Quick Hits, Vol. 24 (Mitski, Marilyn Manson, The Lone Bellow, Dr. Dog, SpaceghostPurrp)

Mitski - Bury Me at Makeout Creek.  Rolling Stone had this one as a highly rated album from last year, and I have given it a number of listens over the past few months.  I think it rewards multiple listens, because I didn't much care for it after the first few listens.  But as it stuck around and gave me a few more spins, I've come to enjoy it.  The music is kind of fuzzy-90's-alternative with wordy lyrics.  Here is a prime example, the second track on the album, "Townie."

A love that falls as fast as a body from the balcony.  The whole album has somber lyrics, but the final tune is a sad beauty called "Last Words of a Shooting Star," which sounds like a suicide note where the singer is worried about her room being clean when someone finds her. Mesmerizing track.  If you want to sit down and concentrate on an album, check this one out, because I think you'll enjoy it.  If you just want background music, I don't think this one is for you.

Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor.  You know what?  This isn't awful.  Figured it would be - this guy just comes off as a clown looking for the cameras at every opportunity.  I read a recent article about him and I can't help but think that he is just being a character at all times so he can sell more mediocre records.  But the music here is a pretty good, if not generic, alt-rock crunch.  The problem is that I still think he is playing his scary monster role the whole time, singing about how he's got guns and is killing strangers or calling himself the Mephistopheles of Los Angeles.  Blah blah demons and death and bullets and evil...  I mean, I know that is his schtick, but I don't need to go there with him.

The Lone Bellow - Then Came the Morning.  Grandiose americana folk with soulful singing. Really lovely sound with soaring vocals over well-done tunes.  Here is "Fake Roses," which must be getting some play somewhere, because it has over 900k listens on Spotify while most of the rest of the album has less than 100k per song.

Harmony and great instrumentation, even if the song is sad.  So nice.  Later in the album, "Call to War" features the lady mandolin player's (Kanene Pipkin, no clue how to say that first name) vocals, which are silky-smooth finery.  This one evokes that same sense of comfort for me as the Fleet Foxes, just beautiful.

Dr. Dog - Live at a Flamingo Hotel.  While the title is odd (which one?), this album is great fun.  I'm not generally a huge jam band kind of guy, but this album catches a band sounding like they are having a great time doing their thing.  Touch of the Allmans on "Worst Trip," some Avett sounding action on "Jackie Wants a Black Eye" (which I liked a lot), and some country-fied shamble on "Shame, Shame."  I also dig "Shadow People," big fat harmonies and a sprawling tune that goes from a frenzy into a soft comedown.  I don't know Dr. Dog's music that well to know if these are faithful renditions of their old stuff, or new tunes, or what is going on here.  But even without that historical knowledge, I think this is cool stuff that I'll keep around for a while.  For whatever reason, while most of the songs on here have 20k or so listens, one (How Long Must I Wait) has over 2 million.  Must have been featured in a playlist or something...

SpaceghostPurrp - Mysterious Phonk.  I know, why go back to this guy when his more recent album was crap?  I don't know, but if you think about other rappers, going back to the original stuff is always going to be better than listening to the new joint.  Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Kanye, and Nas all pop to mind as dudes who were way better earlier.  Anyway, that rubric does not work here.  The beats are actually still pretty solid - laconic, fuzzy, trippy, out there - but again, his rhyming style generally consists of finding one phrase ("ride witcha boy" or "get ya head bust") and just saying it 78 times until the song is over.  The one that actually seems like he might have written a rap (albeit generic) is "Grind on Me."

Eh.  Could take it or leave it.