Phoenix Album Reviews Week of 10/30

As Loyola’s independent, student-led radio station, WLUW 88.7 takes pride in showcasing independent music from Chicago and beyond. Below are three new releases from some of WLUW’s favorite indie sensations.

Boyscott – “Spellbound”

Indie rock band Boyscott released their sophomore album “Spellbound” Oct. 16. The record is a dreamy surf rock masterpiece, harkening back to their debut album “Goose Bumps.” 

After the 2015 release of “Goose Bumps,” frontman Scott Hermo Jr. toured worldwide to garner inspiration for the band’s next project. The result is an album packed with heartfelt lyricism regarding the band’s personal experiences and reflections.

The album’s fifth track, “Lima” expands on a song by Tiny Canoe, fronted by Hermo’s high school biology teacher’s partner.

“I saw my high school biology teacher’s partner’s band Tiny Canoe perform Lima in 2011 – I used to listen to it on MySpace everyday & it has been stuck in my head since,” Boyscott wrote in an Instagram post.

“Don’t wanna get trapped in Queens / I don’t wanna move up to Marble Hill / I wonder if someplace else / Beats doing this with so many pills,” he sings.

“Spellbound” is a fluid continuation of what Boyscott began on “Goose Bumps.” Evolving their signature surf rock sound, “Spellbound” is proof of a matured sonic persona over ten years in the making.

Orla Gartland – “Everybody Needs A Hero”

Orla Gartland released her sophomore album “Everybody Needs A Hero” Oct. 4, almost three years after the release of her debut album “Woman On The Internet.” 

The project centers around Gartland’s feelings as a 29-year-old woman. Blaring electric guitar pair with striking drums to create a melodic acknowledgment of Gartland’s young adult experience – spanning failed relationships, doubt, self-realization and conviction.

“I thought I knew it all, I had the nerve / To feel so high above the learning curve,” Gartland sings on “Both Can Be True,” the album’s opening track.

“Everybody Needs A Hero” is familiarly introspective without being cliché or pretentious. Gartland offers her perspective on life and love, her words akin to an older sibling offering the wisdom of age.

“It’s like a long flight, but with good food / It’s the right song for the right mood,” Gartland sings on “Simple.”

Lost Mary – “Arcadia”

Lost Mary is the songwriting project of Luke Martin and David Johnson III. Together, the two singer-songwriters blend poetic lyricism and timeless folk melodies to produce a masterful soundscape. The pair first met in Hillsdale, MI, and bonded over their shared love for sonic storytelling which drove them to collaborate. 

The duo’s sound is heavily inspired by folk icons Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Gregory Alan Isakov, Jason Isbell and more. These influences, as well as the band’s incorporation of classic Americana acoustic guitar and raspy melodies, shine through on their new EP “Arcadia,” released Oct. 11.

“All the dogwood flowers are burning in the morning / Right before your eyes / The dew licks all the cuts on your face as you run through thistle and rye / And who could have fooled a kiss / When you’re lovin’ like this,” Martin and Johnson sing on “Dogwood Flowers.”

Since the band’s inception, the two have worked with music industry titans Lana Del Rey, Dolly Parton, Randy Newman, Hozier, Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlile. Lost Mary is the sound of back porch sitting, late nights on the road and cherished moments between friends.