some of my 5s you may have missed
occasionally you come across an album that is tragically unknown despite its brilliance. some are borderline 5s but i always root for the underdog; in no particular order: |
| 1 |  | Sunk Loto
Between Birth and Death
if ld50-era mudvayne and science-era incubus had a baby - absolutely slaps.
check out "5 years of silence" - https://open.spotify.com/track/6hUw3fkL7gcU8sxzvoQP3n |
| 2 |  | David Kauffman and Eric Caboor
Songs From Suicide Bridge
this sounds heavily inspired by kozelek/rhp but it actually precedes them by nearly a decade. warning - very, very emotionally heavy. criminal that this isn't more well known
check out "kiss another day goodbye" - https://open.spotify.com/track/2UkDUfjSAixFUpyWfeOhGZ?si=3bef7b02cd224a7c |
| 3 |  | Great Grandpa
Four of Arrows
hop along-inspired indie grunge with a vocalist that kind of sounds like prime alanis - their new one was pretty good but this one will always define the covid-era for me and it was on repeat when i met my wife. check out - "dark green water" - https://open.spotify.com/track/1AT7v7BrLfBbjQwzsl79Qm?si=c42b4debe65a40a3" |
| 4 |  | Joshua Burnside
Into the Depths of Hell
very creative indie folk with some bon iver influences - another album i listened to on repeat during 2020. check out "whiskey whiskey" - https://open.spotify.com/track/43vE0o1CMPiG0PfDUSgsRU?si=_9y6morRSLuBgvQscZpXvw |
| 5 |  | The Casket Lottery
Survival Is For Cowards
a side project featuring members of coalesce, excellent post-hardcore/indie blend with strictly clean vocals and top notch lyricism. check out "code red" - https://open.spotify.com/track/79Eo9PMHgrMrjFnl72EZ8E?si=ffbf7a663c0d499a |
| 6 |  | Sights and Sounds
Monolith
a side project feautring members of comeback kid, these guys had a bit of success in the late 2000s & early 2010s. mid-career thrice influences and a massive sound produced by devin townsend. check out "sorrows" - https://open.spotify.com/track/072jwPB9Q7GIKgK1UXzg3e?si=6ba770e6160844af |
| 7 |  | Organized Konfusion
Stress: The Extinction Agenda
this is one i hadn't heard until recently, but i have no idea why it's not multiples of ten times larger than it is. these guys absolutely nailed a prog rock/jazz influenced sound blended with outkast/wu-tang style experimental production. check out "stress" - https://open.spotify.com/track/7kcOaMyfSqCCJdoMiDQ0Bg?si=eea9b4d62d084e98 |
| 8 |  | 16 Horsepower
Sackcloth 'n' Ashes
if prime modest mouse leaned into their alt-country side and added gothic influences, you'd come out with this album. there isn't really anything else that sounds quite like it. check out "black soul choir" - https://open.spotify.com/track/1mZmjuLoslfYSEOXojo8BS?si=80e212b145134093 |
| 9 |  | Andy James
Arrival
instrumental metal with some of the greatest songwriting you'll hear anywhere. this guy is fairly well known in the guitarist community but aside from just how insanely difficult most of this is to play, he evokes more emotion than 99.9% of his peers. check out "85" - https://open.spotify.com/track/0Ok8iokIiG7owG91INCiz3?si=0d78e9db6493416f |
| 10 |  | Belvedere
Fast Forward Eats the Tape
skate-punk that influenced protest the hero (fellow canadians) and they should have been canada's answer to a wilhelm scream. highly technical for this style of music and includes several patriotic references. check out "subhuman nature" - https://open.spotify.com/track/5yiGEw5DOCK0QhDNvV5aMr?si=8fc6b0d7f4814599 |
| 11 |  | Atomship
The Crash of `47
prog/hard rock with some of the greatest drumming you will ever hear in your life. it's a damn shame these guys called it quits, they were a one and done but this album is amazing. check out "mothra" - https://open.spotify.com/track/1TkwMaIm2KYnyOg1QiLw2M?si=818dcd79321a4956 |
| 12 |  | For Squirrels
Example
tragic tale, these guys were in an awful car accident before this album was even released and most of them died very young. grungey 90s rock that never got a chance to fly. check out "mighty kc" https://open.spotify.com/track/1abDkawNR5aFFw3gGTBkb8?si=d7e106f7bf9844a4 |
| 13 |  | Ruston Kelly
Halloween
alt country - this guy has a cult following but most haven't heard his first release. kacey musgrave's ex who thrives when it comes to dark subject matter. definitely a heavy listen. check out "black magic" - https://open.spotify.com/track/3ggMZIesAXuDfyKDtwNZFM?si=XxPtyFXdRb62PWSjyDspHw |
| 14 |  | Grandview
Everything Between Paint and a Wall
this is a tough one for me to revisit. first heard it during a brief stint in rehab and it served a purpose but it's a painful listen. an overlooked 2010s emo diamond in the rough. check out "to the sun" - https://open.spotify.com/track/6EQFbIYzjgFKN929ZUWeIy?si=FNx_YElJTE6GoYWYjjAgDQ |
| 15 |  | Gatherers
" ( mutilator. ) "
it's too bad that these guys seem done because they filled a perfect gap in the post hardcore scene. the lovechild of glassjaw and brand new. this album has a few tracks that don't hit quite as hard as the rest, but at their peak this band can punch you in the gut like few others have ever done. check out "twelve omaha solemn certainty" https://open.spotify.com/track/67GmfcT4WuK0QWEHaf6Q7Z?si=h_CltBxeQPa9a88ppt6tjg |
| 16 |  | Blue Rodeo
Five Days in July
canadiana at it's finest - these guys are absolute legends up north and still touring to this day. some of the finest country you'll hear anywhere, and this song is one of the best openers of all time. check out "five days in may' - https://open.spotify.com/track/5AIcpQ7JFM3DZju7bPqb8t?si=3LbaR50aQx6sHEUi2aj0DA |
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