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By Sowing
Monday October 10, 2022
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Revisit other SputStaff Top 10 Lists:
| Bon Iver | Kanye West | Mastodon | My Chemical Romance |
| The National | Say Anything | Taylor Swift | Thrice |
         
Foreword:
We’ve arrived at our ninth installment of this wonderful little series, which happens to land on a group that has recently (and amicably) disbanded. mewithoutYou developed a cult following early in their career with A to B: Life and Catch For Us The Foxes before 2006’s Brother, Sister turned them into key players in the indie-rock/post-hardcore scenes. As the band pushed into the latter years of their career, they delivered some of their strongest material with the apocalyptic Pale Horses and the emotionally unhinged [Untitled] LP. Throughout their existence, they always delivered music that meant something. Frontman Aaron Weiss wielded his pen masterfully for two decades, in the process curating a world that often felt like it blurred the line between the playfully imaginary and sobering reality. In a way celebrating the life of this poetic and emotive vessel, the staff here at Sputnikmusic have created a list of the ten best mewithoutYou songs. We hope you enjoy.
Honorable Mentions:
15. Messes of Men
14. Magic Lantern Days
13. The Fox, the Crow, and…

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 7th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: October 7, 2022 –

A.A. Williams: As The Moon Rests
Genre: Singer Songwriter / Doom / Post Rock
Label: Bella Union

Aenaon: Mnemosyne
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Agonia

Alvvays: Blue Rev
Genre: Indie Pop
Label: Polyvinyl

Armed For Apocalypse: Ritual Violence
Genre: Sludge
Label: Candlelight

Avantdale Bowling Club: Trees
Genre: Hip Hop
Label: Years Gone By

The Bobby Lees: Bellevue
Genre: Punk / Garage Rock
Label: Ipecac

Bonny Light Horseman: Rolling Golden Holy
Genre: Americana
Label: 37d03d

Borealis: Illusions
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: AFM

Broken Bells: Into the Blue
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: Awal

Bush: The Art Of Survival
Genre: Alt Rock
Label: BMG

Charlotte Wessels: Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II
Genre: Goth Rock / Symphonic Metal
Label: Napalm

Cloud Rat:…
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By Sowing
Tuesday October 4, 2022
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2022 :: Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4
Sputnikmusic Staff’s Q3 Playlist 2022
Welcome to our third installment for our 2022 quarterly playlist! Feel free to jam the playlist below while reading what our writers had to say about each selection. Tell us what your favorites are in the comments, as well as any new artists you may have discovered here — or, alternatively, tell us what we missed! Thanks for reading/listening.
Tracklist:

The 1975 – “I’m in Love with You”
Being Funny in a Foreign Language
I’m historically mixed on the results whenever The 1975 go straight at their default, somewhat-played ’80s pop throwback sound. For every instant classic like “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” there are a handful of overbaked, cloying cuts which end up with titles like “She’s American” and “She Way Out”. Thankfully, the genuinely adorable “I’m In Love With You” leans towards the quality of the former; an irresistible groove underpins a hook that I’d describe as repetitive if it wasn’t so lovable. “I’m In Love With You” is so cutesy you may feel your strings being yanked, especially watching the too-twee video with Matty Healy doing silent slapstick and a Phoebe Bridgers cameo — but if I’m gonna have good vibes force-fed to me, it may as well be via a…
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By Dewinged
Wednesday September 28, 2022
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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 30th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: September 30, 2022 –

Acausal Intrusion: Seeping Evocation
Genre: Black Metal / Death Metal
Label: I, Voidhanger

Acephalix: Theothantology
Genre: Black Metal / Doom / Death Metal
Label: 20 Buck Spin

Alice Cooper: Live From The Astroturf
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Good Records

Autopsy: Morbidity Triumphant
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Peaceville

The Bad Plus: The Bad Plus
Genre: Jazz
Label: Edition Records

The Big Pink: The Love That’s Ours
Genre: Indie Pop / Shoegaze
Label: Project Melody

Björk: Fossora
Genre: Electronic / Experimental
Label: One Little Indian

City of Caterpillar: Mystic Sisters
Genre: Post Hardcore
Label: Relapse

Clark: 05-10
Genre: Electronic
Label: Warp

Darkest Era: Wither On The Vine
Genre: Progressive Metal / Doom
Label: Candlelight

The Dead Daisies: Radiance
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Ward

Yesterday, I went back and read both staff reviews for The National’s I Am Easy To Find (one by klap and one by Rowan). Impressively, they’re both among the classic pieces on Sputnikmusic.com in my book (even if that lovable mess of an album in no way deserves any rating over a 4.0), combining this site’s trademark tolerance of loving fanboyism with genuine insight, not to mention being a bunch of beautiful words strung together in beautiful ways. In this case, both writeups isolate and explore The National’s tendency to ponder the idea of distance (whether physical or emotional): in klap’s words the album is “another release about distances and quiet tragedies”, in Rowan’s estimation the band’s always has been obsessed with “distance, the lack of it, and the ways people are transformed by those extremes”. In short, I think these claims are essentially right, and all the more impressive because I’d never thought to put the band’s music in that context, even having jammed the band’s songs thousands of times by the 2019 release of I Am Easy To Find.
There was a reason I went down this particular rabbit hole, and (spoiler alert), it wasn’t because of an overwhelming nostalgia for the Sputnik of three years ago. Fast forward a few hours, and my wife and I were at the new Boston concert venue Roadrunner for The National’s concert, standing on the mezzanine, amidst the punks and cannonballers. I’ve been pretty much enthralled by the band for a…
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By Nocte
Wednesday September 21, 2022
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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 23rd, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: September 23, 2022 –

5 Seconds of Summer – 5sos5
Genre: Pop
Label: BMG

Alex G – God Save the Animals
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Domino

Beth Orton – Weather Alive
Genre: Folktronica / Ambient
Label: Partisan

Big Scary – Me and You
Genre: Alternative / Art Pop
Label: Pieater

The Comet is Coming – Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam
Genre: Nu Jazz / Jazz Fusion
Label: Impulse!

Courting – Guitar Music
Genre: Art Punk
Label: PIAS

death’s dynamic shroud – Darklife
Genre: Vaporwave
Label: 100% Electronica

Editors – EBM
Genre: Post-Punk
Label: Play It Again Sam

Future Teens – Self Help
Genre: Indie Rock / Emo
Label: Triple Crown

Gaerea – Mirage
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Season of Mist

Jake Blount – The New Faith
Genre: Bluegrass
Label: Smithsonian Folkways

KEN mode – Null
Genre: Noise Rock
Label: Artoffact


Conan – Evidence of Immortality
With the release of their fifth full-length instalment, one thing about Conan is abundantly clear: It exists as a powerhouse of doom metal that embodies a distinct stubbornness. A stubbornness almost equalling the unstoppable forces of geology which created our very existence. Evidence of Immortality exhibits the staunch refusal of Conan to let the quality of their music slip below the commendable standard fans have come to expect. Containing monumental, crushing doom riffs, faster, more bellicose sludge passages and a desperate sense of mounting tension, this album can be considered somewhat a summary of the material comprising the preceding four albums all neatly packaged into an incredibly satisfying 50 minutes of apocalyptic doom metal bliss. Get comfortable and whack that volume up!
Immediately, the humongous opener “A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots” fast-forwards a simulation of the formation of Pangaea (a supercontinent which began to break up again roughly 200 million years ago at the start of the Jurassic period to form the arrangement of continents we know today). The robust sound dominating the album is impressive for a three-piece and atmospherically speaking, the sense of foreboding projected is nothing short of remarkable. The listener is transported to a medieval and geological war zone where all hope for survival rapidly evaporates. It’s just a question of whether you will succumb to a horrific wound from Jon Davis’ battle axe or if you’ll be swallowed whole by the…
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By Nocte
Thursday September 15, 2022
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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 16th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: September 16, 2022 –

Behemoth: Opvs Contra Natvram
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast

The Beths: Expert In A Dying Field
Genre: Indie Pop
Label: Ivy League Records

BLACKPINK: Born Pink
Genre: Pop
Label: Interscope

Clutch: Sunrise On Slaughter Beach
Genre: Stoner Rock
Label: Weathermaker Music

Crack Cloud: Tough Baby
Genre: World
Label: Tin Angel Records, Meat Machine, Unheard of Hope.

Death Cab for Cutie: Asphalt Meadows
Genre: Rock
Label: Atlantic Records

The Devil Wears Prada: Cold Decay
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Solid State Records

Epoch Of Unlight: At War With The Multiverse
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Label: Independent

Jesca Hoop: Order Of Romance
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Memphis Industries

The Mars Volta: The Mars Volta
Genre: Progressive Rock
Label: Universal, Warner

Michelle Branch: The Trouble With Fever
Genre: Pop Rock
Label: Audible Eagle

Noah Cyrus: The Hardest Part
Genre: Singer Songwriter
Label: Colombia Records

No Devotion: No Oblivion
Genre: Alt Rock
Label: Banquet Records

The Proclaimers: Dentures Out
Genre: Rock, Pop
Label: Cooking Vinyl Limited

Rina Sawayama: Hold The Girl
Genre: Pop
Label: Dirty Hit

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Jesper and Johnny’s neoclassical meme journey through ’90s trance

Prologue: Boyfriends & Dolphins
Once upon a time there was a cat called JesperL and a porpoise called JohnnyoftheWell. It was springtime and anything was possible. Johnny introduced Jesper to Guangzhou’s finest emo indie biscuiteers yourboyfriendsucks! (Qiii Snacks Records) and all was well because they could both dig that band and look very earnestly dapper for it.
But it was not enough. All things must end, and then begin once more. New digs must be found.
In this case, the dig was the Japanese ‘90s acid trance/techno act Dream Dolphin, who boasts many great qualities including the best artist name of all time and the recently resurfaced cult classic Tsuki no Iyashi, Umi no Mahou (1998). Subsequent discourse went as follows:
Johnny: Let’s dig Dream Dolphin!
Jesper: It has been dug. will maybe listen to it
Johnny: it is um believe it or not better than yourboyfriendsucks
Jesper: split ep when
Johnny: are we ready for emotrance to be a thing
Jesper: tbh that actually sounds very tiktok ready. get some la dispute ass lines before a sick vibedrop
Johnny: omg you hexed it – the moment you said tiktok this came on

Jesper: okok fine i will listen
Johnny: king park nightcore mashup with this when
Jesper: lmao kinda slaps
Johnny: around 1:30 onwards is fire
Jesper: ok yes banger will…
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By Sowing
Monday September 12, 2022
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Revisit other SputStaff Top 10 Lists
| Kanye West | Mastodon | My Chemical Romance | The National | Say Anything |
| Taylor Swift | Thrice |
 ![Blood Bank [Explicit]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Dh2pzab1L._AC_UY218_.jpg)  ![22 (Over Soon) [Explicit]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81V16uzmDML._AC_UY218_.jpg) 
Foreword:
Welcome back to the SputStaff Top 10, where we answer the music-related questions that keep you up at night. On today’s menu is Bon Iver, everyone’s favorite snowed-in log cabin dwelling acoustic guitar wielding vocoder falsetto warbler. You might remember the name from any number of mainstream pop artists who have featured him in their songs in a vain attempt to forcibly acquire indie cred (often stylized as “ft. Justin Vernon of BON IVER”). Vernon’s name has become virtually synonymous with the indie/folk genre, and he’s arguably one of the most popular and influential artists ever to grace that scene. Our staff decided to review his entire discography and enshrine his ten best songs to-date; no simple task but also one that we were excited to undertake. Scroll down to see the complete list (including five tracks that narrowly missed the cut) as well as a Spotify playlist where you can jam all of Bon Iver’s greatest songs in one place. Enjoy!
Honorable Mentions:
15. Skinny Love / Naeem [TIE]
14. Beth/Rest
13.

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 9th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: September 9, 2022 –

The Afghan Whigs: How Do You Burn?
Genre: Alt Rock
Label: Royal Cream

Allen/Olzon: Army Of Dreamers
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Label: Frontiers

An Abstract Illusion: Woe
Genre: Death Metal / Black Metal
Label: Willowtip

Bloodbath: Survival Of The Sickest
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Napalm

Bones: Sombre Opulence
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Invictus Productions

Built to Spill: When The Wind Forgets Your Name
Genre: Indie Rock / Indie Pop
Label: Sub Pop

Crippled Black Phoenix: Banefyre
Genre: Progressive Rock
Label: Season of Mist

Escarnium: Dysthymia
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Cianeto

Fallujah: Empyrean
Genre: Deathcore / Atmospheric Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast

Flogging Molly: Anthem
Genre: Celtic Punk
Label: Rise

Highly Suspect: The Midnight Demon Club
Genre: Alt Rock
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By Sowing
Friday September 2, 2022
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I’ve always been a huge fan of two things: playlists and nostalgia. Lo and behold, I present to you that point of intersection! Since I first became an avid consumer of music back in 2010, I’ve been secretly compiling “greatest hits” versions of each year I’ve been on Sputnikmusic (I’m not counting 2008 or 2009 because I was barely present). It’s a hobby, sure, but it’s also a superhighway to connect me to any given point in time within the last decade or so. It goes without saying that these installments will be subjective in every conceivable way, but I also think that listeners – particularly on this website – might get something out these posts because my taste in music is essentially a product of what I’ve discovered on Sputnikmusic. I invite you to click ‘play’ on my selective 25-song 2010 playlist and get whisked away to some twelve year old memories. Because it obviously will not be the same as your 2010 experience, I invite you to share your own favorite songs in the comments below. Thanks for listening!
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By Nocte
Tuesday August 30, 2022
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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 2nd, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: September 2, 2022 –

Aeternam: Heir Of The Rising Sun
Genre: Symphonic Blackened Death Metal
Label: Independant

The Amazons: How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?
Genre: Alternative
Label: Fiction Records

And Now The Owls Are Smiling: Epitaph
Genre: Post Black Metal
Label: Clobber Records

Blind Guardian: The God Machine
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast

Epica: We Still Take You With Us
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast

The Front Bottoms: theresa
Genre: Folk Punk
Label: Fueled by Ramen/Wuacasole

Kings X: Three Sides Of One
Genre: Rock
Label: Inside Out

Nadja: Labyrinthine
Genre: Doom/Expiremental
Label: Katuktu Collective

Megadeth: The Sick, The Dying, And The Dead
Genre: Thrash/Heavy Metal
Label: Universal

Miss May I: Curse Of Existence
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Sharptone

Oceans Ate Alaska: Disparity
Genre: Djent
Label: Fearless Records

Rina Sawayama: Hold The Girl
Genre: Alt Pop
Label: Dirty Hit

Tom Chaplin: Midpoint
Genre: Rock
Label: Intersect

Two Door Cinema Club: Keep On Smiling
Genre: Indie Pop Rock
Label: Lower Third

Vermin Womb: Retaliation
Genre: Death Metal/Grind
Label: Closed Casket Activities

Xenobiotic: Hate Monolith [EP]
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Label: Unique Leader Records

YUNGBLUD: YUNGBLUD
Genre: Alternative
Label: Locomotion and Geffen Records

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Chat Pile – God’s Country
A mere three days before the end of July, Chat Pile’s debut release became available to the masses after having been the subject of much hype. After the initial listen, God’s Country leaves one feeling like a corkscrew has been inserted into each ear and violently twisted. What has one just experienced? The answer, a savagely exasperated assault on a broken western society, transported to the ear canals with unprecedented levels of rage. While lyrical content concerning the failings of society is a well-trodden path with each new endeavour having potential to project yet another rehashed and redundant message, God’s Country does anything but.
You might ask what prevented God’s Country from falling into the rehash trap. It all comes down to the earnestness with which the message is delivered – no generic “fuck the government” material can be found here. Vocalist Raygun Busch launches a wide-ranged and carefully calculated attack on several aspects of modern American society which is both unapologetically scathing and depressingly accurate with its content. Amongst the themes of homelessness, mass meat production and the disgraceful condition of the environment are pockets of truly harrowing material in relation to the ongoing mental health crisis but rather than giving off the impression of wallowing, the overall message is one of downright rage, giving the record authenticity and ultimately, lyrical relevance.
While there is nothing overly complex musically speaking, the genre-fusion on offer…
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By Sowing
Sunday August 28, 2022
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Release Date: August 28, 2012
Anniversary: 10 years
Genre: Noise/Post-Rock
The vast majority of the time, I don’t actually know if an album is going to leave a lasting impression when I first hear it (despite the many insta-5’s). There are LPs that seem immediate and others that feel like they’ll end up growing, but no matter how I feel about them initially, time is the only real measuring stick when it comes to determining a classic. With that said, there have been very, very few records (in fact, only two come to mind) that were so towering and so unique that the second I laid ears upon them, I just knew. Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell was the first, and Swans’ The Seer was the second. In The Seer‘s case, it had such an impact on me because I’d literally never heard anything even remotely close to it in style or breadth. It demolished me upon first listen, leaving goosebumps on my skin and my jaw upon the floor. The second, third, and fourth listens yielded the same results. Now, ten years and countless listens later, my reaction to The Seer hasn’t changed one bit.
This is an unsettling experience that makes you feel like you’re living in an eerie post-apocalyptic realm: there’s witch incantations (‘Lunacy’), weird quiet laments (‘The Wolf’), sprawling 32-minute drone tracks (‘The Seer’), creepy-as-all-fuck borderline-industrial rockers (‘The Seer Returns’), the aching, creaking, churning wheels of hell (’93 Ave. B Blues’)…and that’s all before…
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