7QT: An Extended Respite

I recently turned in my final assignment of the semester and so I get to enjoy a bit of a longer break than normal before my coursework resumes in the summer. Thankful for the opportunity to catch a deep breath, I celebrated in my own little way by replaying some new songs (new to me, at least) that I've grown fond of in the past couple of months. Below is a snapshot of my trip down memory lane.

1. School of Seven Bells

I first heard of School of Seven Bells on the All Songs Considered show following the Paris bombings of last November. I enjoyed their style of atmospheric dream pop but kept them shelved until their latest album, SVIIB, dropped this February. When I heard their opening cut, whose music video was released just a week ago, I was instantly hooked and simultaneously disheartened at the fact that this would be their last release given the loss of instrumentalist Benjamin Curtis to cancer in 2013.

"Ablaze" by School of Seven Bells

7QT: New Year Discoveries

I've heard so much good music in just the past day that I couldn't boil it down to one song for the week. So I'm upgrading to a "7 Quick Takes" this week to showcase the awesome bands and albums that I've come across since the start of the year. A good chuck of this list are 2016 releases, but a few are simply albums from the past year that have flown under my radar.

1. Audrey Assad - Inheritance [12 February 2016]

It is with great joy that I announce today's (Friday's) official release of the fruit of Audrey Assad's hymns project, Inheritance! Since I helped support her through PledgeMusic way back when, I was able to get an advance download of the songs two weeks ago. Because she is covering various hymns for different types of worship the album is not as thematic as her other independent releases, but that does not take any bit away from the beauty of the songs and the reverence with which they were approached.

"Even Unto Death" by Audrey Assad