Big Thief–Masterpiece
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Alternative Country
FFO: Mazzy Star, Petal, Japanese Breakfast
Masterpiece is a title that may not paint the most humble picture, but this reverb-heavy collection of charming tracks is as delicate as it is beautiful. Utilizing the pristine and emotional vocal performance of frontwoman Adrianne Lenker as its focal point, Brooklyn’s Big Thief begin their musical career with their name already in lights.
Clique–Burden Piece
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Emo
FFO: Pavement, Texas is the Reason, Title Fight
Philadelphia emo quartet Clique take things down a notch (in a good way!) with their sophomore LP Burden Piece on Topshelf Records. The result is a more laid back, traditional, Pavement-inspired take on modernized emo combining the passion of the genre with a more relaxed songwriting approach. Fans of Title Fight‘s slower tracks (“Head in the Ceiling Fan,” “Lefty,” “Where Am I?”, etc.) will undoubtedly adore this record.
Hesitation Wounds–Awake for Everything
FFO: The Suicide File, The Hope Conspiracy, Touché Amorè
We all saw how angry Jeremy Bolm could get with the signature Touché track “Wehatefredphelps.com”, but most of the band’s discography consisted of beautifully poetic lyricism backed by melody.
Years later we finally get to see Bolm let all that anger out in the new supergroup backed by members of The Hope Conspiracy, Trap Them, and even Slipknot.
Awake for Everything encompasses the early 2000s signature hardcore sound balancing rage, passion, intensity, and just the right tint of melody.
Fans of The Suicide File, American Nightmare, and The Hope Conspiracy may rejoice. Hesitation Wounds is your white knight. Be sure to pick up a copy of Awake for Everything on 6131 Records.
JC Flowers–Driving Excitement and the Pleasure of Ownership
Mojave 3
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Muscle & Marrow-“Love”
FFO: Chelsea Wolfe, Swans, Hole
The Experimental duo from Portland, Oregon known as Muscle & Marrow have returned with a sophomore mini LP that claws its way through the blackest of soil to uncover a delicate rose.
Frontwoman Kira Clark’s beautiful vocal performance creates an interesting juxtaposition with her crushing, droney riffage easily comparable to the likes of both Chelsea Wolfe and Courtney Love‘s work in Hole. Love is a record exploring the paired relationship of both love and death with unique instrumental experimentation generating a haunting, grim atmosphere.
Suns of Thyme–Cascades
Genre: Psychadelic Rock, Kraut Rock, Post Punk, Space Rock, Shoegazing
FFO: The Cure, Interpol, White Lies, Pink Floyd
Hailing from Berlin, Suns of Thyme return with a unique sophomore effort on Naplam Records.
Cascades is as much of a unique genre melting pot as their debut finding the unlikely intersection point between the worship of Pink Floyd and Sisters of Mercy.
Frontman’s Tobias Feltes’ vocal performance may bring to mind a very post punk like presentation but the instrumentational backdrop proves to be far less linear pulling from Psych to Kraut to Space to Gazing. Atmosphere and creative instrumentation are the Suns’ claim to fame and Cascades features all sorts of creative moments earning this record a much needed and recommended spin.
Thrice–To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
Genre: Alternative Rock
FFO: Baroness, Thursday, Glassjaw, Finch
Legendary Californinan Post Hardcore quartet Thrice have returned from their brief slumber with a strong, dark, politically laced ninth LP.
At first listen, it appears the group has clung to a safe, more mainstream approach with their return with moments mirroring the arena rock “indie” rock group Imagine Dragons (see “Black Honey).
However, upon delving to the record it is more textured, deep and diverse than ever before. Thrice has experimented and matured over their twenty year career, even managing to dissect their sound into four elements.
To Be Everywhere is To Be Nowhere is a deep, crushing, dark record that may seem poppy at its surface but serves as a step in the right direction and a warm welcome home.
Withered–Grief Relic
Genre: Black Metal, Death Metal, Extreme Metal
FFO: Tombs, Black Tusk, Hooded Menace
After a six year break, Georgian Death Metal outfit Withered return with an LP showcasing a celebrated marriage between classic Americanized Death Metal and the raw blackened take on the Genre akin to the stylings of Norway.