Okay Kaya – Watch This Liquid Pour Itself
Album
I cannot tell you how excited I was about this album release. “Asexual Wellbeing” made me feel so validated and confident when it was released as a single in late 2019, and the rest of the album has the same effect. Her voice is nothing but spooky-perfection and the way she talks about intimacy is cliche yet relatable and real. “Symbiosis” in particular makes you want to be held by someone you love and hold them back, or as she puts it, “live together in a petri dish.” I will stop typing now because I could just keep going.
Honorable mentions: Insert Generic Name, Popcorn Heart, Mother Nature’s Bitch
Peach Pit – Shampoo Bottles
Single
Highly reminiscent of my 10th grade-zine girl phase, Peach Pit delivers the upbeat Sad Boy tune we all need when going through a breakup or just feeling a little sad. “Shampoo Bottles” focuses on the left behind belongings of an ex-lover and having to look at them every day but still not wanting to get rid of their phone charger and toothbrush. “Shampoo Bottles” doesn’t sound much different from the rest of their discography, but I will admit, I got in my feelings for a hot second.
Mons Vi – Want You Here
EP
A pleasant surprise! “Want You Here”, titled after the EP, was recommended to me on my Discover Weekly and I’ve been very into it for the past few weeks. Very smooth with riffs and new sounds being introduced throughout the song. I have also become very quickly attached to “Perfect Opportunity” and “Wide Awake” as well, as it’s always satisfying when an EP/Album is actually coherent and fits well together.
Marcus King – El Dorado
Album
Switching it up with a little country for you folks, “El Dorado” brings back good old fashioned country/blues tropes and makes them shiny and new. Big shout outs to “Wildflowers & Wine” and “Turn It Up” for getting me hooked and bringing me back to my Alberta roots.
Honorable Mentions: The Well, Beautiful Stranger, Love Song
Pearl Jam – Dance of The Clairvoyants
Single
Continuity of their ominous-rock energy with an electronic-pop twist is found in Pearl Jam’s new single, “Dance of the Clairvoyants”. As a fan of “Vitalogy” from the age of 13, I will say this is not the Pearl Jam a youthful Emma Harris once identified with so much. It’s easy to bop along to and is a consistent development of the Pearl Jam sound, but the lyrics and lacking angst simply do not resonate with me in the same way “Better Man” once touched my virginal, acne-ridden soul.
Written by Emma Harris