Quick Hits, Vol. 347 (Vampire Weekend, MJ Lenderman, Maggie Rogers, Pearl Jam)

Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us.  I think this is really good.  They have always done such an interesting bit of classical-tinged rock music, and this one does not stray at all from that formula, where it feels like any given song could be based on some Bethoven sonata that they have stolen the note progression from, but then added drums and electric guitar and harp over the top of it to transform it into a new animal.  "Gen-X Cops" starts out sounding like one of those mid-career Beck songs.  Can't recall which.  But also, at the same time, some classical movement that my mom probably played on her harpsichord in the living room growing up.  "Mary Boone" makes me think of that Primitive Radio Gods song.  It seems only fitting that the second track on the album is called "Classical."  Full circle, baby.  The top track on here right now is the third one, "Capricorn" with 8.2 million streams.

That smeary, slow-mo bass line is tight.  That video is both cool and sort of terrifying.  Makes me wish I lived in New York during its scary heyday.  But the song definitely has a sadness to it - "too old for dying young, too young to live alone, siftin' through centuries, for moments of your own" is a killer line.  "Connect" sounds like one of their older songs, I can't come up with which, but near the end there is a cascading bit that feels very self-referential.  I very much enjoy the album.  I wish they could be coming to ACL!

I wrote that whole thing sooooo long ago, before I started digging in to the ACL albums.  After ACL, I went back to this disc another 10-15 times and it is really growing on my a lot.  Saw them play quite a bit of it live last night at the Moody Center and it really sounds awesome live.  These are good tunes.

MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks.  A critic I like tweeted that this was his favorite album of the year, which surprised me enough to throw it into the queue.  The only reason I knew this dude's name is because he sings the harmonies on that supremely lovely Waxahatchie song.  But this disc is really odd to me because it sounds exactly like Ben Kweller to me.  Like, in one of the songs, I literally pulled up Spotify to make sure that the algorithm hadn't shifted me over to Kweller's tunes.  And I like Ben Kweller, so this is not a diss at all, I just find it really weird how similar they are.  "On My Knees" has a Neil Young/Crazy Horse vibe to the guitars.  Do we think this album title is about Arch Manning running for a 60+ yard touchdown for the Longhorns last weekend?  Or is it more like when you are the one shooting off the fireworks you can be described as manning those fireworks?  I could probably research but instead will just say that we can never know.  "She's Leaving You" is the top track as of now, and surprisingly is just to 2.5 million streams.  My Twitter-verse made me think this was the hit album of the year for sure.

Freaking great song.  Also, that video made me want to cry for some reason.  "Wristwatch" is a good jam too.  This is a very good album that I will keep around.

Maggie Rogers - Don't Forget Me.  We just got to see her live show in support of this new album, and it freaking jammed.  She sounds amazing, and she turned these tunes into meteors falling from the heavens.  This disc does a great job of showcasing her strengths - powerful belting pop, slow-burn beauty, and a kind of cheeky irreverence the whole time.  The title song ends up being the top streamer - I figured it would be one of the more up-beat tunes, but that's the way the algorithm crumbles.  20 million streams.

This is one of those slow burn beauties.  Those pancakes look sad as shit, Maggie.  What are you doing?  Has a sort of Norah Jones vibe going on in there, but just a really nice tune.  The whole disc is good - I really am starting to believe that she is the future pop star we need to crush the crappy Dua Lipa-type garbage.

Pearl Jam - Dark Matter.  I considered writing an entire post about just this album, because it has grown on me in such a way that I really love it.  The stream counts do not agree with my burgeoning smittenness, but whatever.  The song that randomly makes me want to run through a brick wall is "Waiting for Stevie."  Something about the way the guitars open with this little light riff, and then the drums just grab me by my face and shove me into a kiss from an angel.  I don't know who this Stevie fellow is, but I like him a lot.  The drums at 2:35 are the absolute business.  Apparently, the title for the song is because they wrote this tune while Vedder was waiting for Stevie Wonder to show up for a session that would turn into "Try" on Eddie's 2022 solo album.  Freaking gimme all of it.  The top song though, is "Dark Matter" with 15.4 million streams.  Here is what I said about it previously: "Fuck yeah.  The drums in this are so fucking brawny and badass.  I played this about 5 times in a row the other day in the car and it made me feel like a God.  My wife hates it too, so just perfect."

SO BRAWNY!  The thing that I really love about this album is that it just sounds like freaking Pearl Jam.  I love freaking Pearl Jam.  So, the more they can just sound like rad Pearl Jam songs, the happier I will be.  Rather than hearing them detour into some new sound of style.  Nah.  Pummel my face with love.  "Running" is fun.  "Wreckage" is beautiful.  This album is my stuff.