It’s been a minute since the last Current Obsessions. Let’s first get caught up on some very fine albums that I’ve had on repeat. The next post will offer up some hot singles.
Beyond the Black Break the Silence This melodic metal album is eminently enjoyable from start to finish. It’s just what I want an album to be: no skips, no filler, and leaving me wanting more at the end. My highlights are the back-to-back tracks of the anthemic Let It Rain and the quiet, lilting Ravens (the band’s spirit animal).
Sault Chapter 1 There is no one in music more enigmatic than this British collective, which has released 13 albums in less than seven years, and named the 13th Chapter 1. While each project has its own identity, the golden thread through each is Sault’s relentless optimism and unmistakable roots in black music. Chapter 1 is more rhythmically laid back but even more enchanting than their prior releases.
Elle Eyre everything, in time Record label conflicts, and severe vocal issues derailed a rising career after her 2015 debut album. everything, in time is a delightful comeback, with soul-shouting bangers like ain’t no love that blind and space.
Oliva Dean The Art of Loving With a Best New Artist Grammy and four major BRIT Awards, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, Olivia is the new “it” girl in pop music, and deservedly so, with this album of classic, old school-minded pop/soul.
U2 Days of Ash Not counting the time that a new U2 album clandestinely showed up on everybody’s iPhones, never has a U2 release arrived with so little fanfare. It’s a politically themed project that focuses on real-world events, such as violence in the U.S., protests in Iran, and the war in Ukraine. That there wasn’t advance notice of its release makes it that much more compelling.
Ray's Musings 
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