…Like Clockwork (Queens of the Stone Age)

…Like Clockwork
Queens of the Stone Age (2013)

Top Tracks: “My God is the Sun”, “If I Had a Tail”, “Smooth Sailing”

While Songs for the Deaf may be my favorite QOTSA album, this one is super close. This was their sixth album, and Josh Homme has never shied from going with the flow of his need to evolve as a songwriter and performer, which in my book is often the hallmark of an admirable creative wellspring. The version of QOTSA that was assembled for this album has ended up being the most steady; seven years later, the lineup remains unchanged (May 2020).

II (Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

II
Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2013)

Top Tracks: "From the Sun”, "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”, "So Good at Being in Trouble”

I discovered UMO through the song "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”, but not via the album it’s on. I was digging through various indie compilations on a Saturday morning and came across this tune and it hit me like a blast of cool air on a miserably hot day. Refreshing and interesting, this was one of the songs that spurred my previously long-formant interest in new indie music, and after I went and got the II album, I found the whole thing to be brilliant and always re-listenable. I've been a fan ever since (May 2020).

b’lieve i’m goin down (Kurt Vile)

b’lieve i’m goin down
Kurt Vile (2015)

Top Tracks: “Pretty Pimpin”, “That’s Life Tho (Almost Hate to Say)”, “Life Like This”

You gotta love KV. It’s not easy to follow up such a strong record as Wakin on a Pretty Daze, but Kurt doesn’t seem to try too hard at anything, and that’s why his albums are consistently great. Maybe Kurt’s lackadaisical vibe is more contrived than we are led to believe, but the tunes are what matter, and b’lieve is a fun listen all the way through (May 2020).

Be the Cowboy (Mitski)

Be the Cowboy
Mitski (2018)

Top Tracks: “Geyser”, “Me and My Husband”, “Two Slow Dancers”

I adored this album from the moment it was released in 2018. I first became aware of Mitski in a weird way. When my band They Stole My Crayon’s album was released in summer 2016, it did surprisingly well, at least for a little while. One of the albums it was competing against on the Bandcamp charts was Mitski’s Puberty 2, and I checked it out at the time and was super impressed. Be the Cowboy is a huge step up in artistry and overall production, and it’s still in my regular rotation (May 2020).