Jimmy Eat World perhaps saw the biggest return to form of any artist this year. After three albums passed and faced mixed reception from fans and critics alike, Jim Adkins took a step back and dove into more personal lyricism, with the band following suit. There is a lot more emotion in everything this time around without feeling like they are trying too hard, and Jim replaces the “you”s that he has been singing about since Bleed American and replaces them with “I”s. While the album dives into some territory the band have previously delved into – such as the incredible post-rock bridge of “Sure and Certain” and the swaying acoustic ballad of “The End is Beautiful” – there is something new to be found, such as the progressive rock conclusion of “Pass the Baby”. If there are any doubts about the band’s ability to write strong material, the final two tracks could go down as some of their best. Integrity Blues sees the return of Jimmy Eat World to their absolute potential, showing that maybe the best has yet to come. –Hogan
Here’s a quick look ahead at a handful of Q1 Alt/Indie tracks that have caught my ear in advance of their respective album’s release. If this is any indication, 2017 is going to be a vibrant year for electronically-influenced indie-pop and indie-rock, with the likes of The Flaming Lips, The xx, Dirty Projectors, and Temples shaping up this sheerly-for-shits-and-giggles compilation. I randomized the playlist’s order though, so there’s still a solid mix of more down-to-earth material, like Japandroids and Cloud Nothings.
Every song on this playlist is taken from an album that will be released between now and the end of March 2017. Give it a spin, skip around a little, or ignore it and go listen to something m/ as fuck. I just hope you give this a chance and perhaps discover a few new artists that you enjoy in the process.
Will probably return to this to do a Q2 playlist in due time. Enjoy!
Welcome back to Sputnik’s weekly news! After a short break we’re happy to be posting for the first time in 2017, on the prowl for the year’s best releases in every genre. For each album, you’ll be able to peruse the artwork, genre(s), label information, and any existing full album streams. This is our list of major new releases for the week of January 13, 2017. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more. Enjoy!
–Featured Release: The Flaming Lips: “Oczy Mlody”–
Genre: Psychedelic/Experimental // Label: The Flaming Lips
Background:
The Flaming Lips just keep getting weirder, which in the field of music is a hefty compliment. The experimental band releases their follow-up to 2013’s The Terror this Friday, although the albums feel further apart in time than the four years that actually separate them. It’s been a dizzying time for fans – first there was the 24-hour track 7 Skies H3, then we witnessed them cover The Beatles’ iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album in its entirety, which featured a slew of guest musicians ranging from My Morning Jacket to Miley Cyrus in a cleverly titled homage With A Little Help From My Fwends. In short, this isn’t a group of musicians…
With names such as Aaron Turner, Brian Cook, and Nick Yacyshyn at the helm, there’s no doubt SUMAC were born to create thunderous music. Few bands can make such a massive sound with only three members. What One Becomes sees their brand of sludge become less riff-oriented and move more towards a plodding, pummeling approach. SUMAC aren’t content to stay at one tempo though; the band are just as comfortable pounding out menacing chords in separate octaves as they are launching into breakneck passages or suddenly giving way to spacey, fuzzy moments. This behemoth of a record is out to crush you, and Kurt Ballou’s production ensures it’s as organic-sounding as they come. –RogueNine
Some might argue that Devin Townsend is practically a god in the music industry. Ever since his debut album, Townsend has been creating some of the most surreal and entertaining music over these last twenty years, ranging from the modern pop-metal routines of the Devin Townsend Project albums to his more aggressive days in Strapping Young Lad. Transcendence is, in a way, the culmination of some of his best ideas thrown together into one hour-long record. While it certainly isn’t as reliable on…
It goes without saying that Brand New are a staple “Sputnik” band, and I mean that less in the sense that the site in any way gave rise to the band’s popularity and more in the sense that we’ve unquestionably worshiped them as a deity since 2006. They’re not the only band that we’ve collectively fawned over, but even out of the site’s most highly respected artists, they are still near – if not at – the pinnacle. With The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me receiving well over 5,000 ratings while maintaining a 4.5 average, their reputation around these parts is so high that speaking negatively about the band – and even more so, this album – is heresy. Part of this hysteria can be chalked up to the age group and genre fans that populate this site, as Brand New undoubtedly speaks to younger generations, but as a whole it’s difficult to deny – through any scope – the record’s status as a modern day classic. On November 20, 2006, the world of alt/indie rock was forever imprinted with the mark of Brand New’s depressive and highly existential work of art; their unquestionable magnum opus. Ten years later, it’s time to revisit this towering achievement and take a quick look at what it now means a full decade removed from its release date.
It all started with immense pressure to follow up the band’s sophomore smash hit, Deja Entendu, with something worthy of the band’s rising reputation. High expectations aren’t easy…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 18, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
It’s a grand celebration! The SMA’s are back for the third and possibly final time, and quite frankly even that’s a miracle. But I forced myself to have time to host one more of these god forsaken best-of-Barnes & Nobles (I upgraded from buying all my CD’s at Target, bitches) and we find ourselves at the end of this storied trilogy. Pop-Punk Strikes Back, if you will. Oh wait, that’s the second one – oh well, you catch my drift.
Anyway, if you have an amazing enough life to remember every detail of your 2014 sputnikmusic.com profile, you’ll likely recall commenting on, hearing the buzz about, or otherwise discussing – possibly over a Christmas ham with your extended family – that Low Roar’s 0 took home the 2014 SMA AOTY Seriously Cool Shit Trophy. Then last year it was obviously Sufjan Stevens for his brilliant work with Carrie & Lowell. For some reason whatever web article I originally swiped that trophy pic from in the past has been deleted, so let’s just say for now that the new award looks something like this:
Music, fuck yeah!
Ironically, and just in time for that shiny new trophy, I have no actual idea what my album of the year is going to be. Even as I sit here writing this, I’m torn between about five different records. I can’t help it, I rated like thirty some odd releases over a 4.0 this year. Maybe I’ll figure it out…
As major releases slow down for 2016 and the site turns its attention towards its year-end lists, we’ve decided to compile one cumulative list for the month of December instead of going on a per-week basis. If there are any notable releases you would like to see added to this post or reviewed by one of our staff members/contributing reviewers, please let us know in the comments section. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
We would also like to sincerely wish all of our users and readers a safe and hapy holiday season!
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– New Releases: December 2, 2016 –
Brine: Kill The Ill
Genre: Post Punk/Alt Rock // Label: Inverted Kite Records
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Childish Gambino: Awaken, My Love!
Genre: Hip-Hop // Label: Glassnote Entertainment Group
Hailing from Long Island, NY, The Republic of Wolves are a five-piece rock band with an aggressive edge and boundless creativity. They’ve earned something of a cult following in the darker alt-rock scene, with their earliest releases drawing influence from acts such as Brand New and Glassjaw. They’ve set themselves further apart with each subsequent release though, the most recent being 2013’s No Matter How Narrow. To date they have dropped two studio albums and several extended plays/compilations, and everything they’ve done so far has been met with unanimous praise from fans and critics alike. I was fortunate enough to sit down (figuratively) with each member of The Republic of Wolves recently and discuss everything from 2009’s “Daisy demos” to their latest single and upcoming third LP. The interview answers were written in Mason Maggio’s (lead singer/guitarist) voice, but the entire band provided input with regards to content. So without further ado, I present to you Spuntikmusic’s first and very rewarding interview with this talented group of young musicians.
Stream “Northern Orthodox” from the band’s upcoming third LP.
You guys recently unveiled your latest single, a fiery rock piece entitled “Northern Orthodox.” Following the more upbeat and pop-oriented style of No Matter How Narrow, can you tell us what prompted such a noticeable shift back to the band’s heavier roots?
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 28, 2016. Ropa Interior Calvin Klein Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. Bragas Calvin Klein As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more. Calzoncillos Slip Calvin Klein
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-Featured Release: Nocturnal Habits: “New Skin For Old Children”-
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Nocturnal Habits: New Skin For Old Children
Genre: Indie Rock // Label: Glacial Pace Recordings
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 26, 2016. Culottes Calvin Klein Baratos Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 23, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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-Featured Release: Beach Slang-
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Beach Slang: A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings
Genre: Punk/Alt-Rock // Label: Polyvinyl Records Co.
Greetings fellow users! As some of you are aware, I’ve started a little user review competition in which the winner receives an automatic feature, as well as a “user spotlight” session. It basically consists of an informal chat in which I ask some personal questions as well as some silly ones. In the first week of the competition’s history, Gameofmetal won with his review of Equilibrium’s album Armageddon, which you can read here. I’ll start the next week’s competition tomorrow via the lists section of this site, so feel free to check out the selected albums and participate if so desired. But for now, let me introduce you to Brett Tharp, better known as Gameofmetal – a Sputnik contributing reviewer and winner of the review competition’s debut.
Authentic photo of Brett Tharp rocking out to Metallica’s ‘One’
Sowing: I’ll just get straight to the point – what’s your favorite The Bunny The Bear song?
Gameofmetal: Wow, getting right to the big questions aren’t we? I like “The Seeds We Sow” actually. Has a catchy hook even if there’s not that much more to it.
Cool, figured I’d throw you a curveball to start. So how did you come up with the username Gameofmetal?
Well I’m generally terrible with usernames, so I just combined my two favorite things at the time, Game of Thrones and Heavy Metal. It’s a little lame, but I’ve gone by it so long now that it’d…
Greetings fellow users! As some of you are aware, I’ve started a little user review competition in which the winner receives an automatic feature, as well as a “user spotlight” session. It basically consists of an informal chat in which I ask some personal questions as well as some silly ones. This week’s winner was cryptologous, who reviewed Norma Jean’s Polar Similar.
cryptologous is more badass than you, period.
Sowing: So you’re Australian. Elaborate.
cryptologous: Aye matey. I was born and raised in the UK, but have spent a good deal of my teenage-to-adult years living in this brown Southern Land. As for Aussie activities, I am a big fan of the art of barbecue. I attend a good deal of gigs here, but that aside, introversion and crappy puns are my main deal. That is probably more my English side showing than anything, but ya know, barbecues. Aussie Aussie Aussie.
I love barbecues. Do you guys grill weird shit because it’s Australia? You know, like Koala toes or something? Or is it your typical American fare like burgers and dogs?
Well, probably the weirdest commodity commercially available for the avid barbecue fan (or any Australian male) would be kangaroo meat. That being said, a couple years back during a road trip, I stopped off at a camping site. Some bloke rocked up in his truck and headed straight for the barbecues with a lizard he had run over during his travels. Gave us…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 14, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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-Featured Release: The Dillinger Escape Plan: “Dissociation”-
