Glide drops caustic commentary on selected tracks from albums released the week of October 24-29, 2022.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Change”
No band has been able to gleefully dive straight into a concept as succinctly as King Gizzard. Part of that is certainly a result of being prolific enough to release three albums in one month, but it’s the result of the band’s drive toward exploration and exceeding beyond self-imposed limitations that led to their lofty and disparate discography. Changes, their newest, is a collection of seven tracks, all built around the same chord and key change. This inherent constriction not only binds the album thematically but counterintuitively, provides the band with a necessary framework to guide their jams. The lead-off track “Change”, is a rambling 13-minute gem, a song that uses every one of its separate passages to convey a fun, and easygoing version of the band. This iteration of the group eschews convention for spaced-out keyboard-heavy jazz-prog, quasi-scatting, and eventually psych-rock guitar screeches.
Drugdealer – “Pictures of You”
Michael Collins has perfected the early seventies Laurel Canyon and AM session player sound, or at least his approximation of that vibe, but in a modern studio. Hiding In Plain Sight, his newest album widens the scope of his musical costume changes, to include synthy yacht rock and jazzy Steely Dan-ism’s, but with less of the tunnel-visioned precision of his previous work. Still, every track is knowingly likable, and Collins carries a lightness with him that eschews any of the pomposity usually associated with something that could be labeled a throw-back. Although “Posse Cut” earns an honorable mention for its left-field R&B twang, Kate Bollinger proves she is still one of the most hotly anticipated new acts without a full length. “Pictures of You” is bouncy and softly sweet, finding instant chemistry between its leads and deploying Collins’ effortlessness to great effect.
Westside Gunn – “Science Class (feat. Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, & Stove God Cooks)”
Gunn’s newest is loaded with guests, some riveting and some predictably limp, and unfortunately, Gunn does his best to string together enough bloat to pad out the truly great moments here. You could probably guess which songs work and which don’t based on the tracklist alone, there are no surprises here, least of all being the combination of Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah, which looms highly as the crux of the album. “Science Class” is a masterclass in simplicity. Each emcee takes their turn, slowly upping the energy and guided only by the same stellar Margo Gunyan sample, a production choice much stronger than most of the album.
Guided By Voices – “Big School”
This odds-and-ends compilation from Guided By Voices’ early nineties heyday is pulled from some hard-to-find EPs and comes with all the expected four-track hiss. However, Robert Pollard envisioned this as a proper album experience, curating and highlighting specific tracks as if it was a lost GBV full-length. There are some classic songs here as well, specifically “Big School”, one of the group’s cult favorites. It nestles into the album nicely and more importantly, with its inclusion here it finally comes to streaming services.
Aoife Nessa Frances – “Emptiness Follows”
Frances outdoes herself on the follow-up to 2020’s woefully overlooked Land of No Junction. Although that album leaned more heavily on Frances’ vocals, on Protector, she focuses on the lush arrangements that accompany her. The sound is full and each performance builds towards a point where Frances can drop out completely as the swell of the track takes over. “Emptiness Follows” does precisely this, building a pinging keyboard and bass line into an eruption of harp flourishes and horn arpeggios before Frances cuts back into the mantric melody.
Nosaj Thing – “Condition”
The return of producer Jason Chung is a star-studded event and one that earns its prestige. Each guest spot serves as a pointed addition, one where Chung’s backing necessitated a vocal, and one where the specific contributor, seemed hand-picked to fill that role. Nowhere is that more evident than on “Condition”, where Toro y Moi’s Chaz Bear finds a way to turn a repetitious phrasing into the sole melody. Nosaj’s production is great, but the track is built around the vocal lead, and one custom-tailored to Bear.
Dear Nora – “Flowers Fading”
Even more poppy and ebullient than Skulls Example, Katy Davidson has proved that after over twenty years they are still just as viable as any burgeoning light-indie-pop chanteuse. What’s more, is that they pioneered that sound and still Human Features never gives any indication that they are resting on their laurels. “Flowers Fading” is a strange story song, wrapping the protagonist around different morning routines and different resulting locales. Davidson keeps it light and airy, but they know enough to include some clanging synths to add a tinge of melancholy to the song.
