New Music Round-Up: The Horrors, Brian D’Addario, YHWH Nailgun, PremRock, Saba & No I.D.

With so much great music this week, it would be rude not to write about it.

It’s been a little while since I did one of these round-ups.

When I restarted The Perfect Prescription I was careful not to commit to writing about new music exclusively. I love the constant quest for the next thing, but I’ve been doing that on and off for 26 years now and I yearned for a space to reflect on older favourites and to write long-form articles on niche topics — like these deep dives into the sampling on Madvillain’s “All Caps” and N.W.A.’s “Fuck Tha Police”.

Of course, in a quiet week, it’s perfectly fine to disappear down a rabbit hole and waffle about the past. But this week? Not an option. Sometimes a stacked release schedule demands immediate attention, so an extended round-up is what you’re getting.

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BRIAN D’ADDARIO
“Till The Morning”
(Headstack)

Brian D’Addario is one half of prodigious sibling duo The Lemon Twigs who have been on a great run of late — so why the solo record? If Till The Morning provides some clues they are certainly subtle. As ever, D’Addario’s exquisitely performed baroque pop evokes a distinct period, usually the 1960s, with its Beatles flourishes and Beach Boys harmonies (see “Song of Everyone”). Occasionally, on tracks such as “Company” and “Useless Tears”, I’m reminded of the early 1970s and less heralded baroque masterpieces like Colin Blunstone’s One Year. Meanwhile, “One Day I’m Coming Home” introduces a gentle country flavour, with its gorgeous slide guitar work. A little more introspective than the last two Twigs records, Till The Morning maintains the same high level of songwriting and production. If you like The Lemon Twigs you will find plenty to enjoy here.

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GLAZYHAZE
“SONIC”
(Believe Music)

Italian shoegazers Glazyhaze have stepped it up on SONIC, their second full-length release, sounding more muscular and less reverb-drenched. Tracks like “NIRVANA” still have their ethereal moments, but there’s more depth to the mix this time. It’s a huge leap forward and one of the genre’s best offerings this year.

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THE HORRORS
“Night Life”
(Fiction)

Has it really been 16 years since Southend-On-Sea’s The Horrors released the classic Primary Colours? The band seemed to capture a fleeting magic on that record, raising the bar to a level they’d consistently fail to match over their next three albums. While not a fully-blown return to form, the moody, gothic darkwave of Night Life feels like a step in the right direction. It’s engaging, varied, and a little weird — all positive things.

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PREMROCK
“Did You Enjoy Your Time Here…?”
(Backwoodz)

Regular readers — well, at least those who pay attention to the Hip Hop recommendations — will be familiar with the scene around Brooklyn’s Backwoodz Studioz. Its biggest names are billy woods and E L U C I D, who together make up Armand Hammer; just outside the limelight, you’ll find several other notable MCs and producers — names like Cavalier, Steel Tipped Dove, and ShrapKnel, who particularly impressed on last year’s phenomenal Nobody Planning To Leave. PremRock is one half of ShrapKnel (the other being Curly Castro) and his latest solo release is a wonderfully dense tapestry of hazy samples and intricate rhymes. If anyone tries to tell you Hip Hop is stagnant, do them a favour and direct them to the Backwoodz catalogue.

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YHWH NAILGUN
“45 Pounds”
(AD 93)

It took me three full tracks to calibrate my senses to the jarring, dissonant sounds of YHWH Nailgun. 45 Pounds is an uncompromising, challenging listen, but it’s not quite as far out as it initially seems. In my impulsive youth, I panned Liars’ debut, They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top. I’ve always regretted that. I didn’t give that record the time it deserved, which is a cardinal error for a critic. 45 Pounds is vibrant and invigorating. The rhythms are just wild. In many ways, it reminds me of Liars and Battles. Stick with it and it might just click for you.

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ALBUM OF THE WEEK

SABA & NO I.D.
“From the Private Collection of Saba and No I.D.”
(From the Private Collection, LLP)

This collaboration between two legendary figures in Chicago Hip Hop is an absolute treat. No I.D. may be 23 years Saba’s senior, but there is no hint of a disconnect on From the Private Collection… — indeed, it sounds like they’ve been working together for years. It’s nostalgic, soulful, and smooth, but never cloying. Even relatively obvious references, like the nod to Marvin and Tammi on the glorious opener Every Painting Has a Price, are executed to such a high level, that it’s impossible not to smile. Guest appearances by the likes of Kelly Rowland, Raphael Saadiq, and BJ the Chicago Kid (see below) enhance the record, without ever overshadowing the efforts of the two protagonists. Even the artwork is on point. What are you even waiting for?

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