2025/12/28 Albums of the Week (Issue #8)

Albums of the Week (Issue #8)

December 28th, 2025 -  January 3rd, 2026

1)  Ewa Demarczyk - Ewa Demarczyk śpiewa piosenki Zygmunta Koniecznego

    Poezja śpiewana - 1967

    Given the name of, "the Dark Angel" in her home country, Demarczyk's album remains a uniquely sounding and outlandish achievement in sung poetry. With unusual time signatures and a dangerous amount of charisma on display, this record established Demarczyk as a musical legend in Poland.

2) Japan - Tin Drum

    Art Pop - 1981

    Adjacent to the musical styles of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Japan takes orientalist sounds and blends them into the New Wave pop genre that was flourishing at the time. Surreal and playful, Japan's 1981 album is one of the finest records from the era of New Wave and one of which many bands have failed to imitate its style.

3) Pizzicato Five - Bossa Nova 2001

    Shibuya-kei - 1993

    At the height of the Shibuya-kei movement, Pizzicato Five came back to the genre's influences of 60s pop and jazz to create an effortlessly smooth, feel-good imitation of Western pop music. Building off of nostalgia, Pizzicato Five's album is a poster child of Shibuya-kei's massive cult following in the US and Europe.

4) Fishmans - 98.12.28 男達の別れ (98.12.28 Otokachi No Wakare)

    Dream Pop - 1999

    The final concert that the Fishmans performed before the sudden death of their lead singer is one marked by excellent musical talent and amazingly groovy renditions of all their studio albums. With an Internet fanbase that has expanded to international levels of popularity, Fishmans made an unexpected farewell album that recorded one of the greatest final performances of all time. And no discussion of this album can be complete without mentioning the colossal, 42-minute live rendition of, "LONG SEASON," which has sometimes been considered as the greatest song of all time.

5) Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

    Alt-Country - 2006

    Classified as, "country-noir" by Case herself, this album mixes different genre influences from rock to gospel to create an album pretty accessible for those who don't enjoy country music. There is a richness in Case's storytelling skills that conveys so many emotions without having to show so much.

Leave comments on any of these albums you’ve listened to or any album recommendations for others wanting to dive more into the artists this week. Until then, keep exploring good music!