Priests are a post-punk outfit from Washington D.C. Our nation’s capitol has a rich history of producing bands which fight the system with attitude and ferocity, (see Fugazi), and Priests keeps the tradition alive. Their new record “Nothing Feels Natural” will keep your head spinning.
Fronting Priests is Katie Alice Greer, a badass singer who reminds me of Kathleen Hanna with Iggy Pop’s snarl. She sits on top of the unruly mix–underneath her is a tornado of angular guitar, honkey-tonk keys, drums, and pure energy. The record jumps all over the place, sounding sometimes like the B-52s, sometimes Minor Threat. I need punk music to keep myself sane during these crazy times. You might feel the same. Give Priests a spin.
Bonobo has always been a heavy-hitter for atmospheric, groove-oriented electronic music. His new record “Migration” takes a page from Tycho’s book; it’s warm, spacious, patient, and gorgeous. Bonobo’s the king of vocal samples, and displays them proudly on “Migration.” Every sample is just hooky enough to be interesting without feeling like bland H&M pop music. If you know Bonobo, you’re probably already a fan of “Migration.” If not, start with the track “Outlier,” for a bellweather of the record. I can’t imagine anyone finding “Migration” offensive, it bumps for the hip-hop heads, grooves for the dancers, and vibes for the ambient fans. Check it out.
Finally, we’re spinning Run the Jewels 3 hot & heavy. After Killer MIke’s endorsement for the Sanders campaign (and the events that took place afterward) we all expected a new Run the Jewels around the corner. Just as before, Run the Jewels step up to their role as figureheads for minorities, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed across the nation. “Run the Jewels 3” runs with the same crowd as previous installments (a.k.a. IT RIDES). Whether you’re listening for lyrics or fat beats, “Run the Jewels 3” will overwhelm you. If you haven’t heard it yet, you’re missing out.
Looking for a place to hear all three records? Look no further my friend. Radio 1190: 24/7, 98.9 FM in Boulder, 1190 AM in Denver.