week!
Caribou is back. and it’s different. and I’m liking it.
Play Celeste’s Stop This Flame at maximum volume.
Dan Deacon’s new album is becoming one of the best of 2020 so far.
Hayley Williams’ Simmer is already going to be 1 of my favorite songs of the year.
Juana Molina is back and as weird as ever
Elizabeth Powell’s Land of Talk comes out with a new album May 15. Been loving them for awhile. If the new single is any indication, it’s going to be a gem.
Really digging the third doom punk album by Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.
New Soccer Mommy so far sounds pretty great.
Was supposed to catch U.S. Girls in May. The new album will tide me over.
“I’m okay, but I do miss you”
Stay safe out there.
Pablo