les albumz

[puffin]

shit i been fuckin with you know how this goes

Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay


if you haven't listened to this album what exactly have you been doing with yourself? chilling under a rock for a month? synth pop duo magdalena bay dropped their second album this year and it's pretty fucking unbelievable. every song is so masterfully put together and progress in such satisfying ways, often giving you an amazing climax near the end of the track. the whole album just feels like you are drifting in and out of all these different dreamscapes. the lush instrumentals combined with mica's whispery, ethereal vocals make me feel like i'm being hugged while sinking into the softest feather bed i can imagine. my favourite songs are: all of them.

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek & the Dominoes


been pretty obsessed with this one all summer. with eric clapton (fuck you dude) and duane allman (rip, may he live forever in his music) on dueling leads this is one of the best pure guitar albums i've ever heard, and while it doesn't have a perfect tracklist it is thoroughbly enjoyable from front to back. now i won't get into the weeds but i do have to say my enjoyment of this album is greatly enhanced by all the 'lore' surrounding it, principally the toxic love triangle of eric clapton, george harrison, and pattie boyd. a lot of these songs would just be pretty good blues rock love songs (i mean, 5 of them are covers) but knowing the story behind everything really makes it so much more interesting. to be clear, fuck eric clapton for so many reasons INCLUDING DATING PATTIE BOYD'S TEENAGE LITTLE SISTER AT THE TIME, but his intense and toxic love for (or obsession with) pattie sure motivated him to make one hell of an album. his anguish really comes through on the recordings, which of course is essential for great blues. if you wanna learn more about the album and all the events surrounding it, this video is amazing!! and is the redux to the video that got me into the album to begin with.

bell bottom blues is peak pathetic loser boyfriend core, with clapton wailing "do you wanna see me crawl across the floor to you, do you wanna hear me beg you to take me back? i'd gladly do it because i don't wanna fade away". nobody knows you when you're down and out is the first song to feature duane allman alongside clapton (he plays on all the rest of the album, just not the first three tracks) but it is also the most notable low point of the album for me. it isn't a bad song by any means, it just sort of kills the momentum coming out of keep on growing and doesn't stand out among all the others. i am yours is a really nice chilled out song with some tropical vibes from the bongos and slide guitar. anyday probably has my favourite chorus on the album, it is constantly stuck in my head and the guitars are also absolutely soaring on it. key to the highway is a great blues cover where the band (well, the two guitarists mostly) really get to show off their skills, but being almost ten minutes long in the middle of the album does mess with the flow a bit in my opinion.

tell the truth is the least popular song on the album for some reason but i find it really fun (partly because clapton sounds wasted) and just like anyday it has a great and catchy chorus where the guitars really soar. i also like how it is a song about being hopeful for a better future and it comes right before "why does love got to be so sad?" speaking of that song, it is probably my favourite on the album. to me it is the song where you can most tell how fucking zooted the band was during the making of this album. it really sounds like one of them, high or drunk as fuck, said "hey guys what if we just play this one twice as fast" and the soloing is just insane. it really sounds like the whole band is right on the edge of collapsing. also supposedly it was their first and only take?? fucking awesome. little wing is definitely the best of the five covers on the album. recorded not long before jimi's death but included on the album afterwards as a tribute, it is a truly amazing version of the song that i personally prefer over the original.

then of course there is the famous title track, layla. what can you say other than it is just one of the greatest songs ever made. the two halves come together to make something so much greater than either of them are on their own. duane's solo in the middle of the song is just breathtaking. the album ends on keyboardist and background vocalist bobby whitlock's thorn tree in the garden, which i think is genius. a short acoustic song is the only thing that could be a satisfying closer after layla. my favourite songs are: bell bottom blues, keep on growing, anyday, tell the truth, why does love got to be so sad?, little wing, and of course: layla. my least favourite song is: nobody knows you when you're down and out

Flight b741 - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard


yes i have to shill the new king gizzard record. i wasn't in love on first listen but after many repeated listens and hearing a few of the songs live i have to say i am really enjoying this one and it is probably my favourite since laminated denim (only 2 years but 4 albums ago lol). mirage city is a great opener that is stuck in my head constantly. i love the guitar work on raw feel and field of vision. hog calling contest, le risque, and the title track are all a lot of fun. i'm not that in love with the last three tracks but they are still all pretty good. it is also just really fun that all six members of the band get at least one chance to shine on lead vocals. my favourite songs are: mirage city, field of vision, hog calling contest, and le risque. my least favourite song is: sad pilot.

raw feel live in toronto 2024 i was there!
(full show here)

no name - jack white


i've never listened to that much white stripes or jack white (i'll have to change that now) but this album just rules. it is just 40 minutes of hard hitting, back to basics garage rock and i love that. the whole album is great but especially the first five songs are just so fun i've had them on constant repeat for the past couple weeks. my favourite songs are: old scratch blues, bless yourself, that's how i'm feeling, it's rough on rats, archbishop harold holmes, and tonight. my least favourite song is: missionary.


ty for reading & listening xoxo