Behold, some words another recent favorite from the most pleasant-smelling record store staff in the southern Wisconsin region!
Little Legend, No Way To Tell EP (Available via Bandcamp)
(So, full disclosure, Little Legend played our Record Store Day party this past April. This is on account of they are fun.) Little Legend might be the only band in Madison that really overtly tries to do that Springsteen-type thing—earnest songs about blue-collar folks with big existential yearnings, and so forth. That’s fine, because it’s hard to imagine anyone doing it with this band’s convincing heart, sly humor, and punchy dynamics. In contrast to the polish of Little Legend’s first, self-titled EP, the new No Way To Tell lets the sound breathe more, capturing the warmth and volatility of the band’s live sound. Lead singer Brandy Tudor writes about people mourning lost glory and purpose on “Heavyweight,” a man getting locked up and laughing it off in “Bailout.” But these aren’t hacky tough-guy archetypes. They’re people with real guilt and real sins, and, on a song like “For Heaven’s Sake,” that only makes them more sympathetic. It’s a spirited and charming release.
And now, new releases for July 16!
David Lynch, “The Big Dream”
Dave Davies, “Will Be Me” (LP)
Doc Watson, “The Definitive Doc Watson”
Ezra Furman, “The Year Of No Returning”
Ronald Isley “This Song Is For You”
Pet Shop Boys “Electric”
Sara Bareilles “Blessed Unrest”
Mayer Hawthorne “Where Does This Door Go”
Bassholes “Boogieman Stew”