Sunshine

"There’s the simple fact that the band members were old enough and experienced enough by now to be virtuosos on their instruments (what other group—rock or jazz or any other kind of music—could boast a trio of spectacularly singular talents such as Garcia, Lesh, and Weir?) but were still young enough to want to play and play and play some more, the happy, itchy inclination of youth. As a few of the shows in the Here Comes Sunshine boxed set attest, it wasn’t unusual for a 1973 concert to exceed four hours. And within the shows themselves, there are nearly nightly examples of hour-long orgies of tune-linked songcraft and juicy jamming.

After the darkness and uncertainty of the Lady Wood and BLUE LIPS years – which included vocal cord surgery and romantic turmoil – Tove Lo brings her music into the light with Sunshine Kitty. As with her other releases, its title is significant. Not only does Sunshine Kitty signify Lo's move to Los Angeles, it reflects a more lighthearted take on the pussy power she defined on her earlier work. As far back as "Habits (Stay High)," there's been a mischievous, even cute side to Lo's uncensored brand of pop, and it's a refreshing change of pace to hear her lean into it on Sunshine Kitty. She's rarely sounded happier than she does on "Glad He's Gone," where she bids adieu to a friend's unworthy ex-boyfriend with a lilting earworm of a chorus and a NSFW checklist of the things women do – and don't do – to stay in a relationship.

“Sunshine of Mine” is the latest album from Billboard chart-topping artist and multi-platinum producer Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul. An eclectic concoction of eight original compositions plus two carefully crafted covers it opens with the easy grooving title cut that takes its name from the love U-Nam has for his six year old son Myles who, quite literally, is the sunshine of his life. Indeed, the sumptuous “Little Dreamer” again underscores the bond a father has with his son. From mellow beginnings that gradually evolve into a pulsating beat, U-Nam calls on the combined artistry of Kim Hansen on keys and Michael White on drums yet still stays at the epicentre of the entire piece.

The cliché that circulated after the 2016 election foretold a new artistic golden age: Artists would transform their anger and anxiety into era-defining works of dissent in the face of authoritarianism. Yet Bob Mould calls his new album Sunshine Rock.

All tracks featured Mick Weaver as Wynder K. Frog, playing a Hammond B3 organ and were recorded in London playing over backing tapes by unnamed session musicians from New York…