In this week's column, I feature a trio of outstanding under-the-radar titles that have landed in early 2022.
Title: Chelsea Walls (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Jeff Tweedy, Jim O'Rourke, Wilco, Neil Young
Tell me more: Fans of Jeff Tweedy, Wilco and indie music will want to get the reissued and expanded soundtrack for director Ethan Hawke's 2001 film "Chelsea Walls" available now via audio CD, digital and 2-LP vinyl. The music blends edgy electronic moodscapes with a rootsy Americana vibe that challenges and rewards the listener across 14 tracks. Tweedy and Glenn Kotche improvise the eight instrumental selections, with contributions by the likes of Wilco ("Promising"), Billy Bragg & Wilco ("When the Roses Bloom Again"), jazz legend Jimmy Scott (a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy") and Robert Sean Leonard ("Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling") adding depth to the soundtrack. A 16-page booklet features new photos, along with new and original liner notes from Hawke, a remembrance from Kotche, as well as an interview between Tweedy and Grammy-winning set producer Cheryl Pawelski. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.
Title: Sidelines (Nettwerk Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Kathleen Edwards, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Fleetwood Mac
Tell me more: Beautiful and introspective, Wild Rivers' sophomore album Sidelines allows the Canadian trio to explore the coming-of-age truths that come in the years immediately after college. Khalid Yassein (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Devan Glover (vocals) and Andrew Oliver (lead guitar, synths) have teamed up with producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon van Etten) to create a disc that is as sonically lush as it is lyrically rich. Armed with a mix of rock, pop, indie, Americana and folk stylings, the trio's palette couldn't be stronger. The harmonies-drenched "More or Less," pop-mining "Bedrock," R&B ballad "Long Time" (showcasing Glover's winning soprano vocals), tuneful "Stubborn Heart," sparse "Untouchable," scintillating "Weatherman" and soaring "Safe Flight" are among the strong originals on Sidelines. Information: WildRiversMusic.com.
Title: The World I Remember (Deep Elm Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Sigur Rós, Autumn Leaf, Explosions In The Sky
Tell me more: The compositions across the new Lights & Motion album The World I Remember are truly expansive and cinematic, showcasing the artistry of Swedish-born composer/multi-instrumentalist Christoffer Franzer. "From Dust" starts out gently, the ethereal guitar textures eventually building as drums, piano, synthesizers and more instrumentation cascade toward a powerful finish. The aptly-titled "Touching Sky" is just as sonically vivid, but more nuanced in its triumphant finale. The dreamy title track is bolstered by some especially atmospheric guitar work. The lovely "Wilderness" is embellished by ethereal vocals that blend with the stirring musical current. "Year Zero" is a haunting track in both its quiet and explosive moments; the Neo-classical "Sleeping Giant" starts with evocative guitar textures before a massive musical wave sweeps the listener away. Information: lightsandmotion.com.
Robert Kinsler
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