This week I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Lake Street Dive. My thanks for Benjy Adams for the suggestion, a man who really knows my taste and knows good music.

I’ve just realised that the acronym for the band would be LSD. I imagine that’s done on purpose – in the same way that Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is most definitely not. This LSD are a force to be reckoned with, including six albums and a number of EPs, there was an immediate groove that I got along with.

On songs like Hypotheticals, Rich Girl and Better Than, it feels, in the best way possible, like you know the songs. There’s a pop sensibility and the groove of a tight band together at once. There are elements of Alabama Shakes, The Dip and Bahamas in there.

This is definitely a band I won’t be forgetting about any time soon.

This week, it was a fabulous return with All Our Exes Live In Texas, a sentiment I wish I could relate to but a band I definitely can.

Now, to date, AOELIT (as maybe people are calling them) have only released one album, the brilliant When We Fall. There’s a folk sensibility there that a lazier man would compare to First Aid Kit, The Maes or The Audreys, so I won’t bother.

It’s the kind of cool, calm and collected tone that would sound incredible as part of a film soundtrack where the final girl is driving away from the horror of their 90-minute experience with the explosive remnants of a haunted cabin visible in the rear view mirror. It’s the sound of revenge, comeuppance and maybe even some cowgirl antics.

In case you couldn’t tell, I really liked it. As a result, I’ve scoured the World Wide Web for more but come up with nothing. Their website still boasts the details of their sole album from 2017.

AOELIT, I hope you are well and that you’re working on something new for us.

This week, I have been listening to Julia Stone, another female artist I was unaware of until she was brought to my attention as part of this project.

This is the first time this year where I’ve really not taken to an artist. There’s something about it that was a little too twee, even for me, and I really couldn’t get into it. Maybe when my head was in a different place or if the circumstances were changed, it might have been more for me.
I’m sorry. First time I’ve felt this during the year/project.

This week, I have been fortunate enough to listen to nothing but Fiona Apple. I did a lot of this during a 30 hour train ride from New York to New Orleans and immediately fell in love with her music.

I always had a theory that I would become obsessed with Fiona Apple as soon as I took the time to listen to her but something in me avoided that commitment which is odd. I can only put it down to a girl I knew who was a big fan and it felt like her thing and then it was too late and would have felt like an odd move to get into.

Fiona Apple has released five studio albums to date, across a career that means fans eagerly await her next output. There are elements of other singer songwriters of the era in which she emerged. Of particular note are Alanis Morissette and Regina Spektor tones to her music which may well have been the result of a “scene” emerging rather than inspiration being taken by one of the artists by the others.

Songs like Criminal, Under The Table and Paper Bag show the true depth of her range. Definitely one I rated and will continue to play on loop from now on.

This week, I have mostly been listening to Nubya Garcia, the wonderful composer and saxophonist from London.

Not only had I not heard of Nubya, but listening to her music immediately made me assume her music was from the 1950s jazz scene and had been mislabelled on Spotify. In fact, she’s a musical prodigy who is younger than me and absolutely rocks the jazz flute and any number of other instruments.

To date, she has released one album and two EPs which are all exceptional, and bring together modern recording with a Coltrane sound. Overall, most excellent.

My Spotify playlist of artists for 2022 will be built up here.

This week, I have been listening to another of Becca’s recommendations – Lil Simz.

Lil Simz is a British rapper from north London who now has my heart forever. What an amazing artist who has collaborated with many exciting artists as well as turning her hand to acting. I love to see talented people doing amazing things and she’s my latest discovery.

I say this of course very much aware that she’s been on the scene for over a decade and has a slew of awards under her belt. It’s the album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert that really got her worldwide attention but there are three others before it that I listened to and enjoyed as well.

The next time she tours in the UK, I’ll be looking for someone to accompany me.

This week, I have been doing it for the kill by listening to nothing but La Roux. What I discovered was that since 2009, she has continued to make music.

La Roux is the combined name for singer Elly Jackson and producer, Ben Langmaid. For a long time, I thought Elly’s performing name was La Roux so this was a lesson. To confuse myself further, Langmaid left the duo after facing issues with writer and engineer Ian Sherwin during the recording of their 2014 album, Trouble In Paradise.

All that aside, there was a strange sense of nostalgia to return to songs like I’m Not Your Toy, In For The Kill and Bulletproof for the first time in over a decade. It gave me a squirmy flashback to a Halloween weekend where we listened to nothing but that album and Miike Snow and imbibed so much speed that I broke my brain. Times have changed but those songs stay as strong as they were in my foundling years.

Fun fact: Elly Jackson is the daughter of legend, Trudie Goodwin (known by me as Sergeant June Ackland on The Bill). This might be more exciting than Matt Healy being the child of Denise Welch.

What about the music though, Paul? Theres a lot to be said for the funky disco pop that La Roux generates and for someone as sanguine as myself, it’s a welcome break from my bleak taste in troubling troubadours. Give La Roux a listen and forget about your troubles.

This week, I have mostly been listening to Solange, and let me tell you – it’s been an absolute treat. From Solo Star through to When I Get Home, there is a lot to be said about this absolute star.

I knew of Solange, but couldn’t have placed any of her songs before this week. That’s probably what the Music Jar experiment is all about. I cannot begin to imagine how many different artists there are that I am mildly aware of who have more talent than it should be safe for a human being to hold.

While I did listen to each album in turn, there’s a lot to be said from looking at what the popular opinion is on an artist. With Solange, the top songs speak volumes about her and the music. Almeda opens with a vocal sample that reminds me of Bon Iver but then delves into a funky beat and trippy range of keys. It’s worth saying it’s more experimental than the efforts of her sibling, who some of you may be aware of. Cranes In The Sky feels experimental too but any instrumentation could work with the beautiful range of that voice. Solange is an absolute work of art and I am here for it.

A Spotify playlist of a song from each artist featured can be found here.

This week, I have mostly been listening to British singer-songwriter Joy Crookes. My thanks to Rebecca for the recommendation.

Crookes released her debut album, Skin, in October 2021. That’s what I’ve been digging. Songs like Trouble and 19th Floor are truly something. There’s a wonderful smoky tone to her voice and a heartfelt longing to lyrics about family and love.

Definitely one for me to watch out for. Footage of her live performances have got me wondering why I’ve not been.

This week, it has been my pleasure to listen to Jessie Reyez, the Canadian singer-songwriter you all know and love.

As with recent weeks, I wasn’t familiar with Jessie, in the same way I hadn’t heard Jamila or Soko. This is all an education for me. The first thing that drew me in was a song called FRAUD (she capitalises a lot of her titles a la Kendrick). I was hoping to pick up some work-based tips but it wasn’t that kind of song. FRAUD was only released last month so I’m feeling unusually current with this one.

Reyez has a flow to her lyrics, mixed with the fantastic melodies of her choruses, bringing to mind the league of other powerful female rappers and artists taking charge and doing their thing. Songs like FIGURES and IMPORTED demand to be paid attention to and it’s truly something to witness her stripped back version of the former (live at the JUNOs).

Jessie Reyez is a great talent and someone I would love to loop into rotation.