Quick Hits, Vol. 37 (Death Cab for Cutie, Earl Sweatshirt, The Minus 5, GoldLink)

Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi.  More great sounding music from Ben Gibbard and his friends.  I loved Transatlanticism and Signs, and still think "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" is one of the greatest songs around.  This one follows the same kind of sound, indie rock with good groove.  Here is "Black Sun,"

I feel sad for that guy who keeps getting run over.  Poor guy.  But this album is good.  I don't hear an instant killer hit like IWFYITD, but it is solid.

Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside.  I have never been able to get on board with Sweatshirt.  This album has all the hallmarks of something I would like - cool beats that sound like they are samples and not just synth bloops and trap clicks, with dense lyrics that don't spend the entire album bragging about cash and cars.  And when I really stop and pay attention to the tracks, I think I like them, but each track is so down-tempo and dense that I feel like they all just run together until I miss the fact that I'm 9 songs into the album.

The Minus 5 - Dungeon Golds.  Their official website is intentionally confusing, but I think this band includes Peter Buck from R.E.M., although they also claim to sometimes use members of many other bands, including the Decembrists and Wilco.  Nine albums available on Spotify, and none appear to have been heard very often according to play counts. The website also is copyright "2015 Scott McCaughey (deceased)."  Which seems odd, since that dude still seems to run the band/tour with them now.  Whatever.  Point being, this is classic-sounding rock, in the vein of Tom Petty, the Dead, or old Wilco.  And Cracker.  I hear Cracker.  Each of these tracks is apparently a highlight from a limited-edition vinyl only box set of Minus 5 rare and unreleased material.  I'm so confused right now about what is going on.  What the hell.  They have one track called "It's Magenta, Man!" So I think I am supposed to just be confused, jam this album a few times, and then move on with life.

GoldLink - The God Complex.  I love reading music commentators who turn a hang with an artist into an existential reverie on the human condition.  I read this article/interview the other day about GoldLink, a DC rapper who apparently used to wear a mask all the time when he performed.  I really can't explain the music better than the writer, who called it "bouncy, elastic dance music."  That is exactly right.  Especially "Divine," which is exactly that - squishy, synthy, quick, shifty dance. Reminds me of the MTV Party to Go CDs from the early nineties, where they would remix raps in a dance/house music remix kind of thing.  But that makes it sound like this is bad, and I don't think it is bad.  Definitely different from other rap beats going on these days, but bouncy and fun is pretty cool sounding.  Here is "Sober Thoughts," the most popular track on Spotify:

Use caution with the video for "Ay Ay," unless you work at the kind of place that has no issue with bare assery.  "Sober Thoughts" is less of a fun, bouncy track, but its good nonetheless.  Go check this guy out.