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…
ajcollins15: The Third Side of the Coin
Welcome to The Morning Show
The Sputnik Music Morning Show are delighted to have been joined live by renowned music critic ajcollins15, nominee for the 2022 Nobel Laureate of Literature and purveyor of pertinent pop. Listen in for our exclusive interview!
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
ajcollins15, hello! It’s a delight to have you on the Morning Show today. Listeners all across the country are tuning in as we speak – would you introduce yourself for them?
I have listened to a lot of explorative metal music out there.
Awesome, and how’ve you been doing lately?
With Covid-19 being the dominant threat of 2020, millions and millions of people have been affected by it in one way or another.
For real. It’s brought the whole world together!
The biggest downside is that the cohesiveness in everything is a bit static.
Yuh-huh.
However, there is a much deeper understanding here that I feel many will miss; life is short and time moves fast.
Too true. Does this have much of an impact on your writing? How do you aim to write?
With a lot of class and a ton of self-reflection that we all kind of need in this transition period out of pandemic season.
Great to hear from someone…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 26th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: August 26, 2022 –
Altered Images: Mascara Streakz
Genre: Indie Pop
Label: Cooking Vynil
Becoming The Archetype: Children Of The Great Extinction
Genre: Tech Death / Deathcore
Label: Solid State
Blackbear: In Loving Memory
Genre: Pop Punk
Label: Alamo / Columbia
Bret McKenzie: Songs Without Jokes
Genre: Singer Songwriter
Label: Sub Pop
Brymir: Voices In The Sky
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Napalm
Butch Walker: Butch Walker As…Glenn
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Ruby Red
Current Value: Platinum Scatter
Genre: drum & bass
Label: YUKU
The Dangerous Summer: Coming Home
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: Rude
Declaime and Madlib: In The Beginning Vol. 2
Genre: Hip Hop
Label: FB Distribution
Diamanda Galas: Broken Gargoyles
Genre: Experimental / Avant Garde
Label: Intravenal Sound
Dirty Heads: Midnight Control
Genre: Indie…
Band photo by Charley Shillabeer
From left to right: Chris Fielding, Jon Davis, Johnny King
One of the heaviest doom/sludge metal acts out there at the moment, Conan have gradually ascended to the top tier of the respective scene with a number of strong records over the past decade. Blending slow, crushing riffs with fast, scorching ones, the US loans-cash.net trio goes all in on their latest LP, Evidence of Immortality. Perhaps their most consistent release so far, this collection of songs displays fine samples of all their sonic strengths, with a touch of dark humor as well. I reached out to the group to find out more about it and thankfully, founding member Jon Davis (vocals/guitar) shared more insight into Evidence of Immortality, the gear he’s been using lately and how important is the image to a band today, among other topics.
Hi! You are back this year with your 5th studio album. How was Evidence of Immortality born? Did the last couple of years affect the creative process in any way?
Hey yeah, the last couple of years were weird as fuck weren’t they? For us it kinda helped, because it helped us slow down the process and take our time more during the writing phase. It was pretty difficult to not be able to rehearse in the same room, but it worked out in the end.
Your previous album, Existential Void Guardian focused on shorter, immediate tracks, whereas Evidence of Immortality…
“Let us die, let us die, and dying we reply:
someday I’ll find me.”
These two lines bookend the discography of mewithoutYou. One screamed out in anguish, in a voice furious at the world and itself, already resigned to a darker fate; one sung peacefully, almost with acceptance, as if the 16 years inbetween were just a pitstop on a lifelong journey of self-discovery. What a stop it was, though: crafty foxes and existential elephants, porcupines with threatening auras and spiders on leaves, apocalyptic prophecies and silly little fables. I could write for days and not begin to sift the multitudes mewithoutYou contained – truly, if any band has ever had cause to lay claim to being more than just the members it was comprised of, this was the one. Perhaps if I stick to their final night, I may find the words before the world ends.
mewithoutYou played their last show on August 20th 2022, and it’s hard to ask for a better setlist with which to say goodbye. Having burned through the big fan favourites on night one, the second night of the farewell tour was almost wall-to-wall deep cuts that would never get airtime within the confines of a normal tour. From their early rippers, receiving one final acknowledgement (god did “Bullet to Binary” go off though) to mid-career deep cuts that rank as some of the band’s best (“Nine Stories”, “The King Beetle on a Coconut Estate” and the bizarrely overlooked “Bethlehem, WV”) to a…
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