Charts & Adds: 2/12/2017 – 2/19/2017

This week’s edition of Charts & Adds will be slightly different. There are two new large developments for these articles. First, due to the spookiness of the College Music Journal and its eventual demise (or revitalization) – KJHK will also be charting with NACC. Depending on what happens to CMJ and their charting services, the format of these articles may change in the future. Secondly, rotation will be added to all of these articles so that it can be known what we are and are not spinning.

This week’s charts can be found below. First, however, we have what is entering and leaving rotation this week.

[Releases highlighted in red are on their final week.]

Rotation Updates

In Rotation:
  • Run The Jewels: Run The Jewels 3
  • Bonobo: Migration
  • Ron Gallo: Heavy Meta
  • Pheonix Afrobeat Orchestra: PAO
  • Zavala: Fantasmas
  • Brandon Can’t Dance: Graveyard Of Good Times
  • The Regrettes: Feel Your Feelings Fool!
  • John Wesley Coleman III: Microwave Dreams
  • Thigh Master: Early Times
  • Priests: Nothing Feels Natural 
  • The Flaming Lips: Oczy Mlody
  • Foxygen: Hang
  • Cherry Glazerr: Apocalipstick 
  • The XX: I See You
  • Truckstop Honeymoon: Big Things And Little Things Too 
  • Ty Segall: Ty Segall 
  • Austra: Future Politics
  • Joan Of Arc: He’s Got The Whole This Land Is Your Land In The Palm Of His Hand
  • Stef Chura: Messes
  • Once & Future Band: Once & Future Band
  • Sacred Paws: Strike A Match
  • Applesauce Tears: Commuters
  • Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness
  • Nouvelle Vague: I Could Be Happy
  • The Dig: Bloodshot Tokyo
  • Campbell Woods: Oxford Street
  • Strand Of Oaks: Hard Love
  • Scammers: Conventions
  • Stik Figa: Stik Figa Is Not Quite Himself
  • Bash & Pop: Anything Could Happen
  • La Guerre: Sapphires
  • Momma’s Boy: Liquid Courage [EP]
  • Bleachbear: Cowboy Movie Star
  • Albin Lee Meldau: Lovers [EP]
  • Mona: In The Middle [EP]
  • Surfer Blood: Snowdonia
  • Ryan Adams: Prisoner
  • Ben Markley Big Band: Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton
  • Michael Zilber: Originals For The Originals

Entering Rotation:

  • Split-Lip Rayfield: On My Way
    • Unabashed folk-bluegrass smacking the back of your head everytime you turn on the car radio.
  • Xiu Xiu: FORGET
    • A spooky slow-trodding return for the post-punk group following their cover of the Twin Peaks soundtrack.
  • Mac DeMarco: “This Old Dog / My Old Man” [SINGLES]
    • Singles off of Mac DeMarco’s next LP that is dropping in may. Acoustic and drum machine heavy.
  • The Orwells: Terrible Human Beings
    • A new direction for the Chicago-native rockers.
  • Hanni El Khatib: Savage Times
    • A return, more electronic return for the heartbreaking rocker who has been dropping EP after EP leading up to this release.
  • Ty Richards: Zillion
    • A funky, goofy rock record peppered with psychedelia.
  • Spaceface: Sun Kids
    • An atmospheric pop-rock LP with field-crossing melodies
  • Hand Habits: Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void)
    • A perfect mix between Angel Olsen and Frankie Cosmos.
  • The Molochs: America’s Velvet Glory
    • Flashes of ’60s garage rock with a strong mix of Violent Femmes.
  • Homeshake: Fresh Air
    • A large, mellow R&B record from a Mac DeMarco guitarist… yeah.

 

Top 5 Adds

5. Terrible Human Beings by The Orwells

Their first record since 2014, Terrible Human Beings has been closely watched by many of their fans. From the Chicago suburbs, The Orwells’ first few releases reflected a modern sort of take on the Doors. A healthy bit of aimless political angst was thrown in and the band played Letterman that year. Terrible Human Beings serves as a departure from that – and one in which The Orwells seem to pick up higher tempo and a lifted-chin from the chest sort of vocal mix.

4. Savage Times by Hanni El Khatib

Savage Time is essentially Hanni El Khatib’s answer to critics who call him a Black Keys rip-off. Following an insane number of EP in 2015 and 2016, Khatib drops the heavy, bluesy element of his previous work for something much more electronically-oriented. With a higher presence of synths, the tempo in his songs now range from the consistent thump to a varied rhythm from track to track. Somehow, Khatib keeps the cool, blue smoke and whiskey chic on lock – stripes and all.

3. Fresh Air by Homeshake

Homeshake is essentially Peter Sagar – a guitarist of Mac DeMarco. Within recent years, though, Sagar has differentiated himself heavily from DeMarco and has gained a steady following. Fresh Air is a slippery and chill demon with humming guitar riffs over a west-coast R&B synth. It almost seems like Homeshake is trying to pull an audition to be the backing band for Usher. That’s not a joke.

2. Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void) by Hand Habits

From staffer MacConnell Wilson:

“I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void) by L.A. based musician, Hand Habits. Initially attracted by the cover art, I brought it home to give it try. Wildly Idle was recorded entirely by Meg Duffy, and although having previously released music on her Bandcamp page, this record is her real debut… and a great one at that. It’s dynamic in its instrumentation, vocals, and overall presentation, but still maintains a focus and leaves you feeling refreshed and satisfied.”

1. On My Way by Split-Lip Rayfield

Split-Lip Rayfield is a Lawrence, KS staple. Anticipated in the area, this album is unapologetic bluegrass that runs wild and mugs you in your car. The tempo on this record kicks off firing with acoustic vigor. The album swings slower at times – each time with lyrics that push classic themes of loss and love. This is a record packed with mandolin, guitar, bass, and banjo. Approach this song wondering which brutal folk song fits your current ass-kicking mood best.

 

Top 5 Charts

5. Hang by Foxygen

[From a previous week.]

“Hang is the fourth studio album from indie duo, Foxygen, acting as their follow up to …And Star Power (2014). At the heart of it, this is Foxygen. A bold sound that is heavily rooted in classic-rock, and long-time fans will find it very recognizable. What sets this record apart from their others is that it features a forty-piece symphony orchestra, as listed in the liner notes. Running just over thirty minutes, Hang has its moments that will remind you of why you listen to Foxygen in the first place, but also struggles at times, making it worth a listen but weaker than their previous work.”

4. I See You by the XX

[From a previous week.]

“I See You is what happens when goths watch musicals. I kid, but only slightly. I See You boasts a maturity that, until this point, has not been seen in the heartbroken ballads frequenting the British triad’s career. Most notable about this album is the long pauses that are filled only the trademark male-female collaboration. The progression in thier album can also be seen in the more bold use of sampling – following on the heels of Jamie XX’s In Colour. This album certainly meets its anticipation.”

3. Apocalipstick by Cherry Glazerr

[From a previous week.]

“Apocalipstick is exactly the sort of bleeding-heart grunge that is needed right now. The guitars are loud and the drums punch. Though the tempo gives a solid bit of variation, the overall result are frank, catchy apologies and grievances with a more introspective orientation. The angst on this LP is absolutely insidious.”

2. Nothing Feels Natural by Priests

[From a previous week.]

“Nothing Feels Natural is post-punk done the most appropriate way. There are statements on this album that are truly external evaluations of political discord, however, the bulk of these songs are caught in the in-between. One of the more popular tracks on this LP, “Nothing Feels Natural,” is a look into the gut-wrenching surreal experience of early morning twitter-feed scrolling that is filled with a surreal feeling of constant disbelief. These songs are pushed forward with hollow fuzz and cavernous drums that fill the sound and punch through to this infrequently-explored in-between. These moods are not external and these moods are not introspective, but instead they are feelings that are reliant on the quick-shift of society.”

1. Migration by Bonobo

[From a previous week.]

“Simon Green AKA Bonobo has been around for a while. Chillwave would not be a thing if it were not for this 40-year-old wonder child who pioneered marrying trance with something much mellower. His tunes are the paramount South Miami Beach club thumps at any luxurious hotel but most interestingly, this album slightly departs from that. Although he has classically always had a rolling sound to each one of his releases, this album is filled with melody and structure in a way that the Brit has never achieved.”

Top 5 Adds

Rank Artist Recording Label User Supplied Version
1 SPLIT LIP RAYFIELD On My Way
2 HAND HABITS * Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void) * Woodsist * waiting for CMJ verification
3 HOMESHAKE Fresh Air
4 HANNI EL KHATIB “Paralyzed” [Single] Innovative Leisure
5 THE ORWELLS * Terrible Human Beings * * waiting for CMJ verification

 

Top 5 Charts

Rank Artist Recording Label User Supplied Version
1 BONOBO Migration Ninja Tune
2 PRIESTS Nothing Feels Natural Sister Polygon
3 CHERRY GLAZERR Apocalipstick Secretly Canadian
4 XX I See You Young Turks
5 FOXYGEN Hang Jagjaguwar
6 SACRED PAWS Strike A Match Rock Action
7 REGRETTES Feel Your Feelings Fool! Warner Bros.
8 THE DIG Bloodshot Tokyo
9 STRAND OF OAKS “Radio Kids” [Single]
10 THIGH MASTER Early Times Bruit District
11 AUSTRA Future Politics Domino
12 MOMMA’S BOY * Liquid Courage * * waiting for CMJ verification
13 RUN THE JEWELS Run The Jewels 3 Run The Jewels
14 SURFER BLOOD Snowdonia Joyful Noise
15 RON GALLO Heavy Meta New West
16 BRANDON CAN’T DANCE Graveyard Of Good Times Lucky Number
17 BASH AND POP Anything Could Happen Fat Possum
18 APPLESAUCE TEARS Commuters Black Cottage
19 LA GUERRE Sapphires
20 ZAVALA Fantasmas
21 JOAN OF ARC He’s Got The Whole This Land Is Your Land In His Hands Joyful Noise
22 TRUCKSTOP HONEYMOON Big Things And Little Things
23 ELBOW “Magnificent (She Says)” [Single]
24 STEF CHURA Messes Urinal Cake
25 JULIE BYRNE Not Even Happiness Ba Da Bing!
26 SCAMMERS * Conventions * * waiting for CMJ verification
27 JOHN WESLEY COLEMAN III Microwave Dreams Super Secret
28 TY SEGALL Ty Segall (2017) Drag City
29 PHOENIX AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA PAO
30 RYAN ADAMS “Do You Still Love Me?” [Single] Blue Note