It’s probably been since 2006’s The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me since I’ve heard a band this accurately summarize a total loss of hope and innocence. The overarching theme damns both politics and society, deeming both “fucked” as guitar chords slash away at listeners’ optimism for the better part of forty-five minutes. Tim Kasher laments the abuse of power and financial wealth (“The one percent live in high rises, they block out the sun”), a self-prioritizing civilization (“Society has got a heinous case of crabs, everybody’s got an itch to scratch”), and endless blame (“Rampant politicizing, this constant finger wagging”) – occasionally wrapping it all up into plainly stated disgust, as he does on “Ghost Writer” when he resigns his outlook to a bleak “This world has never felt less inviting to me.” The culmination of this miserable album is a seven minute all-damning epic, in which Kasher lists a series of things that used to give him hope, then swats down each one with a reason why it is corrupted. Vitriola is a shattering and sadly all-too-truthful narrative. –Sowing
Here’s a list of major new releases for the month of December (2018). Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors. As the year draws to a close the number of noteworthy releases tends to shrink, but do not despair – we have a number of exciting features on the way! This will include, but is not limited to: Staff Top 50 Albums of 2018, Users Top 50 Albums of 2018, and individual staff year-end lists. And of course, we will return stronger than ever with our weekly release calendar in January 2019. From the staff here at Sputnikmusic, we wish all of you a wonderful and safe holiday season!
– List of Releases: December 7, 2018 –
AFI: The Missing Man
Genre: Alt-Rock/Punk
Label: Rise
Brett Young: Ticket To L.A.
Genre: Pop Country
Label: BMX
Canon: Home
Genre: Rap
Label: Reflection Music Group / EMPIRE
Coldplay: Live In Buenos Aires / Live In São Paulo
Genre: Pop/Rock
Label: Parlophone UK
Gotthard: Defrosted 2
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Nuclear Blast
Hammock: Universalis
Genre: Ambient/Post-Rock
Label: Hammock Music
Jason Becker: Triumphant Hearts
Genre: Heavy Metal/Classical
Label: Music Theories
Welcome back to the greatest show on the internet!
The SMA’s have returned!
Duh – Sowing’s Music Awards? It’s cute that you pretended to forget – it’s only the biggest name in sputnik user profile, end-of-year, blog-based award shows. It’s kind of a big deal.
So anyway, after a one year absence, the SMA’s are back in full force to rock your world. Forget the Grammy’s – they’re a joke. Teen Choice Awards? God help us. This is where you want to look for the best music of 2018: A place where only exceptional music earns the spotlight, and only the very best wins (Well, unless it’s one of the worst of the year categories – a brand new feature! But I won’t give anything else away.)
There’s a plethora of fun categories this year, but no award is more coveted than the seriously cool shit AOTY trophy [pictured below]. Low Roar, Sufjan Stevens, and Yellowcard (lol) have all come away with it before, and last year it would have been Manchester Orchestra. In the meanwhile, we’ve seen distinguished nominees such as Radiohead, The Antlers, and Fleet Foxes walk away empty-handed. It just goes to show that I don’t give a shit, and this is my show.
I’m still accepting offers to host the show. Judio (remember him? wasn’t he a contributor or something?) still has permanent dibs, but seeing as…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 30, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: November 30, 2018 –
The 1975: A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
Genre: Indie-Pop/Alt-Rock
Label: Polydor
Alessia Cara: The Pains of Growing
Genre: Pop/R&B
Label: Equal Vision Records
Bryan Ferry: Bitter-Sweet
Genre: Pop
Label: BMG
Clean Bandit: What Is Love?
Genre: Pop/Electronic
Label: Atlantic
Daniel Romano: Finally Free
Genre: Folk/Country
Label: New West
Jeff Tweedy: WARM
Genre: Folk/Americana/Indie-Rock
Label: dBpm
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 23, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: November 23, 2018 –
Art Brut: Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!
Genre: Indie-Rock/Pop
Label: Alcopop!
Bauhaus: The Bela Session
Genre: Post-Punk/Gothic
Label: Leaving
Cattle Decapitation: Medium Rarities
Genre: Grind/Death Metal
Label: Metal Blade
Dan Reed Network: Origins
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Zero One
Ed Harcourt: Beyond The End
Genre: Indie-Rock
Label: Point of Departure
In The Woods…: Cease The Day
Genre: Black/Progressive Metal
Label: Debemur Morti Productions
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 16, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: November 16, 2018 –
Anderson .Paak: Oxnard
Genre: R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop
Label: Aftermath
Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness: Upside Down Flowers
Genre: Pop/Rock
Label: Fantasy
Azusa: Heavy Yoke
Genre: Progressive/Thrash Metal
Label: Solid State
Eiko Ishibashi: The Dream My Bones Dream
Genre: Pop
Label: Drag City
Esben And The Witch: Nowhere
Genre: Post-Rock/Shoegaze
Label: Season of Mist
The Good, The Bad & The Queen: Merrie Land
Genre: Indie Pop/Alternative Rock
Label: Studio 13
John Mellencamp: Other People’s Stuff
Genre: Folk/Americana
Label: Republic
Little Mix: LM5
Genre: Pop
Label: Columbia
Mariah Carey: Caution
Genre: Pop/R&B
Label: Epic
Mark Knopfler: Down The Road Wherever
Genre: Blues/Folk/Country
Label: Blue Note
Memphis May Fire: Broken
Genre: Metalcore/Post-Hardcore
Label: Rise
Michael Bublé: Love
Genre: Jazz/Pop
Label: Reprise
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 9, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: November 9, 2018 –
All That Remains: Victim Of The New Disease
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Razor & Tie
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 2, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: November 2, 2018 –
Alias & Doseone: Less is Orchestra
Genre: Hip-Hop/Electronic
Label: Anticon.
All Get Out: No Bouquet
Genre: Indie-Rock/Alt/Emo
Label: Equal Vision Records
Arsis: Visitant
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Audiotopsy: The Real Now
Genre: Hard Rock/Nu-Metal/Progressive
Label: MRI
Beacon: Gravity Pairs
Genre: Indie-Pop/Electronic
Label: Ghostly International
Bill Ryder-Jones: Yawn
Genre: Folk/Indie
Label: Domino Recording Co.
Dan Mangan: More Or Less
Genre: Folk/Indie-Rock
Label: Arts & Crafts Productions Inc.
Dead Can Dance: Dionysus
Genre: Gothic/Folk/Post-Punk
Label: [PIAS]
Devil Master: Manifestations
Genre: Black Metal/Punk
Label: Relapse
Marianne Faithfull: Negative Capability
Genre: Pop/Folk
Label: BMG Rights Management France
Moonface: This One’s For The Dancer & This One’s For The Dancer’s Bouquet
Genre: Indie-Pop/Rock
Label: Jagjaguwar
Mother Feather: Constellation Baby
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Metal Blade
The Ocean: Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic
Genre: Post Metal/Progressive/Sludge
Label: Metal Blade
The Prodigy: No Tourists
Genre: Electronic/Techno
Label: BMG Rights Management (UK)
Sun Kil Moon: This Is My Dinner
Genre: Folk/Indie-Rock
Label: Caldo Verde
Sylvaine: Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone
Genre: Shoegaze/Post Metal/Black Metal
Label: Season of Mist
Tenacious D: Post-Apocalypto
Genre: Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Label: Columbia
Witherfall: A Prelude To Sorrow
Genre: Power/Heavy/Progressive Metal
Label: Century Media
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 26th, 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
Julia Holter: Aviary
Genre: Ambient/Pop/Experimental
Label: Domino Recording Co.
Julia Holter has emerged over the past decade – and especially in the last five years – as one of the premier experimental artists in pop. 2013’s Loud City Song and 2015’s Have You In My Wilderness were both different strands of beautiful, offering breathtaking melodies atop mesmerizing soundscapes. Aviary figures to keep the trend going, as we witness Holter in her prime and at the top of her collective game. Dip your feet into “I Shall Love 2”, the album’s lead single, below:
– List of Releases: October 26th, 2018 –
Bloodbath: The Arrow Of Satan Is Drawn
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Peaceville
Boy George And Culture Club: Life
Genre: Pop/New Wave
Label: BMG
Daughters: You Won’t Get What You Want
Genre: Noise Rock/Grind/Post-Hardcore
Label: Ipecac
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 19th, 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
Greta Van Fleet: Anthem Of The Peaceful Army
Genre: Rock/Blues
Label: Republic
The other day I played a Greta Van Fleet song for my wife, who barely listens to music that was made before the 2000’s. “Is this Led Zeppelin?”, she innocently inquired. I corrected her – “No.” “Oh”, she said, “They sound just like them except not as good.” “Yes, yes they do”, I replied. We rode the rest of the way to the grocery in awkward silence.
– List of Releases: October 19th, 2018 –
Ace Frehley: Spaceman
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Entertainment One
Amaranthe: Helix
Genre: Power Metal/Melodic Death Metal
Label: Universal Music Oy
Cloud Nothings: Last Building Burning
Genre: Indie-Rock/Lo-Fi/Punk
Label: Carpark
Disturbed: Evolution
Genre: Nu-Metal/Hard Rock
Label: Reprise
Elle King: Shake The Spirit
Genre: Pop/Blues/Country
Label: RCA
Is there an artist from the 2000’s who is bigger than Kanye West? If not, he’s at least somewhere in the top 5…and regardless of whether or not you love him or hate him – whether you find his antics annoying or endearing – the man can sure as hell write music. Kanye’s rise to stardom coincided with the growth of internet culture, and as such, his footprint is all over Sputnik. Our staff grew up listening to his music, so we’ve decided to take his his entire body of work into consideration for the construction of a Top 10 Songs list. There are sure to be predictable entries as well as some surprises. Check out our carefully curated list, and be sure to comment with your own!
(10) Father Stretch My Hands
from the album The Life of Pablo
Both parts of “Father Stretch My Hands” are a ridiculous fucking mess. I mean they’re like a quickfire montage of unfinished songs dating anywhere from 808s through to Yeezus, featuring not one but two of West’s greatest choruses that could easily grace chart-topping stadium hits, but in very Life of Pablo fashion instead wrap around the famous bleached asshole, a…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 12th, 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
Allelic: The Smoke of Atavistic Fires
Genre: Black Metal/Folk
Label: The Green Man
Created by one of this site’s very own users, lalchimiste, The Smoke of Atavistic Fires is a metal/folk album worthy of high acclaim. With full, rich sounding textures and a seamless blend of harrowing black metal and lush folk, this debut record ensures that Allelic will become a name you should know. This isn’t your typical low-budget indie metal project — brace yourself for something more on par with Agalloch or Opeth. Yeah, it’s really that good. You can stream the LP in its entirety here.
– List of Releases: October 12th, 2018 –
Allelic: The Smoke of Atavistic Fires
Genre: Black Metal/Folk
Label: The Green Man
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 5th, 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
mewithoutYou: [Untitled]
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Indie-Rock
Label: Run For Cover
mewithoutYou’s 7th full-length LP feels destined for big things. The band has never shied away from experimenting with styles, and [Untitled] is one of their rawest, sludgiest endeavors to date. There are moments where Weiss sounds like he’s the last man on Earth, screaming questions that have no answers. It’s the best of Pale Horses met with a little A->B Life and Catch For Us The Foxes. Any true fan of the band will salivate. For an appetizer, check out the pre-released singles below. Alternatively, you can stream the entire release here.:
– List of Releases: October 5th, 2018 –
Adrianne Lenker: abysskiss
Genre: Folk
Label: Saddle Creek
A Place To Bury Strangers: Re-Pinned
Genre: Noise Rock/Shoegaze
Label: Dead Oceans
A Storm Of Light: Anthroscene
Genre: Post-Metal/Sludge
Label: Translation Loss
My attention first turned towards Basalte, a black metal band based in Montréal, when I heard their 2018 sophomore release, Vertige [lit. “vertigo”]. It’s at once desolate, bleak, towering, and yet intensely heartfelt at its most elegant moments; listen closely and the nuances will surely envelop you. I spoke to the band’s drummer, L, to learn more about the band and their compositions; we also discussed band optics, songwriting processes, and the state of black metal. In regards to Vertige, L was particularly proud of how its technical aspects came together: the album did not involve digital delay or reverb, and a conscious choice was made to avoid studios in lieu of specific, unconventional places that would provide the exact acoustics desired.
*This interview has been edited and condensed.
Claire: First, I wanted to know about how your band chooses to present itself, especially in the age of social media and constant exposure. Do you find anonymity to be more useful than ever, in a social media-saturated environment?
L: There are many answers to this question. The first one is that I personally don’t really like associating faces too much with the music I listen to, and the fact that metal is one of the genres where bands tend to not put their image too much upfront… well, that’s not true of all metal, but for example, Deathspell Omega — or…
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
![Live In Buenos Aires [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wAcQGL3OL._SS500.jpg)
![Heart to Mouth [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41G6XqwL8SL._SS500.jpg)
![A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31Ncg-T41kL._SS500.jpg)
![What Is Love? (Deluxe) [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51xjKVPpeNL._SS500.jpg)
![Afterlife [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61gw8ttMCZL._SS500.jpg)
![Phoenix (Deluxe) [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41B0YjHO7ZL._SS500.jpg)
![Oxnard [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/411UtUzAyQL._SS500.jpg)
![Upside Down Flowers [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51nIwoME85L._SS500.jpg)
![Caution [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/516CY8wlZAL._SS500.jpg)
![Victim of the New Disease [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51trytpqtJL._SS500.jpg)
![A Patient Man [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51U74oZvEaL._SS500.jpg)
![Constellation Baby [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/618Kx5CLXWL._SS500.jpg)
![Post-Apocalypto [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61XdqLc%2B66L._SS500.jpg)
![Helix [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61iekfQ4djL._SS500.jpg)
![Us [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41X0Ra0UHYL._SS500.jpg)
![[Untitled] Album](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Yig76akQL._SX522_.jpg)
![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)
