Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 24, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Alice In Chains: Rainier Fog
Genre: Grunge/Metal/Alt-Rock
Label: BMG Rights Management
90’s grunge titans Alice In Chains have had quite the 2000’s resurgence, releasing both Black Gives Way to Blue and The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here to critical acclaim. Their success post-Layne Staley has been surprising to say the least – but even if the band will never ascend to the heights of Dirt again, fans can revel in what has been a remarkable ability to stay afloat amid circumstances that ultimately should have sunk the band a long, long time ago. Listen to “The One You Know” below to hear Alice in Chains still chugging along, as consistent a rock band as there ever was.
Listen to “The One You Know”:
– List of Releases: August 24, 2018 –
Alice in Chains: Rainier Fog
Genre: Grunge/Metal/Alt-Rock
Label: BMG Rights Management
The Amity Affliction: Misery
Genre: Metalcore/Post-Hardcore
Label:
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 17, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Ariana Grande: Sweetener
Genre: Pop
Label: Republic Records
The queen of pop has returned. It’s her first album since 2016’s breakthrough Dangerous Woman, as well as the horrid Manchester Arena suicide bombing that killed 22 at a concert on May 22, 2017. The singles released in advance of Sweetener have fared quite well, with “No Tears Left to Cry” and “God Is A Woman” in particular garnering positive feedback. Regardless of whether or not Sweetener lives up to the milestone that was its predecessor, it’s great to see Ariana back in the game after events that may have paralyzed other artists with fear. Listen to the embedded track below to find out if “God Is A Woman”:
Listen to “God Is A Woman”:
– List of Releases: August 17,
Animal Collective: Tangerine Reef
Genre: Psychedelic/Experimental/Indie-Pop
Label: Domino Recording Co
Ariana Grande: Sweetener
Genre: Pop
Label: Republic
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 10, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Additionally, we’d like to take this time to welcome back Channing Freeman, an emeritus who has rejoined the staff rank effective immediately.
Featured Release
Foxing: Nearer My God
Genre: Emo/Post-Rock/Indie-Rock
Label: Triple Crown Records
Foxing made a huge splash in 2013 with the heavily emo influenced The Albatross, and their 2015 follow-up – Dealer – saw them dabble in atmospheric indie-rock very successfully. Their third LP, Nearer My God, appears to be aimed for even bigger and better things. The songs released thus far point to this being their coming of age album, an epic and almost arena-ready indie rocker. There’s never been a better time to get into Foxing. And for those who already are, you likely don’t need to be sold on the band’s credentials as one of the most relevant up-and-coming artists in the genre. Saddle up, this is going to be one of the most talked about albums of the month.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 3, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
– List of Releases: August 3, 2018 –
Amanda Shires: To The Sunset
Genre: Pop/Country/Americana
Label: Silver Knife
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of July 27, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
White Ring: Gate of Grief
Genre: Electronic/Indie Rock
Label: Rocket Girl
Now this is just creepy. There’s such an unsettling vibe to this whole thing, from the band name to the artwork to the massive industrial groove beats that throw me all the way back to The Downward Spiral (or, more recently, Crystal Castles). Oh, and those shrill, shouted vocals, followed by by the low, distorted Frank the Rabbit (Donnie Darko) spoken passage. Yikes. This thing just feels monumental. I get the feeling from the tracklist that there could be some serious political vibes on this thing as well. They have only released one other album and it was all the way back in 2010. Apparently, Gate of Grief has been 7 years in the making. I have a feeling it will be well worth the wait, and one of those albums that catches everyone off guard when it comes out of nowhere. Listen to “Leprosy” below:
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of July 20, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Meg Myers: Take Me to the Disco
Genre: Indie-Pop/Alternative Rock/Indie-Rock
Label: 300 Entertainment
Myers crashed 2015 as one of the best up-and-coming female rockers, jolting listeners to attention with her powerful vocals. Singles such as ‘Sorry’ and ‘Desire’ brought her a great deal of exposure, and now she is looking to capitalize on that early success with Take Me to the Disco. She has a lot to live up to on her sophomore release, and not all of the singles released to-date have convinced eager fans, but it would be unwise to sleep on a record whose creator has such a raw, obvious skill set. Listen to one of Take Me to the Disco‘s singles, ‘Numb’, below:
– List of Releases: July 20, 2018 –
Distorted Harmony: A Way Out
Genre: Progressive Metal/Rock
Label: n/a
Epica: Epica vs. Attack on Titan
Genre: Power Metal/Gothic/Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of July 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
The experimental indie group Dirty Projectors are unveiling their 10th proper LP, a more hopeful sounding follow-up to the dejected, self-titled, and essentially solo Dave Longstreth record. For as shattered as he was during that album, Longstreth employed some of his most experimental production ideas to date, en route to possibly the group’s most interesting – even if divisive – release. In stark contrast to forlorn, reflective singles like ‘Keep Your Name’ or ‘Little Bubble’, ‘Break-Thru’ is a bouncy, sunny pop tune that retains the the experimental and R&B qualities of Dirty Projector’s preceding release. If it’s any sign of what is to come, then we can expect Lamp Lit Prose to be another stud in Longstreth’s vastly growing collection of odd but fun indie pop.
– List of Releases: July 13, 2018 –
Amy Shark: Love Monster
Genre: Indie Pop
Label: Wonderlick
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of July 6, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more. Also, for those who missed it, our collective staff ranked the Top 10 Songs by The National – just in case you need something to argue about.
– List of Releases: July 6, 2018 –
A Shoreline Dream: Waitout
Genre: Shoegaze/Psychedelic/Alt-Rock
Label: Latenight Weeknight
Asylums: Alien Human Emotions
Genre: Pop/Rock
Label: Cool Thing Records
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 29, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Florence + The Machine: High As Hope
Genre: Indie-Pop/Alternative Rock
Label: Republic
Few artists have as recognizable of a voice as Florence Welch, one of the most respected frontwomen in alternative rock. While Lungs and Ceremonials launched her career to stardom, wielding hits such as ‘Dog Days Are Over’ and ‘Shake It Off’, the more understated How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful still managed to keep the magic alive with prevalent acoustics and a slightly more uptempo atmosphere. While no one is certain as to what tricks – if any – that High As Hope holds up its sleeve, you can count on Welch delivering another vocal masterpiece. That alone makes High As Hope worth investigating, regardless of whether this album treads the same lighter path as its predecessor or returns to the booming, anthemic way of Lungs.
– List of Releases: June 29, 2018 –
Bells Atlas: Be Brave
Genre: Indie-Pop/Soul
Label: None Records
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 22, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Kamasi Washington: Heaven And Earth
Genre: Jazz/Soul
Label: Young Turks
Washington made a huge splash in 2015 with The Epic – a three volume, three hour masterpiece that brought soul and jazz fusion back into the spotlight of modern music. By comparison, Heaven And Earth is merely two parts, and closer to two-and-a-half hours long. Either way, we get it – the man is capable of writing towering, lengthily intimidating albums. But the thing is, Washington’s records never feel that long. Boasting impeccable flow and nary any filler, Kamasi’s works draw you in while keeping you engaged. If The Epic was any indicator, we may be in for an album of the year candidate right here.
Listen to the below song samples for ‘Fists of Fury’ and ‘Space Travelers Lullaby’:
– List of Releases: June 22, 2018 –
5 Seconds of Summer: Youngblood
Genre: Pop
Label: Capitol
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 15, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
– List of Releases: June 15, 2018 –
Aryn Van Dyke: I Do Not Not Love You
Genre: Pop
Label: 871140 Records
Ben Captain: Old Stock
Genre: Folk/Blues
Label: Under Control Entertainment
Chaouche: Safe
Genre: Indie Pop
Label: Night Time Stories
Christina Aguilera: Liberation
Genre: Pop
Label: RCA Records
Chromeo: Head Over Heels
Genre: Electro-Pop
Label: Big Beat Records/Atlantic
Crossing Eternity: The Rising World
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Label: Rockshots Records
Frayle: The White Witch
Genre: Doom/Stoner Rock
Label: Independent
Funeral Horse: Psalms For The Mourning Genre: Doom/Stoner/Punk
Label: Artificial Head
Gretchen’s Wheel: Black Box Theory
Genre: Indie/Singer/Songwriter
Label: Futureman Records
JessLee: Strong
Genre: Country
Label: JessLee
John Parish: Bird Dog Dante
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Thrill Jockey
Johnny Marr: Call the Comet
Genre: Alternative/Britpop
Label: New Voodoo Records
Leon Vynehall: Nothing Is Still
Genre: House/Electronic
Label: Ninja Tune
Lizzy Borden: My Midnight Things
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records
Madball: For The Cause
Genre: Punk/Hardcore
Label: Nuclear Blast…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 08, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
– List of Releases: June 08, 2018 –
Dead Sara: Temporary Things Taking Up Space
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Atlantic Records
Dierks Bentley: The Mountain
Genre: Country
Label: Capitol Nashville
Flasher: Constant Image
Genre: Pop Punk/Indie Rock
Label: Domino Recording Co.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 01, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Mazzy Star: Still
Genre: Indie Pop/Dream Pop
Label: Rhymes of an Hour Records
Mazzy Star: Quiet, The Winter Harbor
– List of Releases: June 01, 2018 –
Ben Howard: Noonday Dream
Genre: Indie Folk/Folk
Label: Universal Island Records
Circle Of Dust: Alt_Machines
Genre: Industrial Metal
Label: FiXT
Father John Misty: God’s Favorite Customer
Genre: Indie Folk/Folk
Label: Sub Pop Records
The Flaming Lips: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Genre: Psychedelic/Dream Pop
Label: Warner Bros.
Ghost B.C.: Prequelle
Genre: Doom/Heavy Metal/Psychedelic
Label: Concord Loma Vista
Joan Of Arc: 1984
Genre: Post Rock/Indie Rock
Label: Joyful Noise Recordings
Kataklysm: Meditations
Genre: Death Metal/Melodic Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Lump: Lump
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Dead Oceans
Mazzy Star: Still
Genre: Indie Pop/Dream Pop
Label: Rhymes of an Hour Records
Natalie Prass: The Future and the Past
Genre: Indie Pop/Indie Folk
Label: ATO Records…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 25th, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Chvrches: Love Is Dead
Genre: Indie Pop/Electronic
Label: Glassnote
Chvrches return with their third full-length LP after opening their discography with back-to-back well-received electronic/indie-pop albums. Continuing to push the pop boundaries defined by Every Eye Open, Love Is Dead figures to continue honing the band’s well-established approach. On the heels of successful singles such as ‘Get Out’ and ‘My Enemy’ (featuring The National’s Matt Berninger), it figures to be yet another commercially successful venture. On the record’s sound, the band was quoted as saying that they opted for “more universal topics instead of introspection”, and that Love Is Dead is “the most pop stuff we’ve done and also the most aggressive and vulnerable at the same time.” Check the record’s lead single below.
– List of Releases: May 25th, 2018 –
Aisha Burns: Argonauta
Genre: Folk
Label: Western Vinyl
Bernice: Puff: In the Air Without a Shape
Genre: Indie/Folk/Psychedelic
Label: Arts & Crafts
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 18th, 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 artwork (if we remember…) so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Featured Release
Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel
Genre: Alternative/Indie-Rock
Label: Mom+Pop
The Melbourne singer-songwriter/guitarist’s second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, stands as one of indie-rock’s most anticipated albums of 2018. 2015’s sometimes i sit and think, and sometimes i just sit was released to widespread critical acclaim, garnering praise for its storytelling ability and potent expression despite a relatively straightforward songwriting approach. Her sophomore effort keeps up the driving rhythms and catchy riffs, resulting in another strong album that may not be as immediate as her debut, but possesses the layers worthy of an album due to grow over time.
– List of Releases: May 18th, 2018 –
Alkaloid: Liquid Anatomy
Genre: Death/Progressive Metal
Label: Season of Mist
Amorphis: Queen of Time
Genre: Death/Progressive/Doom Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Ash: Islands
Genre: Indie-Rock/Punk
Label: Infectious Music
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![Love Monster [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Eil4YAB5L._SS500.jpg)
![Ocean Machine - Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/610jgTAhcDL._SS500.jpg)
![Trench Foot [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51AyBKVtlyL._SS500.jpg)
![Palo Santo [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51BQalsI9xL._SS500.jpg)
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![Islands [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61YMAq6lhdL._SS500.jpg)
