Featured Crucial Releases (Aug 23)
What a super week for new music. Two top tier options in my mind (currently in my top 10 for the year), with four honorable mentions and probably a couple more that could have made it with some more focused listening time.
YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING by Spirit of the Beehive (Listen)
Spirit of the Beehive is a band I’m just enamored with… they have such a unique, interesting take on music and art that really jives with all of my interests. Interesting in the same way Q and Not U and Beauty Pill were interesting, or what draws me and many others to Radiohead. Spirit are often called noise rock, but I don’t think that even does them justice. I’ve also seen “cinematic” and “fever dream” to describe their music. That I do agree with…
My on-ramp for SotB was Entertainment, Death which I didn’t hear until 2022, the year after it was released. Immediately interested once I finally listened, I then dug into their back catalog: Hypnic Jerks (2018) and Pleasure Suck (2017). Entertainment, Death was a leap forward for the band, but the new record surpasses that…
The new album mixes indie rock, Dischord bands, noise elements, EDM, orchestral elements, shoegaze, and psychedelic rock/pop…sometimes all within the same song. It IS a fever dream and it’s glorious. Favorite tracks: “Let the Virgin Drive”, “1/500”, “I’ve Been Evil”, “Stranger Alive”, and “Duplicate Spotted”.
Romance by Fontaines D.C. (Listen)
Another band that is constantly improving and pushing their sound forward is Fontaines D.C., with their fourth album Romance. I’ve been a fan since their debut Dogrel (2019) and each follow-up: A Hero’s Death and Skinty Fia go deo (on my Best of 2022 list).
Fontaines D.C., from Dublin, Ireland, play poetic post-punk in the vein of IDLES, Shame, Iceage, and The Murder Capital. Fontaines has always been a lyrics forward band, showcasing singer Grian Chatten’s art. The new album doesn’t take anything away from that, thankfully, but now pushes past the boundary of punk to showcase their songwriting abilities. The end result is very good.
Favorite tracks: “Starburster”, “Here’s the Thing”, “Desire”, “In the Modern World”, “Sundowner”, “Favourite”, and “Death Kink”.
Honorable Mentions
Illuminator by GIFT (Listen) – this one was super close to making the featured section. Most weeks it probably would, but it’s hard when you are comparing things to two of my my favorite albums of the year so far… shoegaze, post-punk, alternative all mixed into one… maybe some New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, My Bloody Valentine. Super good.
VEENA by Heems (Listen) – a second album from the former Das Racist member this year. His last one, LAFANDAR, was better but don’t sleep on this release. For fans of alternative hip-hop.
Power by Illuminati Hotties (Listen) – 90s influenced female fronted alternative rock (maybe Julianna Hatfield?), with some indie rock and indie pop tendencies. Lead singer/songwriter Sarah Tudzin calls it “tenderpunk.”
Mucho Mistrust by Fake Fruit (Listen) – female fronted sarcastic, witty post-punk. In the vein of Gang of Four and X-Ray Spex at times, mixed in with some more melodic tracks complete with horns. Good stuff.
