Some of you may recall this 2011 Little Bits post in which I waxed poetic on the merits of one, Tom Krell. Well hopefully my enthusiasm resonated with a few of you because Krell is back with How To Dress Well‘s sophomore effort titled, Total Loss. The album will be out September 18, but for now you can stream the album in its entirety here. Below, listen to the spacious, provocative track, “Cold Nites”.

The album is certainly the most fully-formed we’ve heard from How to Dress Well, who has gotten along just fine under the radar. Krell’s previous works exemplify all the best of moody, hazy lo-fi. With Total Loss, Krell’s R&B influences are more clearly articulated, especially in the sparse, thumping track “& It Was You”, leading to easy comparisons to 90s R&B stars like Sade and Maxwell. But as with older works, Krell … Continue reading

For the first time in six long years, Chan Marshall, the creative force behind Cat Power, has released a new album, appropriately titled Sun. Not only that, but thanks to the good folks at NPR Music, you can now stream the album in its entirety.

For longtime fans of Chan Marshall, whose career has spanned nearly two decades, Sun may come as something of a shock. Past Cat Power albums feature a slew of moody ballads, intimate confessionals, cutting notes, arty blues, and ethereal vocals. I myself admit to relegating certain songs to rainy day/curl up in a blanket playlists, and saving the entire album You Are Free for when I’m feeling particularly existential or need a really, really good cry (“Good Woman”, anyone?). As they so aptly quip on NPR, “She could sing random figures from her tax returns and convey more heartache and … Continue reading

A few weeks ago I shared the song, “Sofia“, from Laura Marling‘s new album, A Creature I Don’t Know. The album is set to release on the 13th but you can now hear it streaming in its entirety over at the New York Times, along with a great interview with Ms. Marling herself. Listen here.

I still can’t get enough of her last album, I Speak Because I Can (“Rambling Man” is an all-time fav), and have had A Creature on heavy rotation since its appearance yesterday. Though she’s all of 21 years old, Laura Marling’s songwriting plumbs the depths of British folk with a maturity that belays her age. The evolution of her heavily imagistic lyrics, lilting, pensive voice, and intricate guitar proves she’s a force to be reckoned with. A few of my favorite tracks thus far are “The Beast” and … Continue reading