Conor Oberst - Ruminations OA

October has been a hectic month to say the least, with a lot of stuff going on and a lot of good music being released. One thing is for sure, I could happily keep going on with my October playlist for a few more weeks at the very least. There just seems like there was a lot of brilliant releases that all deserve a lot more time. Any who, as i'm writing this I am already well into the new months stuff so lets begin before we get a little too ahead of ourselves. Check out the whole October playlist HERE.

Slothrust // Everyone Else

This album came pretty late to the party but boy did it make an impact. Mixing the heavier grunge sound with soulful vocals and the occasional noodle on the guitar for good measure. For me, it plays the pop/rock line of balance well without being watered down or coming across overly produced. It manages to keep a gritty edge whilst still accessible to the newcomer or average rockin' fan.   

Dan Layus // Dangerous Things

Only one of a small handful of good Americana releases this month but DT shot it's way into my number 2 slot with almost effortless ease. Dangerous Things is Dan Layus's first LP under his own name but has produced 4 strong albums with his time in Augustana. DT is also helped along beautifully by The Secret Sisters who share their magic on just under half of the tracks. That kind of harmony works only too well as I hope you find out for yourselves. 

Conor Oberst // Ruminations

And finally, the slugger that takes first place is Conor Oberst at his folksy finest. Kicking off with Tachycardia which wouldn't sound out of place as the rousing track in a secondary school theatre production. The thing that the track (video below) and the rest of the album as a whole does is showcase how talented he is as a multi-instrumentalist. Playing a mixture of piano, guitar, harmonica and whatever else he has sneaked in there, he seems to be a talent at whatever he chooses to put his hand too. Overall, the LP flows with such effortlessness with each track being a chapter in a story that you can just as easily dip in and out of. Be sure to check it out!