holaOLA's 60 Favorite Albums of 2015: Page 5 (20-11)

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20. Tobias Jesso, Jr. – Goon

19. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly

18. Pond – Man It Feels Like Space Again

17. Lower Dens – Escape from Evil

16. Moses Gunn Collective – Mercy Mountain

15. Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color

14. Kurt Vile – b'lieve i'm goin down...

13. Marika Hackman – We Slept at Last

12. Panda Bear – Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper

11. Deerhunter – Fading Frontier

CLICK HERE TO SEE AND LISTEN TO THE TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2015

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holaOLA's Top 50 Albums of 2013: Page 5 (10-1)

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Just Rolled In: The War on Drugs - "Red Eyes" [indie rock / americana]

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With autumn coming to an end, the cold creeping in, and my supposedly youthful joints tensing up more and more each day, there's nothing better than to hear a song that gets your blood pumping and makes spring seem within reach, a long  reach, that is. The War on Drugs, which is the Philadelphia band started by Kurt Vile and friend Adam Granduciel back in 2005, will be releasing their third album entitled Lost in the Dream March 18 via Secretly Canadian and they have graciously shared the first single with us, "Red Eyes".

Although Vile abandoned The War on Drugs in 2008 to go solo, The War on Drugs didn't necesarilly abandon him. Adam Granduciel continued fronting TWOD but joined him as a guitarist (until 2011) in The Violators, Kurt Vile's on-and-off backing band. When you listen to "Red Eyes", it's hard to ignore the similarity in their music styles. While the energetic, yet ambient single shares the hazy vocal effects, strummy acoustic guitars, and cosmic guitar solos characteristic of Vile's work, it stands on its own thanks to its bright synth lead, bellowing woodwinds, piano key punching, and its overall raw rock-n-roll spirit reminiscent of "The Boss".

Enjoy TWOD's "Red Eyes" below followed by a personal favorite from their excellent 2011 album, Slave Ambient.

Just Rolled In: Zachary Cale - "Wayward Son" and "Hold Fast" [folk / acoustic blues]

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Brooklyn-via-Louisiana bluesy folk musician Zachary Cale has just released two new singles from his upcoming fourth record Blue Rider entitled "Wayward Son" and "Hold Fast". Ditching the backing band present on his previous record Noise of Welcome, Cale sharpens the focus on his visual lyricism and intricate finger-style acoustic guitar playing, making it clear as to why his songwriting has been compared to that of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Elliott Smith. Cale's serene acoustic ballads coupled with his reverbed, mellow vocal delivery also bears a striking resemblance to Kurt Vile's more laid back songs.

Listen to Zachary Cale's two new songs below plus a great song from last year's Love Everlasting 7". Visit his Bandcamp page to download these two songs for free and to explore more of his extensive back catalogue until Blue Rider's release on September 24.

Swell Album: Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze [psychedelic / indie rock / indie folk]

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The psychedelic indie folk rocker Kurt Vile returns after his (also highly recommended) 2011 album Smoke Ring for My Halo with his fifth solo record, a double LP, Wakin on a Pretty Daze. Clocking in at 69 minutes, the 33-year-old Philadelphia family man offers us his brightest and most enjoyable record to date comprised of 11 extensive and contemplative songs that expand and often fold in on themselves.

Vile's previously drowned-out but always drawled voice has drifted up to the surface, front and center, to lead his hazy, multi-layered guitar work that will sometimes recall Real Estate or Woods but more often the music as a whole will remind you of his classic rock influence Neil Young and the band The War on Drugs, for which he played lead guitar from 2005-2008. Wakin on a Pretty Daze has a very laid back and wondrous feel to it; ideal for any occasion in which you want to relax, lose yourself, or just breathe easy.

This timeless album dropped today via Matador Records and you can purchase your copy here. Below you can stream the entire album via NPR. Just in case that link doesn't work for you, I've also added a couple videos for you to hear Wakin's first two singles, "Wakin on a Pretty Day" and "Never Run Away".