Moses Sumney, "Lonely World"
Sumney's Aromanticism pivots around "Lonely World", a song that goes from gauzy and shimmery and gradually ramps up to a frenzied finish, reflecting the inherent duality in this album. It's an album that sounds like a love album but is all about not being capable of experiencing romantic love.
J-Zone, "It's a Trap!"
J-Zone has had multiple musical lives in his career. His early career, as a producer/rapper, ended with a miserable tour, a retirement, and a memoir recounting his struggles. His second act began with this album, Peter Pan Syndrome, where he came back as a rapper but added the drums to his skill set. He sounds energized on this album, doing something new, but full of the same types of sophomoric (but funny!) gags as his first go-around.
Flop, "A. Wylie"
We've sung Flop's praises around here, and I'm going to do it again. While Whenever You're Ready isn't quite as good as the debut album, it's still just a delightful chunk of power pop, loaded with catchy tunes. I forgot to download this when I played it, so I had to go back to the beginning. I went ahead and listened to it all the way through again!
Skinny Puppy, "Spasmolytic"
I sat here for this entire song wondering what to write, because Skinny Puppy is just kind of singular. What's interesting to me is that Skinny Puppy, as one of the most synthetic of the industrial bands of their time, has aged better than most of their compatriots. Their sound was designed to be alien and offputting from the beginning, so it's still achieving its aim.
Skavoovie & the Epitones, "The Coffee Connection"
Skavoovie & the Epitones distinguished themselves in the third wave by having one of the fattest horn sections around, often five people sometimes including a euphonium. They were at their best when those horns are taking front stage, which doesn't happen quite as often on this album as on their previous records.