MMM - April in Review
New songs from Lorde, Chartreuse, and so many more <3 <3
Happy Monday everyone,
Closing out the month with a little ATOD (all the other days) recap - giving some time to the songs that might be a little too big for a traditional MMM but my goodness I love them all so much and want nothing more than for them to be heard by more and more people.
I think you’ll find something to love in here, the music speaks for itself. But if you want a little context, I shared a few words about each below.
Sending you all my love and gratitude. Thank you for being here, it really does mean the world.
If you do find something you love here, please let me know!! Any email/message I get about the music in these newsletters is such powerful motivation for me, y’all truly keep me going. And maybe, just maybe, if you feel moved… pass this newsletter along to another pal who loves music?
xoxo,
Max
All The Other Days - My Favorite Releases of the Month
75% of the month, this newsletter is focused on Mondays, but folks, I’m listening to music seven days a week, if you can even believe. Here’s some of the juiciest releases that get me from Tuesday back to Monday. Listen along and catch some of my notes below!
Hudson Freeman - Dean
*Mendel Records Release* Listen… no like please, listen!!! This song is good as hell and deserves 4:43 of your time. Gorgeous guitars open, a massive band to close. Sit back and enjoy.
and if you like it, pre-save Hudson’s next single “Good Faith” out on May 7. pre-save here.
Lorde - What Was That
Thank god. Thank GODDDD. The Jim-E Stack collab is almost too much for me to handle. Vintage Lorde lyricism, intimate, specific, and somehow feels relatable even though literally nothing in this song is relatable to me.
The synths, especially the bass, are perfect. She’s got such an urgency in her performance here - like if she doesn’t say it all right this second she’ll never have the chance to again. It’s powerful and explosive and I’m deeply obsessed. Scared for whatever comes next.
Chartreuse - Sequence Of Voices
True MMM Heads know the magic of Chartreuse already. What a major triumph in their return, their first new single since 2023’s album Morning Ritual.
Everyone in the band sounds amazing here, the perfect tone from every instrument, the perfect balance of voices. The song has so much movement, at times it feels like a train that can’t be stopped. So when the band disappears, even momentarily at 1:35, it has massive impact. The touchstone lyric, there’s that feeling, gets repeated often, woven into so many moments of the song. Each time I hear it I smile. The way he says Feeling with so much feeling (sorry) behind the ‘f’ is wonderful and unforgettable. This one rocks so much, I can’t wait for more from these four.
Red Sea - Now
Huge shoutout to
for last week’s mega taste profile with the band Mamalarky. Singer/Guitarist, Livvy Bennett shouted out the record Sugar & Spice by the band Red Sea. This track was the first that stuck for me, but damn it’s been a fun and refreshing listen. Bold sounds, bold rhythms, even six years old it feels fresh and playful and exciting. Really a fun listen I hope you dig Now and I hope you give the rest of the album a spin too.BEL - Fresh Start
Whew, one hell of a new single from BEL. Swooning for that lead guitar, I was in from second one. BEL floats along with the intro - really love the piano here too. Perfect little touch.
A great opening verse pours out, BEL with a nice give and take with herself. Offering an idea and following it up with the thoughts behind it. As it slides into the next scene the chords are otherworldly and thrilling. The piano bounces along as BEL gets ready for this fresh start, the intro reappearing and now familiar, it feels even more fun. A guitar-decorated verse, another chorus, the song feels so welcoming and yet stilly incredibly dynamic.
Past 2:15 the bridge starts rolling, building and building but pulling back from the edge into a filtered section, a bustling cafe, and a trombone playing that lead line underneath. An exciting surprise that carries us right to the last chorus. What a delight.
Blue Mena - Gums
Wow. This track, off Blue Mena’s new ep of the same name, is a gem. A big soaring guitar rides in, a buzzy note beckons the bending slide guitar melody. The verse is slow and steady, Blue Mena sitting among these guitars fitting right in as they bend the ends of phrases. Things thin out a little as we roll towards the minute mark, really captivating delivery and rhythm in the vocals here.
A quick pause lets the return hit hard, the song continuing this A/B pattern again, each moment so beautiful. The harmonies really catching my ear this time around. It’s a stellar song, one that just makes me breathe deep. So full, so warm.
At 2:25 it moves further away, this slow, outer space radar, floating through the stars feeling that really calms me. Spectacular outro.
SAILORR - SINCERITY
MMM has been riding for SAILORR since she was featured back in spring of 2021. So to see the whole world come around and freak out about it too? It’s beautiful. SINCERITY is the latest single off next month’s album. The rigid groove is magnetic and entrancing. The tight band showcases SAILORR’s floating delivery even more. Her smooth voice really shines, vibrato for days, sneaking in runs and notes in every crevasse.
Her writing slides from sexy to piercing, able to flex these muscles wherever and whenever she wants. A timeless production, it’s so fun to hear her bounce between rapping and singing with such ease. The visuals are all INSANE. please go check them out on her IG.
caroline & Caroline Polachek - Tell me I never knew that
Magical little number here. The guitars feel lifted from medieval times, Polachek’s voice an obvious fit to amplify that feeling. It’s meditative, it’s mesmerizing. Every voice present works perfectly.
As we cross the 90-second mark the evolution continues, the drums playing two doors down push things forward as Polachek finds brilliance in her background vocals. The song delivering bigger and bigger moments as we go.
Horns begin to appear and echo beyond 3mins and it rocks. So weird and so cool. We hear more Polachek, talking and singing and the Always has been section gets rolling. It feels like a fever dream, words slightly shifting, voices slightly twisting. I love it.
Hollis Howard - Proxy
COME SEE HOLLIS PLAY THIS LIVE ON MAY 8TH!!! Tickets below.
Anyways, this one is a stunning song. It starts off easy, a flurry of guitars building a base, Howard’s voice sounding cool as hell above them all. The drums get rolling, and as the horns join too, Howard pushing things a little bit deeper. The emotions let loose as she holds onto notes.
Am I boring you to death / when i cry wolf / and it’s a rat is a perfect start to verse two, the rat sputtering around through the percussion. The slight record scratch is a surprising sound, and so effective.
A tease of a saxophone solo pulls me in, only to awe me with a sampled break down - dial-up sound effects and a nasty little drum break. The guitars come back and tie it all together, Howard sounding fantastic throughout. Love it.
Miriam Elhajli - r(evolving) door avenida méxico
I love everything Elhajli puts out. Songs filled with the world around them - the dog barking, the weight of the air, life being lived just a few feet away. They make for fantastic foundations for these songs. Elhajli is always fantastic on guitar, and her melodies really floor me here. Truly timeless folk songs delivered in this ‘demo’ form feel honest and generous. The r(evolving) door feels like an evergreen metaphor, and also makes me nostalgic, and also gives a contemporary pull on these classic folk sounds.
chrysalis - dog songs
I’m gonna do a full review on this one for the paid subscribers this month. But just wanna say - the album rocks. do you? is still a front runner for SOTY, but other major moments here like illusions and angel sent show off chrysalis’ songwriting and the band’s brilliance. Excited to dive in more soon. Give it a spin!!
May’s Most Anticipated Releases
May 2 - Blondshell - If You Asked For a Picture, Model/Actriz - Pirouette
May 9 - PinkPanthress - Fancy That, Little Simz - Lotus, Kali Uchis - Sincerely, SAILORR - FROM FLORIDA’S FINEST
May 16 - Ken Pomeroy - Cruel Joke, Ezra Furman - Goodbye Small Head, MØ - Plaegirl, Rico Nasty - LETHAL
May 21 - Lana Del Rey - The Right Person Will Stay
May 30 - Hudson Freeman - is a Folk Artist, Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful, caroline - caroline 2
Upcoming Shows in Los Angeles
I love live music!!! Some of the LA shows on my radar. See you there??
May 1 - Jett Kwong at Scribble tix here
May 8 - MENDEL PRESENTS Hollis Howard, mer marcum, Farrah Hanna at Permanent Records Roadhouse (Early Show). tix here
May 9 - Barrie at Moroccan Lounge. ajsjsj tix here
May 9 - duendita & St. Panther at 2220 Arts & Archives. St. Panther will always make the list. This time in support of duendita’s album release. tix here
May 18 - jaythehomie & more at Genghis Cohen. tix here
May 20 - Kacy Hill at Zebulon. tix here
May 30 - Harrington Jaffe Shiroishi Trio at 2220. tix here
I’ll also be in NY at the end of the month for:
Two by Two at Cassette on May 20th - tix here
Something else I’ll tell you about soon.
Would love to see you all there!!
Catch you next week/month!!
Max