Mount Eerie, “Sauna”
With a slow breath in and a heavy breath out, Phil Elverum eases into his latest album under the name Mount Eerie. In the three years since his last album, Elverum has been holed up in a cabin in Norway, which is why “Sauna” feels so isolated. And being inside the head of a man who’s alone with his thoughts can get rather droning. With oppressive numbers that demand you sit quietly and pay attention, “Sauna” isn’t a lullaby for the lonely, but it is good company. — Ashley Dean
Bob Dylan, “Shadows in the Night”
There’s a certain irony to a Bob Dylan album of Frank Sinatra covers. Much of Sinatra’s appeal is his remarkable tenor, so distinctly silky-smooth that fans simply called him “The Voice.” Dylan’s croon, meanwhile, is usually compared to that of an amphibian, a necessary evil to hearing his masterful lyrics. While “Shadows In The Night” would seem the worst of both worlds, it manages to shine a unique (if dim) light on Sinatra. Just don’t expect any surprises in these takes on Sinatra B-Sides. — Dylan Owens
