Dec 28, 2020 By Caleb Campbell Web Exclusive
In an increasingly crowded indie scene, it can often be difficult for a new band to stand out. That is certainly not a problem facing Mamalarky. In fact, the Atlanta newcomers sound like just about nobody else. For the band’s self-titled debut, they have concocted a sound that pulls from indie rock, prog rock, psych pop, jazz, and more. The resulting off kilter combo is consistently idiosyncratic and frequently brilliant.
The fact that the band’s impressive patchwork of influences fits together as well as it does owes a lot to the excellent chemistry between the group. Singer, guitarist, and ex-Cherry Glazerr bassist Livvy Bennett met drummer Dylan Hill and keyboardist Michael Hunter Evan while they were in grade school. Later the band brought in Noor Khan in 2018 after Bennett connected with her while looking for a bassist on Tinder. Even the recording itself was somewhat patchworked, constructed from a mix of home recordin
Top 12 best pop albums of 2020
By Maura Johnston Globe correspondent,Updated December 24, 2020, 10:00 a.m.
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âDARK HEARTSâ Annie
Norwegian DJ and producer Annieâs bubbly synthpop defined a certain strand of 2000s indie-disco, its insouciance only outpaced by its bouncy beats â then she went mostly quiet for the 2010s. Sheâs shrouded in gloom on her first album in 11 years, with poppier tracks like the plush âThe Streets Where I Belongâ and the starlit ballad âMiracle Mileâ serving as the ballast for mini-epics like the glittering âMermaid Dreamsâ and the cavernous title track. Annieâs return was in the works before lockdown, but the brooding vibe of âDark Heartsâ made for ideal post-nightfall listening.