Kind of a rough month. Just the music, I mean. I had a good time in general. My only requirement for a pleasant October is that it feel like October. And by that I mean I can wear a sweater in the morning before angrily taking it off and burying it in a ball in the bottom of my bike bag when it’s 10:30 because it’s too hot. But by “too hot” i me like mid-70s and not high-80s like it was a couple of years ago at that time. Ugh, I have so much climate anxiety.
I was worried I’m just over music. That this was all too much for me. In October I gave out 9 A’s. Two of those were albums I’ve already heard before. I don’t feel like I’m stingy with the hardware; just for context I’m 4 albums into November and all 4 have been A’s. That’s more than half an October’s worth. There were a lot of A minuses and a bunch of B’s and B minuses. Essentially October was my high school GPA if I didn’t have to take math. And November so far is like the one semester of college I managed a 4.0 (probably because I didn’t have to take math).
Here’s October’s finest:
Album Round-Up (I refuse to look at old posts to see if I’ve been consistent in my headers)
Maybe I call it “record round-up” sometimes? I feel strongly that round-up is in there.
Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
This album had an asterisk next to it because when I first asked for album recommendations, if someone recommended multiple albums by the same artist, I asked which one I should start with. My reasoning was that I would give them the best shot I could, and if I didn’t like it, I’d quietly remove the remaining albums from the list. I couldn’t figure out how to make it work with the number generator so I threw that idea out. It was a good instinct, though, because of the three Frank Ocean albums I listened to, this was by far the most accessible. And I think if I’d listened to it first, I would have enjoyed Nostalgia, Ultra more and especially the way more experimental Blonde. That being said I liked them all and will revisit the others and maybe have that experience I so crave.
Frank Ocean is cool.
The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
Over the years I’ve heard tales that Pet Sounds is better than any one album by The Beatles, even if the Beach Boy’s catalog doesn’t hold a candle to Liverpool lads. I thought this was silly, even though I’d never heard Pet Sounds. Now that I’ve listened to five of the six “best” Beatles albums according to the disgraced and failing Rolling Stone Magazine, I can easily say that Pet Sounds is better than any one album by The Beatles, though their catalogs still greatly favors the mop-headed Liverpudlians. It’s one of the most complete and cohesive albums I’ve listened to all year. There isn’t a wasted second on it.
Curtis Mayfield, Superfly
It’s absolutely wild to me to imagine Curtis Mayfield writing this soundtrack in a basement apartment, then joining up with a 40-piece in-studio band, and knocking out an all-time classic in three days. And it’s a movie soundtrack. Imagine if Into the Spider-verse, which I only use as a comparison because it’s that rare all-original song soundtrack, was all written by one dude. And also what if it became one of the defining pieces of art of your generation. That’s what happened here. I always wonder if there are moments when people know what they’re making is genius, or if they just kind of hope it is and it’s only decades later when they can admit it to themselves.
The Interrupters, Say it Out Loud
I don’t know if this is a top-five album of October from a technical standpoint. Or if it’s more than just a rock-solid ska-punk album. I can’t promise we’ll be talking about it ten years from now (though it is 7 years old and I’m talking about it now). But it was the album I needed when I got it. Sometimes this year there have been bands that make me tired to listen to, and The Interrupters made me feel good. It’s bouncy and fun. Aimee Interrupter’s gravely vocals are perfect for what they’re doing. And what they’re doing is rock-solid ska-punk. I’m already predisposed to like and and so I did.
I bought it.
Austra, Feel it Break
The reason I bought Say it Out Loud instead of Feel it Break is because I can’t find a copy of the latter on vinyl for less that $50 used. And that’s not to dismiss the former. It’s just that Feel it Break is one million times better and one of the best albums I have listened to this year. Friends, I thought this album was so fricking rad. Also, I’ve never had as strong a response from other people seeing an album recommended on my Instagram stories, listening to it, and then coming back to tell me that they too were smitten. Who knew that “electro-goth” existed? And furthermore, who knew that we all had a hole in our souls the exact shape of Austra and didn’t know it? They’re one of a small handful of artists I’ve discovered that have made this entire experiment worth it.
Bless you, the unnamed and unheralded Canadian who recommended it.
Howie’s Album Recommendation from the Vault this is Definitely Not the Title I’ve Used Before
It is, however, kind of a combination of other headers I have used before.
You know what’s a dope-ass album? Stop the Future, by The Epoxies.
The Epoxies, Stop the Future
Kind of like how Aimee Interrupter probably wasn’t named Aimee Interrupter on her birth certificate, Roxy Epoxy I bet was not christened by that moniker. I do hope that at least one of the remaining band members really is using their given name. Surely either Viz Spectrum, Fritz M. Static, Shock Diode, or Ray Cathode had cool future parents who heard the music of 2081 while traveling in time to save their families and discovered the next big sound.
That next big sound it turns out was “robot garage rock,” AKA relentlessly fast and energetic synthesizer-punk-rock-new-wave played by musicians in cardboard boxes and dryer hose robot costumes and later just duct tape. Like with Austra, everyone I’ve played The Epoxies for has sought them out on their own since. You only have to listen to the opening track “Radiation” until Roxy’s vocals start before you realize you’re listening to the Dippin’ Dots of modern music. “Synthesized,” “Everything Looks Beautiful on Video,” and especially the final track “Toys.” Holy crap this band ruled. Imagine if The Cars had amps that turned up to 11.
October’s Albums