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Recommended Listening: Three New Releases to Get Your Ears On
A lot of good music has come out lately and I’m hard pressed to find the time to give it all the top billing it deserves. That said, it’d be a shame to go without mentioning some albums that I’ve had on repeat lately, so below are three releases that I’d like to recommend:Belleisle - Longstanding With Longstanding Montreal’s Belleisle have created the musical epitome of serene. In fact, the album is so smooth that it crept below my radar for the first few listens, save for imparting an overall feeling of calm. There’s just something so enviably soothing about songs like album opener “Guitar (I Love You)” that leaves a peaceful afterglow every time.That’s not to say that the entire effort is an acoustic lullaby, as there are definitely some more driven numbers (“Flowers and Coffee” for instance). In fact, a lot of Longstanding boasts an almost Crazy Horse grit that would take on a new life completely with some more affected vocals. Far from a flaw, that’s simply a testament to the versatility of the addictive melodies and excellent musicianship on display. As it stands the delivery is so warm, laid-back and inviting that it’s hard not to feel relaxed with each listen (see “Better Than Reality” for a great example of a catchy song that gets in your head and leaves tranquility in its wake).Light some candles, run a bath—do whatever it is you do to unwind—and let the seductive melodies and halcyon vocals massage your mental ailments.