Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 19, 2011. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
Azymuth – Aurora (Far Out Recordings)
The Belle Brigade – The Belle Brigade (Reprise)
Blackfield – Welcome To My DNA (Kscope)
Blu – Her Favorite Colo(u)r (Nature Sounds)
Kimberly Caldwell – Without Regret (Capitol)
Cam’ron & Vado – Gunz N Butta (Entertainment One) Del The Funky Homosapien – Golden Era (The Council)
Dengue Fever – Cannibal Courtship (Fantasy)
DJ Quik – The Book of David (Mad Science) Duff McKagan’s Loaded – The Taking(Eagle Records) — Joseph Viney
Eliza Doolittle – Eliza Doolittle (Capitol) Explosions In The Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care {UK} (Temporary Residence Limited)
Former Thieves – The Language That We Speak (No Sleep Records)
French Horn Rebellion – The Infinite Music of… [Digital release] (Once Upon A Time Records)
Graveyard – Hisingen Blues (Nuclear Blast America)
The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart (Sub Pop)
I’m From Barcelona – Forever Today (MUTE)
InfinitiRock – Apeirophobia (Base Trip Records)
Lanu – Her 12 Faces (Tru Thoughts Recordings)
Leaves’ Eyes – Meredead {EU} (Napalm Records)
Lenka – Two (Epic)
Mf Doom – Operation Doomsday: Lunchbox [Box set] (Metal Face Records)
Midnattsol – The Metamorphosis Melody {EU} (Napalm Records)
Mike Tramp & Rock N Roll Circuz – Stand Your Ground (Cleopatra)
Tracy Nelson – Victim of the Blues (Delta Groove Productions) Norther – Circle Regenerated(Century Media)
Pendragon – Passion (Snapper Madfish)
Periphery – Icarus Lives!…
I’ll admit that my opinion of Korn’s music is pretty low these days. I haven’t even remotely enjoyed one of their albums since Take a Look in the Mirror in 2003. I understand that a band has to expand their sound after a decade of releasing variations of the same idea, but See You on the Other Side and Untitled were terrible. It seems that even the band knew that they were headed down the wrong path because they eventually released a ‘back-to-roots’ album called Korn III: Remember Who You Are. Unfortunately, it seemed to lack actual conviction and appeared to confirm that God stole the only decent songwriter in the band. This takes us to the new song, “Get Up”, that features American electronic artist Skrillex.
When explaining “Get Up” Jonathan Davis had this to say: “I heard a few of Skrillex’s re-mixes and really felt there would be a good chance that he would have the right sensibility to connect us to a new hard sound and direction, but still keeping Korn guitars and our vibe. We were just thinking of trying something new, to be honest, so I had my manager reach out to the Skrillex camp. When we got into the studio the connection was instant!”
The song is apparently due to be released on a new Korn EP in May, and I’m not sure if this is a one-time engagement or if Skrillex will collaborate on…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 12, 2011. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
Azam Ali – From Night to the Edge of Day (Six Degrees)
Alison Krauss & Union Station – Paper Airplanes (Rounder) Atmosphere – The Family Sign(Rhymesayers)— John A. Hanson Autechre – EPs 1991-2002 (Warp Records) Believer – Transhuman(Metal Blade Records) — Trey Spencer
Bell X1 – Bloodless Coup (Yep Roc Records)
Between the Buried and Me – The Parallax (Metal Blade Records)
Caustic – The Golden Vagina Of Fame And Profit (Metropolis Records)
Classified – Handshakes+Middle Fingers (Decon)
Clemits – My Secret Garden (MSG Records)
Combichrist – Throat Full of Glass [EP] (Metropolis Records) Crystal Stilts – In Love With Oblivion (Slumberland Records)
Brett Dennen – Loverboy (Dualtone Music Group)
Elbow – Build a Rocket Boys! (Downtown/Cooperative Music)
The Feelies – Here Before (BAR NONE ENT) Foo Fighters – Wasting Light(RCA) — Nick Butler
Fractured – Beneath the Ashes (Metropolis Records)
Dana Fuchs – Love to Beg (RUF RECORDS)
Generationals – Actor-Caster (PARK THE VAN RECORDS)
Guano Apes – Bel Air {EU} (Columbia Europe)
Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost! (DFA) Jessie J – Who You Are(Universal Music Group)
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit – Here We Rest (LIGHTNING ROD REC.)
Joan As Police Woman – The Deep…
Believer will be releasing their fifth album, Transhuman, on April 12th through Metal Blade Records. They initially released a video for the song “G.U.T.” which showcased the band’s new direction — a direction that seemed to focus more on stiff rhythms than on thrashy aggression. It was also the first song to showcase the band’s new vocal style on the choruses. The clean harmonized vocal style worked well contrasted with the band’s typical metal ‘rasp’ and showed that they were serious about continuing to push their progression.
The next song to be released was “Mindsteps”. This is an uplifting song that closes out the album with more stiff rhythms and a huge focus on melody. It also features nothing but Kurt Bachman’s new clean singing style. “Mindsteps” is also notable because it’s easily one of the band’s most subdued numbers. With the release of this song the band proved beyond a doubt that Transhuman had the potential to be a huge departure.
They’ve now released the final song before the release of the album, “Ego Machine”. “Ego Machine” displays yet another facet of Transhuman’s overall sound. This song brings back some of the band’s thrash leanings as well as the high pitched rasp associated with it. The chorus has the potential to be a surprise to fans with its deep throaty growl contrasted with clean singing in the background. Despite the thrashier sound it also still adheres to the band’s focus on stiff rhythms and a slightly…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 05, 2011. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
2562 – Fever (When In Doubt) 3:33 – EP 1 (Parallel Thought)
Ambrose Akinmusire – When the Heart Emerges Glistening (Blue Note Records)
Artillery – My Blood (METAL MIN2)
Asking Alexandria – Reckless & Relentless (Sumerian Records) Katy B – On A Mission(Columbia Records) The Blackout – Hope (Cooking Vinyl) — Davey Boy Blueprint – Adventures In Counter Culture (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
John Brodeur – Tiger Pop Ten (Mr. Duck Records)
Brotha Lynch Hung – Coathanga Strangla (Strange Music)
Craig Campbell – Craig Campbell (Bigger Picture)
Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years (Matador Records) Daft Punk – Tron: Legacy Reconfigured(Disney)
Ray Davies – See My Friends (Decca Records)
FM Static – My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go (Tooth & Nail Records) Ghostlimb – Infrastructure(Vitriol Records)
Kina Grannis – Stairwells (One Haven)
Hollywood Undead – American Tragedy (A&M/Octone)
Hot Tuna – Steady As She Goes (Red House)
Ill Bill & Vinnie Paz – Heavy Metal Kings (Enemy Soil) The Kills – Blood Pressures(Domino) — Rudy Klapper
Kool Keith – Legend of Tashan Dorrsett (Junkadelic Music)
Mandisa – What If We Were Real (Sparrow)
George Michael – The Lowdown (SEXY INTELLECTUAL)
Negura Bunget – Focul Viu [CD/DVD] (Prophecy)
Gretchen Parlato – The…
The Users’ Top Albums of 2010 feature has finally run its course. If you missed it, feel free to check out 100 – 51 and the finish the journey here: top 10 EPs.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of March 29, 2011. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
After Midnight Project- You Belong [EP] (Self-Released) Aiden – Disguises(Victory Records) — Davey Boy Amon Amarth – Surtur Rising(Metal Blade)
AWOLNATION – Megalithic Symphony (Red Bull Records)
Marcia Ball – Roadside Attractions (Alligator Records)
Beardfish – Mammoth (Inside Out U.S.)
Becoming The Archetype – Celestial Completion (Solid State Records) Bibio – Mind Bokeh(Warp Records) — Rudy Klapper The Boxer Rebellion – The Cold Still(Boxer Rebellion)
Broken Bells – Meyrin Fields [EP] (Columbia) Burial – Street Halo(Piccadilly Records) Cavalera Conspiracy – Blunt Force Trauma (Roadrunner Records)
Clemits – My Secret Garden (MSG Records)
Demonaz – March Of the Norse {EU} (Nuclear Blast)
DJ Spinna & Mr. Thing – The Beat Generation (BBE Music)
E-40 – Revenue Retrievn-Graveyard (Heavy On The Grind Ent.)
E-40 – Revenue Retrievn-Overtime (Heavy On The Grind Ent.) Emery – We Do What We Want(Tooth & Nail Records) — Davey Boy
Erland & The Carnival – Nightingale (Yep Roc Records) FaltyDL – You Stand Uncertain(Planet…
Believer have released the second track from their upcoming album, Transhuman. The song is called “Mindsteps” and it is the final track on the album. Whether you’re a long time fan or just curious, you should really check out the other song released for this album, “G.U.T.” — Go Here. I say that because “G.U.T.” is already a large enough departure from the band’s typical technical thrash style, but it’s not nearly the change that “Mindsteps” is. “Mindsteps” is a change in so many ways that it’s hard to even know where to begin. To begin with, it is easily one of the most laidback songs in the band’s history. The riff is a start/stop semi-proggy thing that is accompanied by warm synths and the occasional undulating synth. As if that wasn’t enough, the vocals have entirely changed from the nasally rasp that has been employed on every Believer song (if you don’t count the opera vocals). I won’t ruin it for anybody, but I will say that they’re really damn good.
“G.U.T.” had me curious about what this album would sound like due to the slight vocal departure and the less thrashy musical direction, but “Mindsteps” has thrown me for a loop. Believer is a great band that seems to be able to pull off whatever they do and if Transhuman ends up being a straight forward, progressive metal album that has more in common with Devin Townsend (or something similar) I believe they can do that…
The Suburbs suffers the same fate as its predecessor Neon Bible, and that is basically that it isn’t Funeral. But outside of its failure to live up to the unreasonably lofty expectations of the band’s debut, this is yet another triumph for Arcade Fire, a band that has basically stamped its name as one of the most important musical acts of our generation. The Suburbs fuse the band’s trademark grandiose nature with a sound that is geared more towards straight-up rock than it is indie, but the results of this album rest more within minor details than they do in Arcade Fire’s overall sound (which most of us have already become aware of and accustomed to). The subtle backing vocals of Régine Chassagne, the alternation in phrasing structures, the increased presence of synthesizers, and the surprisingly large role that the basslines play in establishing a groove all make The Suburbs an album worthy of high acclaim in its own right.
The Suburbs serves as something of a bridge between Neon Bible and Funeral. It shows momentary flashes of what made Funeral such a landmark album, but also maintains a great deal of the sleek, sometimes even Bruce Springsteen-like moments on Neon Bible. But if there is one…
On Soundtrack to A Vacant Life, Benn Jordan seemed like he was on the verge of death. All but consumed by emotion, bleak and foreboding, his 2008 LP was intriguing in its dark soundscapes and irking ambience. Flash forward to 2010, and is The Flashbulb coming back to life. Infused with energy and spunk, Arboreal is an active listen. The artist mixes up a cascading string movement, a little melancholy piano piece, and a choppy electronic sample simultaneously, and the outcome is more organic, perhaps, than the clear-cut emotional platitudes of Vacant Life. The transitions, like always, are holy. Jordan’s ability to create beauty from a chaotic mess of disparate elements has never been this forthright, as he weaves and bends together the many aspects of the music like an artisan. Long-hailed as sit-down, concentrate, absorb-with-tender-ears kind of music, The Flashbulb manipulates this axiom of the genre into an album teeming with life. Some longtime fans expressed surprise, disgust even, at Benn Jordan’s new artistic aims; but I couldn’t be happier that The Flashbulb has found a new spring in its step, and is crafting more impressive music to complement this newfound atmosphere. – SeaAnemone
In the decade that they have been together, Kylesa’s story has been one of constant improvement, and in this sense, Spiral Shadow doesn’t disappoint. Although they retain the sludgy hardcore energy that made them good in the first place, the band has added new psychedelic dimensions to its sound which are fully utilised here. This is also without a doubt their most accessible offering yet, and some of the material – particularly ‘Don’t Look Back’ – hints that they may continue down this path in the future. The records highlights, however, come when the band does what it does best, such as the hard-hitting and direct ‘Tired Climb’ and the psychadelic tangle of the title track. If they continue on their ascent, Kylesa’s next moves will certainly be worth monitoring. – AliW1993
How I Got Over is a hip-hop album that carries a strong sense of purpose. Too many artists focus on the negative aspects of growing up “on the streets”, such as drugs, domestic abuse, murders, theft, etc. However, The Roots use their status within the genre (as well as their own history rising above the challenges…
The Users’ Top Albums of 2010 feature is currently underway. If you missed it, feel free to check out 100 – 51 and the top 10 EPs — with more to come.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of March 22, 2011. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
For all the comparisons Pariah’s music has bought him, Safehouses manages to stand on its own two feet as something refreshingly joyous; its a romanticized nostalgic look back at a more colorful period that ever so slowly gave rise to a genre so now drenched in filth and grime. Almost too simple to be so ingenious, Pariah has crafted six impeccably explosive tracks to be explored and analyzed to the point of exhaustion, which at the conclusion will only reveal one more gifted musical engineer whose only want was to craft beats to express his admiration for music as a whole. The flawless switch between different feels and styles reveals an expert touch sorely lacking in many of his contemporaries and reveals just how far Pariah has come since last year’s single ‘Detroit Falls’ – the fact that the same man who, with just that one track typed on his resume has released this, one of the most unassuming yet addictive EPs of the year, is no less than astounding. Obliterating the dense subsonic pandemonium of dubstep and replacing it with an idm fairytale like lushness, Pariah has shown that he is an artist to keep an eye on. – Deviant
Sarah Fimm’s upcoming album, Near Infinite Possibility, is going to be released on May 5th and the first single from that album is “Yellow.” If you’re familiar with Sarah Fimm’s music then you’ll know that the album title is the perfect description for the way Sarah seems to view life as well as the potential direction of every new album. She has delivered such a wide array of music over the course of four albums that it’s hard to ever predict what she might do next. She’s dabbled in trip hop, ambient, soulful acoustic rock and even some atmospheric alt. rock.
If “Yellow” is any indication of the direction of Near Infinite Possibility then we’re going to be in for quite a treat. “Yellow” continues Sarah’s move towards an organic sound that relies much more on live instruments than on electronics. The song is mellow, emotional and even kind of depressing. The depressing atmosphere shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise once it’s learned that the song (and video) were inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” a dark collection of journal entries written by a woman whose husband has put her on “rest cure;” confining her to a bedroom of a house that he has rented for the summer. Forbidden to work, she has to hide her journal entries from him, so that she can recuperate from what he calls a “temporary nervous depression —a slight hysterical tendency,” a diagnosis common…
The Users’ Top albums of 2010 feature is coming along at a steady pace and is set to begin on Friday (barring any unforeseen issues). In the meantime, our contributing reviewer Deviant has compiled a list of the albums that just barely missed the cut. If you’d like to see albums 100 through 51 as chosen by the users of Sputnik Music click here: 100 – 51
The next order of business is to draw your attention to this post which outlines some criteria concerning your indiviudal user names on the site. If you have a long/excessive/questionable screen name for the site, you may want to take a look at the linked post.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of March 15, 2011. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
Believer fans should always expect the band to constantly push ahead and deliver something challenging. This is, after all, the band that mixed technical thrash with violins and an opera singer on their 1993 release, Dimensions. They’re also the ones that came back after sixteen years of silence and immediately pushed their sound in a new quirky prog direction on Gabriel without abandoning their thrash roots. If “G.U.T.” is any indication of what Believer’s upcoming album, Transhuman, is going to sound like, though, it appears that their most challenging album is still ahead.
