May the 4th be with you. As Gandalf said: we hope you live long and prosper or whatever.

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 4th, 2018.  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.

Featured Release

Frank Turner – Be More Kind
Genre: Folk Punk / Pop Rock
Label: Xtra Mile / Polydor / Interscope

As evidenced by the album art and title, the central theme of Frank Turner’s newest release is one of empathy and compassion in a time of ever-pervasive social and political turmoil. Be More Kind has several tracks that seem tailor-made for radio or your local Target – think more along the lines of “The Way I Tend to Be” from Tape Deck Heart, less anything pre-England Keep My Bones – with the hardest-hitting songs being “1933” and possibly album highlight “Brave Face”. Turner’s pop sensibilities are still strong, though, thanks to his backing band The Sleeping Souls sounding better than ever. In songs like “Little Changes”, “21st Century Survival Blues”, and even “Make America Great Again” (which might otherwise be a throwaway song without the humorous video – see 4:08 for an example), the warmer tones envelop like a blanket, and…

In the spirit of the NFL draft, we’ve asked Boomer to help us out with the news this week.

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 27th, 2018.  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.

Featured Release

Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer
Genre: Art Pop / Contemporary R&B
Label: Bad Boy

Almost five years after the genre-bending The Electric Lady, Ms. Monae continues her marvelous run. In a BBC Radio 1 interview with Annie Mac, Monae disclosed about Prince: “It’s hard for me to talk about him. But I do miss him, and his spirit will never leave me.” Prince’s presence can be heard throughout the record, and sure enough, that delectable synth line in single “Make Me Feel” was allegedly penned by The Purple One, per his DJ, Lenka Paris. Other highlights on the record include “Americans” – arguably the best politically-tinged song since the last American presidential election – along with “I Got the Juice” (featuring Pharrell Williams) and “PYNK” (in collaboration with Grimes).

– Sample List of Releases: April 27th, 2018 –

The Armed – Only Love
Genre:…

Did you leave your milk and cookies out for Willie Nelson?

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 20th, 2018.  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.

Featured Release

A Perfect Circle – Eat the Elephant
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: BMG
[Review]

“Why does Maynard look like he belongs in year 2000 Mudvayne?” –TheSpirit

Almost 15 years since Thirteenth Step (because nobody really wants to talk about eMOTIVe, right?), Maynard James Keenan, Billy Howerdel, and the rest of the band return with an appreciably moody offering, where themes of accountability, entitlement, and mortality percolate throughout the record. While Maynard acknowledged in a Rolling Stone interview that musicians might “not want to be too topical, because then you date your art”, his observations in contemporary times might continue to be just as applicable in another 15 years.

Apparently the latest trend for Sputnik darlings in their music videos is to stare at the camera at random intervals, although it’s unclear if “The Doomed” took inspiration of Steven Wilson. /s

– Sample List of Releases: April 20th, 2018 –

Cancer Bats – The Spark That Moves
Genre:…

We’re not superstitious, just a little stitious (hence the delay).

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 13, 2018.  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.

Featured Release

The Damned – Evil Spirits
Genre: Goth-tinged Punk
Label: Search and Destroy, Spinefarm UK

While this UK outfit might not always be mentioned in the same breath as The Clash or Sex Pistols, Evil Spirits is The Damned’s 11th LP and first in over a decade. Joining long-time stalwarts Captain Sensible and Dave Vanian is returning bassist Paul Gray, while the band recruited producer Tony Visconti due to their affinity for his work on David Bowie’s Blackstar. Lead single “Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow” and “Procrastination” are two highlights that showcase The Damned in 2018.

– Sample List of Releases: April 13, 2018 –

A Hawk and a Hacksaw – Forest Bathing
Genre: Eastern-tinged Indie Folk
Label: L.M. Dupli-cation

A Place to Bury Strangers – Pinned
Genre: Noise Rock
Label: Dead Oceans

Alexis Taylor – Beautiful Thing
Genre: Alternative / Indie
Label: Domino

Breaking Benjamin –…

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 06, 2018.  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.

Featured Release

Hypno5e: Alba: Les Ombres ErrantesGenre: Post Metal/Progressive/Acoustic // Label: Pelagic Records

Hypno5e has always been a band that required a bit of effort to fully get into. It wasn’t just that their sprawling post metal/prog/djent sound demanded a listener’s full attention, it was also the extended song lengths and frequent spoken-word monologues. Alba brings post metal structures, progressive tendencies, and even some djent rhythms, but it also gives listeners a new hurdle to overcome… it’s entirely acoustic. Of course, Albra isn’t the first time the band have dabbled in acoustics, but they had previously been brief and buried between more abrasive walls of sound. Surprisingly, the band pull it off really well… even if they still haven’t dropped the damn monologues.

Song Title: Who Wakes Up from this Dream Does Not Bear My Name

– Full List of Releases: April 06, 2018 –

30 Seconds to Mars: America
Genre: Alternative // Label: Interscope
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The Aces: When My Heart Felt Volcanic
Genre: Indie Rock // Label: Red Bull Records
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Alice Merton: No Roots
Genre: Indie Pop // Label: Mom + Pop
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