The Painters, D. Blade, Smokey, and Neighbourly
The Painters - The Painters
It’s so easy to fall in love with even just the production on The Painters’ debut self-titled record that it feels almost unfair that the songs themselves are as good as they are. Every song is so full of character, from the chilled-out 60’s folk pop opener “Sun Never Sets” to the cowboy campfire ballad “Kitchen Tiles”. It’s folky, it’s psychedelic, and it’s an utter delight.
D. Blade - Home Recordings 19-23
Home Recordings 19-23 follows up on the Five Stitches in the Tongue EP released by D. Blade in September 2023, and is just as varied, obtuse, and wonderful as the EP that preceded it. D. Blade covers a lot of ground here, from the punk rock epic “The God Shivers” to the understated but deeply affecting “Lockdown Hotel Bossa”. He is firing on all cylinders here as guy who it seems will likely never run out of new ideas, and I’m excited to see what comes next.
Smokey - “Your Beast”
Smokey’s new song “Your Beast” is vibey as hell in a way we’ve come to expect from the Edmonton based songwriter. He’s great at making music that’s really evocative, and goes so far as to use sampled cricket sounds in live performances. That says a lot about the attention to detail that goes into making the landscape of his songs so warm and inhabitable, and it pays off for Smokey once more here with his latest release.
Neighbourly - Self-Titled
Neighbourly’s self-titled debut is a raw, uncut, injection of the 1970’s. We premiered their single “Does It Matter” back in July, and the rest of the record lives up to the heights of that song. Math-y opener and standout track “Autumn Sun”, shows off the band’s top notch harmonies. “No Destination” is another highlight, channeling an almost tropical beat over a patchwork of subtle percussion elements and chicken picked guitar. A perfect combination of melancholy and groove.
- Sean Davis Newton