Let’s discuss any and all music here. Got a new artist who’s rocking your boat that you want to talk about? Post a video! Found out about that unearthed Coltrane album that has the jazz freak in you losing your mind? Lay it out for us! Have a theory about what your favorite band might do for their next album? Let’s hear it! Anything and everything music-related goes here.

This week’s discussion prompt was suggested by The Avocado’s very own fireindaarcade:

We’re just about halfway through 2021. What are your favorite songs or albums of the year so far?

Did you know that Matthew Sweet released a new album this year? I didn’t know that Matthew Sweet released a new album this year, and I’m a huge Matthew Sweet fan. Catspaw came out in January of this year, and it rules! The rich, full sound (reminiscent of Sweet’s classic nineties albums) belies the fact that in addition to writing, producing, recording, and mixing the entire album, Sweet played all the instruments himself (except for the ferocious drums, which are provided by Ric Menck of Velvet Crush). Handling all the lead guitar duties himself for the first time, Sweet apparently embarked on making this album with the goal of having a guitar solo on every song, and indeed all twelve songs on the 40-minute album do feature at least one solo (and not the “look at how many frets I can fret” kind, but the soulful kind that complement and enhance the songs as a whole). Highly recommended for fans of Sweet or power pop in general.

As always, any and all music-related topics are welcome. Have fun, and rock out with yr guac out!