NME said: “At best stunning, at worst merely diverting, Monster sounds
like the album they ‘had’ to make, to clear out their system, a simple prop
to occupy our time.”
These feminist girls in a band unleashed their A.W.E.S.O.M.E
6-track EP last week. Buy/stream here.
And opener Boys In A Band is a motherrockin’ standout. A ferocious punk sucker-punch
to crush male machos with. Vocalist/songwriter Phoebe Lunny has 4 lungs and uses them mercilessly and bassist Lilly Macieira-Boşgelmez plays her 4-string louder than war.
2. ‘This Just Ain’t My Year‘ by 32 TENS (Warrington, England)
This vigorous trio of young gunslingers speed full tilt ahead from the get-go.
No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes and creeping under your skin faster than you
can say ripsnorter. A whirlwind of scorching guitars, pounding drumming, a revolving
bass line somewhere in the middle, go-getting vocals, and a dynamite chorus. This is gonna be the year for 32 TENS.
“It’s a liberating, drum-backed anthem that allows the band to
break free from any stress or obligations in pursuit of a good night.”
Good times or bad times, it’s always (in)sane to lose your marbles while diving
into a hot let’s have a ball night, now and then, and go berserk. This manic master
blaster doubles your adrenalin production an make you feel flying eight
miles high while you jump from bar to bar, from club to club.
The Strokes‘ frontman Julian Casablancasand his hobby band are back with this flabbergasting metallic stunner. It goes forth and back, left and right, slow and fast as if Casablancas and his misfits put several snippets of several songs together and puzzled them into one stupendous stroke of a belter.
The UK wasn’t so divided as it is now following Brex-shit, charlatan Boris Johnson
and the ongoing suffocating acts of the Tories. Like so many (young) Brits Drella
hate what they have to endure every single day. And they let it hear loud and clear
on this new stiff-necked wallop.
The Swedish punk clowns are finally back with new stuff.
Their new LP The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons, their first
in 11 years, lands on 11 August.
The first single Bogus Operandi starts slowly with some drum hits and some distorted guitars. But after 45 seconds the wait is over. From there on it’s full steam ahead with frontman Pele howling as we know for a long time now.
The pumpkins released their three-part rock opera Atum in Three Acts
a couple of weeks ago. A total of 36 songs. I picked the 12 best, deleted
the rest, and guess what? I have a splendid new SM album.
This two-piece alt-rock act – Kristen Goetz (vocals) and Nolan Jodes (guitar/bass/vocals)
took their name from David Bowie‘s 1974 track Diamond Dogs: “…just another future
song, lonely little kitsch.”
Monster is the duo’s 2nd single. A monstrous cannonball going everywhere fast.
A post-punk eruption that resonates like L.A.’s celebrated AmazonsL7 on speed.
A Nick Drake tribute album is coming up. Parish and Harding are part of it.
The duo picked Drake’s 1969 composition THREE HOURS from his Five Leaves
Left LP.
Their take is a Krautrock-like-spinning masterstroke. It moves and grooves along
a hypnotic bass riff and a steady drum beat with doomy synths working their way to
the front. Mesmerizing and intoxicating while duet vocals float all over it, alluring and affecting. Special, really special
Depression Breakfast follows the first cranked-up single Tension and is the title
track from their upcoming 5-track EP which will see a digital and 12″ vinyl release
next June.
The tone is poignant and disturbing in an intriguing way. As we know, artists can do great things in case of a distressed state of mind. Despite the dark lyrical context Depression Breakfast‘s guitars cut like a Swiss knife just as troubled soul Lou Barlow (Sebadoh/Dinosaur Jr.) does with flaming force when he rocks out to expel his demons. Japanese Jesus can work cathartically too for all of us who haven’t a pink view on reality these days. As we know too, sad music can work deliberating.
Spinning Plates is a piece from this British songstress’ upcoming debut album.
Carpenter:“There’s a lot to unpack in this song. From societal pressures on the roles you are meant to fulfill as a woman, alongside the struggle of keeping up a relentless positivity to being a musician – and how impossible it is to ever get the balance between the two. Our anger is justified and our stories worth sharing. ”
It’s 2023 and still a lot of male machos and sexist pigs operate in the music
industry, and not only there. Horrible. Carpenter seems to try and fight these
awful demons with this emotive power-pop stroke gem. Spinning Plates is an
infectious guitar/drum-energized stomper with her room-filling voice standing
out upfront. At one point she slows down, only to restart the magnetic groove.
When I heard this earworm for the first time, I could swear that this pop pearl
is a previously unreleased track from U2’s recording sessions for their 1987 masterpiece LP The Joshua Tree. Stand For Something has that majestic grandeur of the Irish heroes’ idiosyncratic sound with The Edge‘s magical guitar play lifting their hits to epic heights.
No, I’m not kidding. What Infinite Sonic does here is what rhapsodic pop is about. I just looked outside, it’s a beautiful day, and if you still haven’t found the tune you’re looking
for this might be the One.
“A song about not accepting the harsh truths we all need to face sometimes.
Getting lost in some other distraction to ignore the hard task of acceptance.”
Following previous punchy single From The Start these Canadian Londoners nail it again with this new avid crackerjack that turns up the ardency every time when the catching chorus crashes in after the tension is built up in the verses. Firm guitars, a fired-up rhythm section, and fiery vocals. All ingredients you need to make your ears happy.
This Belgian unit was founded in 2017 by singer-songwriter Jacob Vermeire
who needed a way to express his feelings and found it in his music.
Bricks is their debut single.
It’s an emotive introspection wrapped in a glorious melody that strikes your ears
from the kick-off. An arousing gem that resonates like a vibrant Americana song of
veteran songsmith John Mellencamp and the poppy moments of Violent Femmes. Strumming guitars, infectious flow, impassioned vocals and an uplifting chorus.
A top-notch pop thrill that elevates restless minds, by far.
Rango is the band’s debut single. A dashing slice of music. It combines a toe-tapping reggae groove with a bluesy chorus and somewhere along the way, an Eric Clapton-like guitar solo cranking up the vibe. Cool, right? Unquestionable. This is the kind of full of pep tunes that get you through the day while shaking your hips. The singer sings at one point “There’s No Space For Happines“. Don’t worry be happy, you scored a notable debut.
“The Lender‘ is a song about surviving in the city. And these days, as any urban
dweller will attest, there’s much to overcome. Armstrong‘s new song is a deceptively
joyful reflection on the struggles of living in a concrete jungle. Evocative of Springsteen’s chronicling of life on the fringes of society, “The Lender” is a track hiding hope in desperation.”
This is captivating Americana the Canadian way. Great voice, great melody, great musicality, and the vocal resonance and swagger of the late great Tom Petty. Amstrong strums his acoustic guitar the way the Eagles did it endlessly and The Lender‘s bluesy-country feel has both a melancholic and yearning sensitivity. These are tunes that stick instantly, the ones you play for a while.
19. ‘You Don’t Have A Choice’ by EASTER ISLAND (Athens, GA)
“You Don’t Have a Choice’ is an indie rock song that evokes an ethereal and moody atmosphere through its intricate instrumentation and emotive vocals. The introspective nature of the lyrics is matched perfectly with the melancholic and contemplative instrumentation, resulting in a dreamy and haunting soundscape that encapsulates the overall mood of the song.”
This a moony and radiant beauty, an amplified musing with crystal guitar sparks
reminding me of NYC darlings Interpol‘s 6-string galvanism. A gripping heart-and-soul touching reflection with mesmeric vocals for tranquilizing moments. Magic.
On 18th August these cult post-punks, led by Craig Dyer
launch release their new full length, called Nostalgia Class.
This is the first single. Pure UY. A moony meditation embedded in a gripping,
melancholic melody that rings in your yearning ears from the first spin. There’s
a sparkling rotating riff that invades your head and stays there. Magical melancholia
with, of course, frontman Dyer‘s shadowy vocals completing the darksome sonic
picture as we know it.
Artists: LONELY LITTLE KITSH Who: A two-piece alt-rock band – Kristen Goetz (vocals) Nolan Jodes (guitar/bass/vocals) – from Niagara, Canada
who took their name from David Bowie‘s 1974 track Diamond Dogs: “…just another future song, lonely little kitsch.”
“When I first started writing the lyrics for “Monster”, it was mostly about how I can get easily frustrated and overwhelmed, and turn into something ugly. I’m not proud of it, but it’s accurate. But the more the song took shape, it became about how divided the world is right now, and how easily people turn on others. Just look at the comments section of any article or social media post, and you’ll see exactly what I mean. It’s a divisive time, and we’re seeing the worst in people. Even ourselves.
TUTV: Fasten your seatbelt for this monstrous missile going everywhere fast.
A post-punk belter that resonates like L.A.’s celebrated AmazonsL7 on speed.
No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes. Like a high-speed train that can derail anytime. Lonely Little Kitsch steamroll, backed by multi-layered guitar-charged forcefulness, a ruthless rhythm section and Kristen Goetz‘s tempting vocals. Don’t run away for this maddening monster, it’ll make your ears go bonkers.
Artists: DILETTANTE Who: Glam pop Toronto duo, Natalie Panacci and Julia Wittmann,
who performed for 5 years as For Jane, a project inspired by their
dogs!!!)
Julia Wittman: “You’re a monster and I don’t forgive you,” was the sentiment
I shared when I sat at a bar and cried to my friends about the end of my relationship.
The next day, our producer, Maks Milczarczyk, sent a voice memo with the lyrics to
“Monster,” and from there we turned my feelings into art.
Score: Another example of how a toxic relationship can lead to a sonic
break-out eruption. Monster is a terrifically drop-dead gorgeous pop pearl
propelled by an arousing wall-of-90s-synths-sound, a non-stop titanic beat
and crystal clear and energezing vocals à la Sharon Van Etten/Angel Olsen.
Sickly sticky and overwhelmingly infectious. A monster of a song.
Band: THE MAGNETTES Who: Pop act from Pajala, Sweden. They released their
highly successful debut album Ugly Youth back in 2017.
They celebrate their roots and incorporate Meänkieli and
the area’s old folk music into their infectious and inimitable
glitter punk-pop. The band is Rebecka Digervall, Sanna Kalla
and Tomas Backlund who’s mission is the right to be as you
want to be.
Composers/lyricists: Tomas Bäcklund Tuneström,
Rebecka Digervall, Jonathan Bluth, Fredrik Söderström
Rebecka Digervall: “‘Monster’ is about that flirty, sexy, excruciating
stage where it’s like ”will-they-won’t-they? You’re a nervous wreck, trying
to downplay your feelings but they’re growing and growing.”
Sanna Kalla: “We’ve definitely been there, adds Sanna Kalla. The gushing,
blood rushing, tingly thing that’s partly sweet, mostly unbearable.”
Turn Up The Volume: The Magnettes sound cool, look cool, dress cool,
and trigger your adrenalin production from the get-go with their new sickly
sticky single. For peppy pop gems like Monster those awesome Wurlitzer
jukeboxes should return and brighten up bars and cafes.
If this vibrant vibe, its sensual harmonies, and magnett-ic melodiousness
don’t activate your bloodstream you need to consult a shrink.
Pitchfork:“Along with Nevermind, released a half year later, R.E.M.’s Out of Time was the early-’90s major-label ideal: A blockbuster that multiplied the band’s following without losing existing fans.” Score: 8.5/10
Key single: Losing My Religion
Stream full LP here…
. 2. AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE – 8th LP – 1992
AllMusic:“Turning away from the sweet pop of Out of Time, R.E.M. created
a haunting, melancholy masterpiece with Automatic for the People.”
Score: 10/10
Key single: Drive
Stream album here..
. 3. GREEN – 6th longplayer – 1988
Pitchfork: “Their first major label effort, their first LP to go
double platinum, the first to achieve popularity in the UK.”
Score: 8.5/10
Key single: Stand
Stream full album..
. 4. MURMUR – Debut LP – 1983
Rolling Stone: “This band’s darkness is shot through with flashes of bright light. A
restless, nervous record full of false starts and images of movement, pilgrimage, transit.”
Score: 8/10
Key single: Radio Free Europe
Stream LP here…
. 5. MONSTER – 9th album – 1994
UNCUT: “These new songs were grounded in the stomp and crackle of ’70s glam rock, with Buck pulling out every effects pedal he owned and Stipe addressing his own celebrity and sexuality.” Score: 8/10
25 years ago today, on 27 September 1994, Athens legends R.E.M. released their ninth album MONSTER. After their highly accessible and triumphant longplayers Out Of Time (1991) and Automatic For The People(1992) the band went back to their rougher and more distorted sound of earlier days. Also lyrically the songs were far more personal and more complex than before. An overall captivating, fervid and vehement accomplishment. One of their best achievements.
ROLLING STONE wrote: ” ‘Monster’ is one urgent-sounding album, and that’s as it should be; what the band has to say here is urgent, politesse be damned. Monster is concerned, in song after song, with problems of identity. It explores how important having a stable sense of one’s own identity can be and how up for grabs identities have become in our postmodern media hothouse, where it’s possible to slip on a new persona as easily as a new look and couture can mean anything from Paris fashions to body piercing to a sex change. The concept of reality itself is being called into question: Is this my life or an incredible virtual simulation?”. Full review: here. Score: 4.5
Band: R.E.M. Song: What’s The Frequency, Kenneth? Released: 25 years ago today, on 5 September 1994 Album: Monster – the band’s ninth LP Note: The song’s title refers to an incident in New York City in 1986,
when two then-unknown assailants attacked journalist Dan Rather,
while repeating “Kenneth, what is the frequency?” Score: It peaked at #21 on the US Singles Chart
