Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 28th, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/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: September 28, 2018 –
Against The Current: Past Lives
Genre: Pop Rock/Alternative
Label: WEA
All Them Witches: ATW
Genre: Stoner Rock/Psychedelic
Label: New West
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 21st, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/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: September 21, 2018 –
Aborted: TerrorVision
Genre: Death Metal/Grind
Label: Century Media
Amy Helm: This Too Shall Light
Genre: Folk
Label: Yep Roc
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 14th, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/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
Thrice: Palms
Genre: Alternative Rock/Post-Hardcore
Label: Epitaph
Still going strong after nine LP’s, Thrice are embarking upon a benchmark with the release of their 10th full length album, Palms. The album comes on the heels of 2016’s To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere, arguably their most politically charged record that followed a five year hiatus. After a winding career that saw them dominate post-hardcore and atmospheric indie-rock, they’ve lately settled into more of an alternative rock groove – but it would not be surprising at all if Palms had some tricks up its sleeve. As one of the biggest and most anticipated albums of this week (and of 2018), our staff ranked their top 10 songs to date. Be sure to check that out along with the single below.
Thrice is one of the most versatile bands of our generation, evolving from a post-hardcore outfit to atmospheric rockers and even political statesmen. Their rise in the early 2000’s peaked with The Artist In The Ambulance and Vheissu, but they’ve aged even better – with The Alchemy Index proving their experimental worth and Beggars offering some of their most important lyrical content to date. With Palms a mere week away from release, our staff felt that there would be no better time to reflect upon the top ten songs of this influential, generational band. With so much superb content to choose from, it just might have been our toughest ranking so far.
(10) Open Water
from the album The Alchemy Index Vol. II: Water
Thrice’s Water EP once provided me with one of the most transportative listening experiences of my life, which is strange because to this day I’ll reach for Fire or Air in a pinch every time. But in my childhood home, surrounded by mist like it frequently was and weirdly elevated from ground level at the back window like it always was, I sat listening to “Open Water” and staring out into a back garden I couldn’t see past a couple of metres. Some combination of Kensrue’s bone-weary mariner’s narration, the muffled dirge of the music and the weather outside made my teenage self feel in another place and time entirely, the first instance I can remember…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 7th, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/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
Clutch – Book of Bad Decisions Genre: Hard Rock / Stoner Rock / Blues Label: Weathermaker
The ever-enduring groove/funk/blues/stoner/boogie masterminds might be 25 years removed from their debut, but there are no signs of slowing down for the Maryland-based quartet. Instead, the band have settled into a sweet spot with their genre-bending formula, tweaking elements and ingredients album-by-album so that each record is a sonic shape-shifter (bringing in producer Vance Powell once again) while adhering to the Clutch blueprint. Book of Bad Decisions keeps this train running, bringing in additional brass instrumentation to complement the ‘weaponized funk’ on lead single “In Walks Barbarella”, while the slide guitar-laden “Hot Bottom Feeder” – complete with Maryland crab cakes recipe in the video – and rollicking “Gimme the Keys” further illustrate the record’s diversity in sound. There’s plenty of snarky social commentary as well – see “How to Shake Hands” for instance – and the album’s fervent energy parallels the band’s… 25 years and counting!
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 31st, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/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
Alkaline Trio: Is This Thing Cursed? Genre: Pop-Punk / Punk / Alternative Label: Epitaph
Is This Thing Cursed?, the band’s ninth LP, is their first in five years. From the underwhelming run of Agony & Irony, This Addiction, and My Shame is True to Matt Skiba joining up with blink-182 in 2015, it seemed as though Alkaline Trio might have been on life support. In the spirit of NCAA football starting up, though, we turn to the inimitable Lee Corso, who might say: “Not so fast, my friend!” Long known for their darkness and acerbic bite in comparison to the Sum 41s or aforementioned blinks of the pop-punk sphere, songs like “Demon and Division” are reminiscent of what you might hear on Maybe I’ll CatchFire, “I Can’t Believe” spins a caustic view of current American politics, and “Goodbye Fire Island” intersects Lord of the Flies imagery with the unmitigated disaster that was the Fyre Festival. Coupled with pre-release singles “Blackbird” and the title track (the latter of which kicks off the record and is the first…
A Conversation With:
Jordan C. Weinstock of
american poetry club
There are few bands I can claim to have discovered at the moment of their inception — or, at least, upon their first release. Jordan C. Weinstock’s american poetry club (apc) is one of them, however, and glad to be here, etcetera is a project that enamoured me on first listen. I’ve user Conmaniac to thank for that, as well as for this chance to interview Jordan. The fact that We Are Beautiful, Even When We Are Broken! is apc’s second full-length within the span of a year is no detriment to my interest either. With We Are Beautiful…, apc have crafted a seamless opus, and an immaculate piece of emo music. I sat down with Jordan to speak with him about it. —BlushfulHippocrene
Blush: So, to start: care to explain for our readers, who – or what – is american poetry club?
Jordan: [a]merican poetry club (apc) started out as just me, with a little help here-and-there from a few pals. It was mostly a side project to my old band The Chair Enthusiasts. I was having a tough time as my mom went through chemotherapy, and writing songs was an active coping method of mine, so those first songs were just stabs at helping myself feel better. I felt they didn’t quite fit the Chair Enthusiasts vibe, and I really like coming up with band names [laughs] so I decided to make them into…
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.
A lot has happened since the release of Brand New’s presumed swan song, Science Fiction. Released just about one year ago (August 17, 2017), the record was initially received to widespread acclaim. It shot to #1 on the Billboard chart, a first in band history despite nonchalantly dropping the album – unannounced – after an eight year absence. It garnered rave reviews. Noisey published an article entitled I Will Fight for Brand New to Be Crowned the Best Band of a Generation. Pitchfork named it Best New Music. The list of accomplishments go on and on. We all know how fleeting that success was though; Brand New’s legacy came to a screeching halt on November 10th when allegations of sexual misconduct arose against front man Jesse Lacey, which were all but confirmed by him a day later when he issued a lengthy response that vaguely acknowledged wrongdoing ( “I am sorry for how I have hurt people, mistreated them, lied, and cheated…”), spoke on the help he has sought since the time of those actions (the claims are from when he was 24…Lacey is now 40), and spoke on repentance (“The fact remains that none of us get to put a wall up between who we are and who we were. I need to earn forgiveness”). Then, just like the eight years that led up to Science Fiction, the band went radio silent. And so did most of their fans.
So why dredge this topic up again? It’s not to force victims to relive their anguish, and it’s…
Sputnikmusic Staff Rankings: Top 10 Say Anything Songs
Preface:
As one of pop-punk’s most beloved bands, Say Anything rose to fame during the peak of the scene’s early-mid 2000’s success. They weren’t merely the beneficiaries of a booming genre, however; the band helped define what pop-punk meant, and they continue to influence up-and-coming artists spanning multiple genres today. Their work ranges from silly/borderline offensive to earnest and heartfelt, but for the most part Say Anything are just a damned happy band. At their best, they’ve featured intelligent, addictive, irony-filled lyrics with diverse, catchy melodies that leave nary a space for filler. Say Anything were – and some may argue still are – a staple of the pop-punk genre that will always resonate with fans. As a result, our staff felt compelled to rank their top ten songs in a definitive list. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below – or just jam the spotify playlist and sing along at the top of your lungs. Admit it (!!!), you know you want to.
(10) An Insult to the Dead
from the album In Defense of the Genre
As of this writing I am the last (or among the last) to submit my blurb for our project, despite a weekend of long train rides and a relatively slow Monday. “An Insult to the Dead” is a treatise on one…
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
The topic of enjoying and supporting artists of questionable moral reputation is one that I often find myself dwelling upon and discussing with others. The variety of takes on the subject are wide and interesting and, unlike a multitude of other topics, a large amount of these positions are thoughtful and sensical. The topic itself is rooted in concepts of personal ethics, the place of art in society, and how much the artist’s views influence their own work, all of which are thought provoking topics on their own. Yet, no one can objectively say how we should feel and which art should strike us as worth our time (heaven knows Sput has tried…). Yet, still, the topic is endlessly interesting to me, as it’s one that encompasses so much of how we, as people, view the world around us.
At what point does an artist’s actions overshadow their art? Are more personal records more susceptible to being tainted? How much does one’s opinion stem from their own personal morals? Such questions are ones I see being flirted with and danced around often, evolving a specific instance into a much broader topic. Yet, in terms of answers, I somewhat draw a blank. Instead, these questions lead me to even more open thoughts, such as “where do we draw the line” (I’ll be the first to admit said line can be blurry for me) and “can we even justify something as subjective to what messages and frequencies resonate…
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:
![Reduxer [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41TYUiiEglL._SS500.jpg)
![A New Kind of Horror [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Pu-d0uIBL._SS500.jpg)
![Elephants on Acid [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61D9hTInLUL._SS500.jpg)
![TerrorVision [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61z3Uz40veL._SS500.jpg)
![Chris [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61NkyAmO5ML._SS500.jpg)
![Misery [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Z47fUF6HL._SS500.jpg)
![Sweetener [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51o6UVDxM8L._SS500.jpg)
![Nearer My God [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JAu5ms-vL._SS500.jpg)
![Rituals [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61SY61ys72L._SS500.jpg)
