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April Notebook cover art

Hult Center Notebook, April 2022

Did anyone else feel the wind in their hair as April flew by? It’s hard to believe we are in the second week of May. But here we are. At least we have plenty of new music to listen to!


Vicki Infinito – Director of Programming and Booking

Persephone – Allison Russell: Allison is a new discovery for me and her debut album is just so good. The third song Persephone is one of my favorites with some beautiful harmonizing and she sings in French on a couple of the songs. Allison is also a founding member of Our Native Daughters along with Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah and Leyla McCalla and if you haven’t listened to that album you are truly missing out.

The Smoke – The Smile: I LOVE Radiohead. Anything with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood is going to sound similar to Radiohead and this does, but it also sounds like something different which I can’t really explain. Every time I listen to one of the songs they have released, I notice more nuances to the music and more layers of sound than I did the time before. I particularly love the bass line in The Smoke.   I also and really enjoying how they are slowly releasing songs off the album one at a time.

Allison Russell album art
Cold Years album art

Daniel Olbrych – Design and Content Coordinator

Farther Away – Wataru Sato: The Japanese composer continues to impress with beautiful minimalism. Perfect for those rainy Oregon days. Which, if you’ve been keeping track, we’ve had a lot of lately.

Harry Haft – Hans Zimmer: Maybe it was the weather that influenced my listening these past weeks, but here is another solemn piece that I had on repeat. Zimmer delivers a powerful score reminiscent of his award’-winning ‘Gladiator’ soundtrack for the film new ‘The Survivor.’

Goodbye to Misery – Cold Years: As I mentioned last month, I expected this album to rock and it certainly does. The title track is a powerhouse with one catchy chorus. I’ve had it on repeat since its release. And I do want to call out producer Neil Kennedy who has been responsible for some of my favorite music of the past 2 years. I get a real Jerry Finn (rest in peace) vibe when listening to Neil’s productions (Cold Years, Creeper, Salem) and I will now give a listen to anything with his name on it. Are we on the verge of a new UK punk renaissance?  

Emeka Ogu – Box Office Assistant Manager 

Leave You With A Smile – Willie Nelson: Willie is looking at his own mortality with this simple love song that makes slight reference to his cover of the classic gospel song  by Sanford Bennett and Joseph Webster “in the Sweet by and by”. After listening to this song  I was left with a big ole Ron Swanson smile.

In Dreams – Sierra Ferrell: Her voice is haunting and I really dig the song. This up and coming artist sings  this love song with a beautiful June Carter-esque voice. If you get a chance listen to the version from GemsOnVHS™ youtube channel.

Sierra Ferrell album art
Kurt Vile album art

Abbey Aronica – Marketing Coordinator

Chloë and the Next 20th Century – Father John Misty: The overarching feel of “ Chloë and the Next 20th Century” is an old Hollywood, dreamy & comical collection of stories. The opening track “Chloë” hits you with a loungey 50s feel, that carries into “Kiss Me” and “Buddy’s Rendezvous”. All of these stories are dependent on a love story, however, are told with a campy, slinky tone with no strict direction (in true Father John Misty Fashion).

Like Exploding Stones – Kurt Vile: Kurt’s new album “(watch my moves)” is lyrically incredible, super mellow and steadily paints a picture for the listener. I also just love that over the course of 9 albums, Kurt stays true to his style and puts out consistently great, poetic songs. I think a stand-out on this album was the single “Like Exploding Stones”. This song clearly dives into Vile’s own personal anxieties but does so in an oddly uplifting way. It’s a magically meditative song and definitely worth a listen. Also, the fact that we both lived in the same neighborhood in Philly may be a small factor as to why I like him so much (our neighborhood even had an entire mural dedicated to him).

The Kills album art

Rich Hobby – Director of Marketing

Fragments – Bonobo: This 2022 album from Bonobo is a glorious collection of electronic grooves with some lovely dips towards pop with some delightful guest vocalist appearances, my favorite being Jordan Rakei on the track “Shadows”.

No Wow (The Tchad Blake Remix) – The Kills: The Kills always bring the heat and I’ve been a fan of theirs for years, however, this remix of “No Wow” (originally released 2005) fuses their songwriting with an industrial rhythm that just keeps driving to the point where you start to feel like a dam on the edge of bursting.

Microdose – John Craigie: This track is 100% everything I ever want from a John Craigie song. It’s gorgeous and weird and takes you to somewhere interesting. We recently had John perform in the Soreng, and think this song and many on his new album “Mermaid Salt” be a pleasing tonic to any who listen.

Blake Argotsinger – Marketing Manager

Kumoyo Island – Kikagaku Moyo: I’m continuing my psychedelic rock theme this month highlighting Japanese psych rockers Kikagaku Moyo’s new album Kumoyo Island. It’s a bittersweet album as it’s been announced by the band this will be their fifth and final album as they plan an indefinite hiatus as a band. If you get a chance to see one of their spellbinding live performances take it!

 


 

Did you discover something new last April? Let us know!

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Kikagaku Moyo album art