Vitaziling tunes that work faster than a stream of caffeine
24 March 2026
British rock giants MUSE, fronted by the emo-loaded Matt Bellamy
started their triumphant odyssey back in 1994. WTF! That’s 32 years
ago. Stop the clocks.
It’s been 4 years since their latest album Will Of The People, hit planet Earth.
Press info: “Muse are a culturally-attuned, genre-defying band who channel the anxieties of each era—technology, power, rebellion, and identity—into maximalist, stadium-ready rock that evolves with the times while staying unmistakably Muse.”
Along with the news, the band dropped the first single, titled BE WITH YOU.
Pure MUSE. Another bombast-fueled nugget powered by booming synths, Bellamy‘s hysterical guitar entering the room midway, and his melodramatic vocals.
Californian heavyweight rockers VAN HALEN (1972–1999, 2003–2020)
scored their first No. 1 album in the US with their 7th, named 5150.
It topped the charts on 24 March 1986, today 40 yearsago.
It was the first of 4 LPs with red rocker Sammy Hagar on vocals,
replacing David Lee Roth, who left to pursue a solo career. He
would return in 2007.
Many called the new incarnation Van Hagar. The nickname was so ubiquitous that,
as Hagar later pointed out in a book, record label Warner Bros asked to consider
renaming the band as such. The Van Halen brothers refused.
The LP’s artwork features an Art Deco depiction ofAtlas
kneeling while holding a mirror-polished metallic sphere
on his shoulders.
Rolling Stone‘s verdict: “Part of Eddie Van Halen’s cheeky genius lies in his ability to think in terms of both complex orchestration and rock banalities. Eddie can still split the atom with his axe, and he knows it. It’s a Van Halen world with or without David Lee Roth, and 5150 shoots off all the bombastic fireworks of a band at the peak of its powers.”
UNCUT Magazine (British music monthly): “Momentum sags somewhat over its lengthy duration, but it also unquestionably features some of their finest, and funkiest, work to date.”
TUTV: Vintage electro pop bliss, the Ladytron way. Sticky, soothing New Order– and Pet Shop Boys-like melodies are nested within waves of scintillating synth radiance, while silvery vocals add tranquillising vibes. EBM for daydreamers.
KEY TRACKS: In Believe In You / Kingdom Undersea / A Death In London /
Caught In The Blink Of An Eye / Metaphysica and Solid Light
Press info: “It’s a record born from necessity rather than momentum, written during
a period when Hillig had nearly walked away from music altogether, and found himself worse for it. What emerged instead is his most vital and clear-eyed work to date, an
album shaped by collapse, community, and the unglamorous work of staying alive.”
TUTV: KAH’s warm and enthralling Americana voice injects his mixed-emotions songs with a puissant Tom Petty swagger, a rock-solid John Mellencamp zip, and, at times, a Billy Bragg tenacity.
Hillig‘s versatile songwriting skills shine throughout this highly appealing
and enrapturing record. I’ll have it on my earphones for a long time.
KEY TRACKS: The Horrible Truth / Divorce Of Course Of Course / Jules Can You See Me? / Something Is Different / Our Remaining Pig / We Were Right (‘Til We Were Wrong)
Band: CHALK Who: Earthshaking electro junks from Belfast, Ireland.
Album:CRYSTALPUNK
Their debut, following 3 EPs
over the past 4 years.
NME: “A knockout collection of arresting dance-punk. Ultimately, for all the personal meaning poured into ‘Crystalpunk’, it’s an album about unity. The unity in the oppositional soundscapes Chalk pull together, and the connection that’s possible once your individuality becomes a badge of pride. Because in ‘Crystalpunk’, there is something to believe in.”
TUTV: Decibel alarm! Chalk bombard your eardrums with a flaming flurry of disco-punk torpedoes. A sonic storm of nuclear projectiles put the flexibility of the Richter scale to the test. Think Depeche Mode on a ton of steroids. Let’s all run downtown, to the nightclub, and get the unifying party that those Irishmen are aiming at started.
Press info: “Jacob the Horse take on the rise of modern fascism, dealing with anxiety, and rallying cries for anarchy and Satan on new. It hits that nostalgic sweet spot of classic punk with elements of grunge, while bringing in tight, modern, folk-punk lyrical content that speaks to the time we’re living in now. It sparks equal parts anger and depression, while making sure we’re all having a great time listening.”
TUTV: Holy smoke! An unstoppable tidal wave of riot-riff-gun punk-rockers attack your stereo, ears and eventually your whole shaking body with a vehement Green Day urgency and targeted Bad Religion discharge. Double middle-finger for all political tyrants.
They’re busy destroying our planet. Let’s chase these scumbags out of here, so all their corrupt BS blows over. While doing so At Least It’s Almost Over will be your call-to-arms soundtrack. Attack. Now.
KEY TRACKS: Bad New Religion / 666 Chicks / The Black Hand / Totally Depressed / Closer
Dwyer: “I feel like it’s every artist’s calling to construct personal messages cloaked
in moments of escapism. It’s a bit of a joyous/sad record dealing with hope and
forgiveness, two things which I hope end up more in my life.”
TUTV: With Damaged Bug, Dwyer demonstrated/demonstrates that he’s way
more than a guitar freak. So, yes, less hyperkinetic electricity, more funky/punky
grooves, spiced with beat-rich percussion, subtle synth textures, and even a sax on the alluring meditation Over-Exposed.
Btw, Dwyer picked these 11 songs from a total of 40 he has written between tours. So, we can expect more bugs in the near future. Does this guy-in-shorts ever sleep?
KEY TRACKS: End Of The War / Hoak / Junk Food / Over-Exposed / Tented Lights
The mighty King released his rock-game-changing, self-named debut LP
on March 23, 1956, today 70 years ago. OMG, 70! This sounds so unreal.
The album spent ten weeks at Number One on the Billboard Top Pop Albums Chart,
the first rock and roll album ever to make it to the top of the charts, and the first
million-selling album of that genre. It also topped the UK Charts.
41 more LPs (compilations not included) would follow.
Back sleeve
The photograph of Elvis on the front cover was taken
at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida
in 1955.
The LP’s graphic styling and photo were also used on
an EP and a double-EP comprising songs from this LP,
also released in March 1956.
The design was echoed by several other artists such
as The Clash for their 1979 double masterpiece album London Calling.
In his first in-depth print interview in 4 years, former Nirvana drummer DAVE GROHL unveils a new chapter in his musical odyssey, previewing Foo Fighters upcoming new albumYour Favorite Toy, which will land
on April 24th.
Check out the 2 tasters (so far).
YOUR FAVORITE TOY
CAUGHT IN THE ECHO
Also in the issue: The Clash back to the beginning; Cocteau Twins’ Liz Fraser speaks; Bad Company’s blues, and soul; Record Store Day’s hidden gems. U2; Booker T; Joe Jackson; Alex Harvey; Sunn O))); Jackie DeShannon; Hiss Golden Messenger; Courtney Pine; The Seeds; The Beat; Chris Rea; Procol Harum and more!
This month’s FREE CD is by none other than Dave Grohl and Nate Mendel from Foo Fighters.
It features Queens Of The Stone Age, David Byrne, Nick Cave, Hüsker Dü, Fat Dog, Pissed Jeans, Kim Gordon, and more!
You can purchase a copy of this new issue and have it sent to your home. Info HERE.
Bernie Taupin (John‘s longtime lyricist): “It’s a pretty simple idea, but one that I think everyone can relate to at one point or another in their life. That whole idealistic feeling people get when they want to save something from dying when they basically know deep down inside that it’s already dead. It’s that heartbreaking, sickening part of love that you wouldn’t wish on anyone if you didn’t know that it’s inevitable that they’re going to experience it one day.”
The now 85-year-old songsmith icon NEIL DIAMOND recorded his
first album, named 12 Songs, with renowned producer Rick Rubin
in 2005.
A second collaborative one, titled Home Before Dark, came out in 2008.
10 other tracks from those same sessions were planned
to be released later as the 3rd LP, but it didn’t happen.
Now the news came in that those tracks will, after all, be out on
a new full-length, titled WILD AT HEART. It’ll see the day of light
on May 8th.
Diamond: “My work with Rick was a labor of love, and I’m so gratified
that these songs will finally be set free into the world to complete our
trilogy of work.”
