Turn It Up: New Music Releases for February 2020
Green Day – Father of All…
Release date: 2/7
So I agreed to go to a concert this summer with these guys, Weezer, and Fall Out Boy—a year in advance. In Atlanta (I live in Nashville, FYI). And I. Cannot. Wait.
We knew going into the summer that Green Day was coming around with new music soon, and they are officially delivering. The title track “Father of All…” is so much more high-pitched than I would have expected, but the sound is there. This is a high-energy rock track designed to get you moving. Totally the right tone to set for a new album ahead.
“Fire, Ready, Aim” is much of the same (to a point I may have said “this sounds exactly the same…” as it came on). Okay, maybe there’s a little more grit.
The latest, “Oh Yeah!” brings down the vocal range a little to a manageable clapping level. And yes, the song is totally familiar as it samples Joan Jett’s “Do You Wanna Touch Me” (thank you Glee for that education). Not a bad choice at all though. This album is going to be a good one to blast.
Other 2/7 releases:
Lisa Loeb – A Simply Trick to Happiness
Stone Temple Pilots – Perdida
Carly Pearce – Carly Pearce
Release date: 2/14
Carly has been appearing on my new release radar almost every week for the past month, so it’s exciting to see this culminate into a full release! She’s got six songs out ahead of this album release and has definitely built up her name by now.
“Closer to You” is the one on the radio (or the one that’s been on the radio for a minute, at least). It’s got a warmth to it that I truly love. I think that’s what makes Carly’s voice unique to my ears.
This continues to translate over to “I Hope You’re Happy Now” (a duet with Lee Brice, co-written by Luke Combs!). Her tone lends itself to having a male counterpart really well.
Kudos to Carly for having some incredible songwriters on this album. “It Won’t Always Be Like This” included Natalie Hemby as a co-writer and just wrenches at your heart if you’re stuck in a state of nostalgia from a depressing viewpoint. Sometimes you just need to remember it will get better, because it definitely has before.
R.I.P. Busbee and thank you for the fun that is “Call Me.” This is chock full of confidence and what I can only hope to be singing to someone eventually. What an incredible amount of fun with a sweet swaying beat.
“Heart’s Going Out of Its Mind” is the country track for sure, if you were confused. A good banjo to come in and set the beat, with a great back and forth kind of rhythm. The harmony choices are a little well, odd, here, as if they don’t want to blend together. Still, guess they can’t all be winners.
We end (so far) with “You Kissed Me First” which seems to challenge Carly’s range a little bit more. That said, the kickin’ message and guitar lines here will keep you listening. And with that being about half of the upcoming album, the remaining tracks to come should be something to hear!
Other 2/14 releases:
Justin Beiber – Changes
Nathaniel Rateliff – And It’s Still Alright
Pat Metheny – From This Place
Release date: 2/21
I was first introduced to Pat Metheny’s music as a part of our annual Grammys clearance project at my former job. I seem to have it stuck in my head that he is a new-age artist, but “Wide and Far” kind of changes that up, so I don’t know if I was ever really right. Here we have smooth jazz and moving drums with a relaxing guitar line. For eight minutes. Okay, now I know where I got the new age feel from—this is the kind of music you lose yourself in.
“You Are” takes awhile to build up. I literally kept turning the volume up and pushing forward on the song to see when it would begin. It begins late but picks up to jaunt you a bit, then exits as quietly as it entered.
Finally, there’s the 13 minute-long “American Undefined” which is more like a small orchestral piece than anything else. There’s a feeling of a jam band piano playing overtop, yet there are these great string sections beneath—just out of the realm of elevator music.
Other 2/21 releases:
Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man
Grimes – Miss_Anthrop0cene
Caribou – Suddenly
Release date: 2/28
So what’s sort of cool here, I’m finding, is the artwork for the lead up. Caribou is doing this thing that I’ve loved lately (and recommend when I work with artists), where the single artwork is a chance to do something different, yet tie it all together. On the artist page, for instance, I can tell that these three singles are meant to be grouped together by the artwork used—all different, but a good solid geometric theme.
“Home” sounds like this older 60s/70s flat song with some pumped in strings that fill out the body of it (I don’t know where I get these things either, folks). The layering is downright funky and catchy.
The next one, “You and I,” has a little more of a disco beat to it, without being overwhelmingly skater-rink. The vocals are so light and barely noticeable if you’re just grooving along. I dig the sound though, as a one-time exercise in content listening.
“Never Come Back” is the final song we’re treated to, and now I hear the modern dance sounds that I don’t necessarily love. That said, to have a range here like this is really a treat. I feel like we’re hitting all points on this one and it’s a good time. Can’t wait to see where we wind up with the rest!
Other 2/28 releases:
Real Estate – The Main Thing
Tycho – Simulcast