On this week’s Monday Morning Tape…

…traditional North Carolinian country-folk, ambient British folk x2, more weirdness from Wisconsin’s favorite sad bastard, folk with a symphony behind it, and some indie pop from New York City.

Happy Monday and a Happy Labor Day to you.

—

BJ Barham – Madeline / Unfortunate Kind

American Aquarium frontman and singer-songwriter BJ Barham recently released his debut solo record, Rockingham. Two of the album’s eight songs are below.

“Madeline” is great if for no other reason than it contains the following three lines:

1. on having a daughter…
“the day they put you in my arms and my eyes got lost in yours,
i learned that we are taught (not born with) evil”

2. on hubris…
“pride is as dangerous as it is essential”

3. on his daughter’s future courtship…
“never trust a man who does hard drugs in his thirties”

That’s a whole lot of real world wisdom crammed into a four-minute folk song.

“Unfortunate Kind” is a bittersweet solo acoustic song about love and loss.  Spoiler alert: it’s a gut-punch.

Rockingham is out now.

—

Gallery 47 – Rising Star

Ambient, hummable British folk — good for lazy late summer mornings.

—

Bon Iver – 33 “God”

Another weird one from 22, A Million, due out September 30th.

Said one prescient YouTuber: “this is some 3016 shit”.

—

Billy Lockett – Wide Eyed

Ambient British folk, take two. If you prefer the “heartbroken-and-locked-in-a-cabin” Bon Iver to the electro-experimental one, then this fella might be of interest to you.

—

Gregory Alan Isakov w/ the Colorado Symphony – The Stable Song

One of the best US singer-songwriters backed by one of its best symphonies — that’s probably going to work out well, every time.

The album that Mr. Isakov released earlier this year with the Colorado Symphony still sounds peaceful and tranquil and just about perfect, even after about 94 listens front-to-back.

—

MisterWives – Same Drugs (Chance the Rapper cover)

A jaunty piano opening, some horns throughout, and some impressive singing in this one.

And sure, it also just happens to be a rap cover about doing drugs.

—

Until next week, cheers.