That’s What Summer’s For

Black Country, New Road “Salem Sisters”

It’s a little hard to grasp why Black Country, New Road decided to carry on with the name after the band was forced to radically reinvent itself after the departure of their original frontman Isaac Wood. But I suppose there’s some door-opening value in minor name recognition, and this sort of thing worked out fantastically well for Pink Floyd and Genesis.

The new iteration of the group leans into the formal fussiness that’s always been part of their aesthetic, and is led by a trio of somewhat prim female vocals. Tyler Hyde sings lead on “Salem Sisters,” a bright piano-centric number with evocative lyrics about an unpleasant upper crust cookout and deliberately confounding shifts in tempo. It’s mannered and artsy and extremely British – charmingly uptight, melodically satisfying, and maybe a little too much, in a good way.

Buy it from Bandcamp.

Nation of Language “Inept Apollo”

Ian Richard Devaney’s voice reminds me a lot of Brian Eno’s singing – a serene and handsome tone, a very relaxed sort of masculinity. He sounds a little aloof, but also empathetic and in touch with his feelings. “Inept Apollo” isn’t necessarily a step up from Nation of Language’s past material – it’s more of a lateral artistic move – but it’s a fine introduction to their sound, and their distinct balance of cold and warm currents.

Buy it from Bandcamp.