After four long years of inactivity, the SputStaff Top 10 is back! The staff at Sputnikmusic put their heads together and tried to come up with the most badass way to reboot the series, and, uh, the best we could muster was T-Swizzle. She knits sweaters, yo! Anyway she might be the biggest pop star in the entire world, and at just 32 years old, she already has quite the extensive catalog. If you’re anything like us, you’ve spent many sleepless nights tossing and turning in bed wondering what the top 10 Taylor Swift songs are. Thanks to our dedicated staff, you can finally put your mind at ease. We’ve done all the legwork, turned over every stone, and split every hair — so without further ado, I present to you the esteemed and irrefutably correct top 10 Taylor Swift tracks of all time.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 10th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: June 10, 2022 –
Billy Howerdel: What Normal Was
Genre: Alt Rock Label: BMG
Carrie Underwood: Denim & Rhinestones
Genre: Country Label: Capitol
Deathwhite: Grey Everlasting
Genre: Doom / Progressive Metal Label: Season of Mist
Dir En Grey: Phalaris [June 15th]
Genre: Alt Metal / J-Rock Label: Firewall Div.
Downset: Maintain
Genre: Rap Metal / Hardcore Label: Nuclar Blast
The Dream Syndicate: Ultraviolet Battle Hymns and True Confessions
Mason Maggio is a man of many talents. Currently he is the sole member of Souveneer, an indie-folk/rock project formed in 2016, but you might also know him as the lead singer from The Republic of Wolves and Tigers on Trains. I caught up with him recently on the progress of his new EP, the future of his other projects, and even his successful stint on Jeopardy.
In addition to the interview, Maggio has also granted Sputnikmusic exclusive early access to his upcoming song, “Evelyn”, which will be on his 2022 EP Sleep Study. “Evelyn” drops officially on Thursday, June 9th.
You can stream “Evelyn” below, as well as Sleep Study‘s two other already released tracks as you navigate through the interview.
Enjoy!
It’s been a while since we’ve caught up for an interview (2016, to be precise). A lot in the world has changed since then…how are you doing?
A very tough question to start things off! Overall I’ve been well. Without getting into major worldwide events, some of the main happenings in my life since 2016 have been moving from New York to LA, getting a dog, becoming obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons, winning on Jeopardy, meeting/collaborating with some amazing songwriters, and growing enough as a musician and artist to fully embrace my solo project.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 3rd, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: June 3, 2022 –
070 Shake: You Can’t Kill Me
Genre: r&b / Trip Hop / Synthpop Label: GOOD Music
All Get Out: Kodak
Genre: Indie Rock Label: Equal Vision
Andrew Bird: Inside Problems
Genre: Chamber Pop / Indie Folk Label: Loma Vista
Angel Olsen: Big Time
Genre: Singer Songwriter Label: Jagjaguwar
Artificial Brain: Artificial Brain
Genre: Death Metal Label: Profound Lore
Astronoid: Radiant Bloom
Genre: Blackgaze / Progressive Metal Label: MNRK Music
Battlelore: The Return of the Shadow
Genre: Power Metal / Symphonic Metal Label: Napalm
Bleed From Within: Shrine
Genre: Metalcore Label: Nuclear Blast
Crobot: Feel This
Genre: Hard Rock / Stoner Label: Mascot Label Group
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 27th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: May 27, 2022 –
700 Bliss: Nothing to Declare
Genre: Hip Hop / Noise Label: Hyperdub
Alfie Templeman : Mellow Moon
Genre: Indie Pop Label: Chess Club
Al Lover: Cosmic Joke
Genre: Experimental / Electronic / Psychedelic Label: Fuzz Club
Besvärjelsen: Atlas
Genre: Doom / Progressive Rock / Sludge Label: Magnetic Eye
Black Lung: Dark Waves [EP]
Genre: Doom Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Bloodhunter: Knowledge Was The Price
Genre: Melodic Death Metal / Black Metal Label: Maldito
Bong-Ra: Meditations
Genre: Experimental / Doomjazz Label: Tartarus
Cadaveria: Emptiness
Genre: Black Metal / Doom Label: Time to Kill
Church of Disgust: Weakest Is The Flesh
Genre: Death Metal Label: Hells Headbangers
Coheed and Cambria: Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 20th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: May 20, 2022 –
Anvil: Impact Is Imminent
Genre: Heavy Metal Label: AFM
Assumption: Hadean Tides
Genre: Black Metal / Death Metal Label: Sentient Ruin Laboratories
Blut Aus Nord: Disharmonium: Undreamable Abysses
Genre: Black Metal / Experimental Label: Debemur Morti
Carnal Ghoul: Back From the Vault
Genre: OSDM Label: Supreme Chaos
Cave In: Heavy Pendulum
Genre: Post Hardcore / Alternative Label: Relapse
Cities of Mars: Cities of Mars
Genre: Progressive Rock / Stoner Label: Ripple Music
Craig Finn: Legacy Of Rentals
Genre: Singer Songwriter Label: Muy interesante Music / Clarabelle Songs
Drift Into Black: Earthtorn
Genre: Doom / Gothic Metal Label: Black Lion
Evergrey: A Heartless Portrait (The Orphéan Testament)
Genre: Progressive Metal Label: Napalm
Everything Everything: Raw Data Feel
Genre: Indie Pop Label: AWAL Recordings
Flume: Palaces
Genre: Electronic Label: Future Classic
Gronibard: Regarde Les Hommes Sucer
Genre: Grindcore / Goregrind Label: Season of Mist…
“In typical fashion,” a phrase synonymous with Tool and one you’ll be reading a couple of times during this review.
Seventeen years ago, an ex-girlfriend of mine handed me a copy of Ænima and told me to listen to it. At the time, my very limited music taste hadn’t stepped outside of the realm of NU-metal, American Alt-rock/metal, and sporadic classic rock bands, but the seeds from that album would be well and truly planted for what would become a total obsession a couple of years later. With the exception of maybe Linkin Park and DIR EN GREY, I haven’t poured so many hours into a band. Justin Chancellor was a monolith for developing my own bass playing; a player who encouraged people to disregard this dichotomy people had with playing a certain way. Their enigmatic disposition, avoiding the spotlight and being as contrarian as possible only stood to bolster my obsession for the band, and by 2010 my fascination for the band was at its apex.
However, by 2013, with a lack of new material and the constant delays with making what would become Fear Inoculum, as well as never doing their own tours – only doing the odd festival (something I’ve never enjoyed going to) I never got to see them live – I eventually began to lose interest in the band and move my interests elsewhere. By the time Fear Inoculum came out, I was so indifferent to its release, given how much time had passed since…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 13th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: May 13, 2022 –
The Black Keys: Dropout Boogie
Genre: Indie Rock Label: Nonesuch
Bear’s Den: Blue Hours
Genre: Indie Folk / Rock Label: Communion
Cage Fight: Cage Fight
Genre: Hardcore Label: Candlelight / Spinefarm
The Chainsmokers: So Far So Good
Genre: Pop Label: Columbia
Craig David: 22
Genre: r&b / Soul Label: BMG
Corpus Christii: The Bitter End of Old
Genre: Black Metal / Death Metal Label: Immortal Frost Productions
Demiricous: The Chaotic Lethal
Genre: Death Metal Label: Post. Recordings
Ecstatic Vision: Elusive Mojo
Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Stoner Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Elcamino: Let There Be Light
Genre: Hip Hop Label: Anti Gun Violence Co.
Emma Ruth Rundle: Eg2: Dowsing Voice
Genre: Ambient / New Age / Drone Label: Sargent House
I’ve seen HEALTH on several occasions over the years, and even though their stage production is likely restrained by austere limitations when compared to the band playing in a high-end venue in a capital city, or one of their shows in the States, they’ve always been able to blow it out of the water – no matter where they are playing. Indeed, The White Hotel in Salford is probably the most austere venue I’ve seen them playing in; a venue that literally looks like it was converted from a car garage into a music venue. A solid bare-brick-walled room with a towering PA system and a little stage in the corner. The room was pitch black, bar the slender beams of blue and red stage lighting breaking through the dense darkness and waves of stage smoke, while Max Payne 3’s most poignant track “Pain” played in the background before the band came onto the stage.
One thing that should be mentioned is that HEALTH approach their shows slightly differently to the myriad of other bands I’ve seen over the years. For these guys it’s clear, first and foremost, the music is paramount. That’s not to disparage other artists who perform live, but there’s a brazen and abrupt way to how HEALTH perform live. There’s no banter – bar the quick sentence Jake gets in halfway through the set, thanking everyone who came out to see them play – and most welcoming of all, they never do encores and haven’t done…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 6th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: May 6, 2022 –
!!!: Let It Be Blue
Genre: Indie-Rock/Post-Punk/Funk
Label: Warp
Arcade Fire: WE
Genre: Indie-Rock/Indie-Pop
Label: Columbia
AWOLNATION: My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers, and Me
Genre: Electronic/Indie-Pop
Label: Better Noise Music
Belle and Sebastian: A Bit of Previous
Genre: Indie-Pop/Indie-Folk
Label: Matador
Cosmic Putrefaction: Crepuscular Dirge For The Blessed Ones
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Profound Lore
Halestorm: Back From The Dead
Genre: Hard Rock/Pop Rock
Label: Atlantic
Haunter (USA-TX): Discarnate Ails
Genre: Death/Black Metal
Label: Profound Lore
Ibaraki: Rashomon
Genre: Black Metal/Metalcore/Heavy Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 29th, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: April 29, 2022 –
Alexia Avina: A Little Older
Genre: Dream Pop / Singer Songwriter Label: Lost Map
Al-Namrood: Worship the Degenerate
Genre: Black Metal Label: Shaytan productions
And Hell Followed With: Quietus
Genre: Deathcore Label: Hallowed
Archive: Call to Arms & Angels
Genre: Alt Rock / Electronic Label: Dangervisit
Bloc Party: Alpha Games
Genre: Indie Rock Label: BMG
Blossoms: Ribbon Around The Bomb
Genre: Indie Rock Label: EMI
Congotronics International: Where’s The One
Genre: Root Rock / World Music Label: Crammed Discs
Courtney Swain: Silver Lining
Genre: Indie Rock / Singer Songwriter Label: Self Released / Many Hats Distribution
It’s 4:30pm on a dull, grey Tuesday afternoon in Manchester. The band have just arrived at their next gig, The White House in Salford; a music venue arbitrarily situated in an industrial estate just on the outer rim of the city. It begins to rain as I stand in the doorway of the club, staring at the factory buildings in the distance as they pump out light hues of smoke from their tall chimneys – towering over mesh fences and brick walls laced in barbed wire, with broken glass scattered all over the dilapidated roads. I chuckle over how perfectly this environment encapsulates the band’s image. John Famiglietti approaches me with his typically jovial disposition and asks if I want a beer while they get ready for soundcheck. The band are slightly jetlagged from their flight a day or so ago, but they’re in good spirits as they titter and jest over various things whilst setting up their equipment. Shortly after, as with my own assessment of the area, the band’s guitarist and singer, Jake Duzsik, gleams “this place is so Manchester, I love it!” For those who have felt the post-punk undertones (Joy Division, New Order) in the band’s works, talking to Jake affirms that influence, as it’s clear he has a huge amount of reverence for this city – which is largely down to the pantheon of incredibly important bands who spearheaded the post-punk movement in the 80s. After a little small talk about how the tour…
“Oldest Daughter” finds The Wonder Years both maturing and, um, dematuring. “Oldest Daughter” sees the pop punk powerhouses return to the generation of The Greatest Generation in more ways than one. The track is a direct sequel to that album’s acoustic number “Madelyn” and, musically, this is the most pop punk they’ve sounded since The Greatest Generation (arguably since Suburbia). The structure is that of a classic pop punk song: Verse -> pre-chorus -> chorus -> repeat -> bridge -> end with a chorus. The chorus rips, there’s a chugging guitar riff, there are some sing-a-long echoes, and it never slows down for a “quiet” section. In other words, “Oldest Daughter” sounds like everything you would want from a pop-punk song in 2012, just a decade too late.
Yet, somehow, “Oldest Daughter” is also maybe the most mature that The Wonder Years have ever sounded. Dan Campbell has developed a deeper control of his voice since the release of Sister Cities five years ago (the vibrato!). The production sounds much cleaner than their previous two releases, yet still rough enough that it avoids sounding sterile (the harmonies!). Campbell has also clearly taken some influence from Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties in his lyrics, as the storytelling style that The Wonder Years already lean into is transformed into an even more literal style, sharing the heartbreaking story of what Madelyn’s life has turned into in the ten years since (the imagery!).
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of April 22nd, 2022. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: April 22, 2022 –
Alex G: We’re All Going to the World’s Fair
Genre: Soundtrack Label: Milan
Amenra / Cave In / Marissa Nadler: Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol. III
Genre: Folk (Covers) Label: Neurot
Armory: Mercurion
Genre: Heavy Metal Label: Dying Victims Productions
KILL or KEEP is back and we are doing the White Album! We have never done the White Album before, and this is quite important to stress because why the hell hadn’t we? It is the Beatles’ longest album. Is it their magnum opus? Some people think so, and most of them are wrong about literally everything! Let’s show those frauds! But first, we will go so far as to tender an apology for not already having KILLed and KEPT it, reasons for which go something along the lines of:
“Hey Phero, when are we going to KILL or KEEP the White Album?”
“Idk man sounds like a great idea. Sounds perfect. Let’s get porc and do it!”
“Sweet yeah, good shout. porc would be perf for this rofl. Hold on one sec, I’ll get in touch…”
70000 unanswered voicemails and two months later.
“Hey Johnny, remember when we had that great idea about KILLing or KEEPing the White album?”
“Oh shit man yeah, that was such a good plan why haven’t we done it yet?”
“Um no idea, but shall we do it now?”
“Yes let’s, actually wait, how about we do an actual good double album that everyone agrees is good instead?”
![folklore [Explicit]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91PYDrG2ejL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![folklore: the long pond studio sessions (from the Disney+ special) (deluxe edition) [Explicit]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71MnkZETNhL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
