Amen Dunes

One Liner: Great indie rock tunes by a weirdo who doesn't listen to music.

Wikipedia Genre: Indie rock, experimental rock, psychedelic rock, indie folk
Home: NYC

Poster Position: 17
Day: Sunday at 1:00
Both Weekends.

Thoughts: At times, this is like Mac Demarco, lackadaisical musings over chilled indie rock.  Or David Grey style soft rock (see "Miki Dora").  Other times, I feel My Morning Jacket creeping out (see "Skipping School").  The band is helmed by a guy named Damon McMahon, who used to be the man in a band called Inouk, that apparently imploded after one EP.  In a strange revelation during this interview, he admits that he doesn't listen to music.  He says that even when on tour, they just drive in silence.  The interviewer is obviously incredulous: "I can’t think of another musician who doesn’t like to listen to music."  But McMahon just doubles down: "I don’t like it. I listen to like—I don’t know, not much at all really."  I was going to say that I really liked this music, but now that I know this dude is a serial killer non-music-listening psychopath who probably hurts babies or something, there is no way I can recommend him.  He works for the enemy.  (just kidding.  Sort of.)

Three albums are available on Spotify, and then a few EPs.  The new album is freaking good.  2018's Freedom, which is extensively discussed in that interview up above, also got a Best New Music badge from Pitchfork and it pretty buzzed over.  But despite that critical love, I even like it too.  The top track from the album is "Blue Rose," with 1.2 million streams.

That bassline is funky, and the synths give it kind of a chilled out hum in the background.  But the voice still sounds like David Grey.  It is a nice voice.  The rest of that album is very good.

The album that preceeds that one, 2014's Love, is also pretty good.  The top track from that album is also their most listened-to track overall, with 1.4 million streams.  This is "Lonely Richard."

Nice.  Kind of sad and longing, with those fuzzy slide-guitar-ish tones in the background.  A little Iron & Wine vibe in there too.  Before either of those two good albums, there was 2011's Through Donkey Jaw.  I would not recommend that one.  Much more psych rock-esque, but raw and not nearly as tuneful.  And some songs, such as "Jill," are straight up unpleasant.  

I'd check this guy out.