Featured Crucial Releases for October 18
Lots of new releases sparked my interest, but the new High Vis album made the week.
October looks to have a finish in the music department, with a couple high quality and highly anticipated releases this week...then next week we have new records from Tyler, the Creator, as well as Soccer Mommy, Amyl & the Sniffers, Better Lovers, Laura Marling, and Pixies.
My most anticipated album for this week was Guided Tour by High Vis. High Vis is one of my favorite hardcore-adjacent bands going right now. Their previous two albums, Blending (released in 2022) and No Sense No Feeling (2019) are both great. Guided Tour picks up where those two left off, blending the attitude and message of hardcore with British alternative and post-punk. I like to think of them as if Ned's Atomic Dustbin was a hardcore band.
"For years coming from hardcore, we had pretty clear boundaries – other scenes were separate worlds. Now things are getting more blended, drawing from different places." - Graham Sayle (High Vis vocalist)
I can't recommend this band enough. If you aren't familiar and like bands like Militarie Gun and Fiddlehead or the idea of crossing 80/90s British alternative with hardcore and punk sounds interesting, give High Vis a listen ASAP. You won't regret it.
Favorite tracks: Guided Tour, Drop Me Out, Worth the Wait, Mob DLA...and well almost every other track on the album. It's currently #1 on my year-end list...
Honorable Mentions
Make it Fit by Karate (Listen)
Karate is one of my favorite bands from the 90s and I'm glad they are back together making new music and playing shows. I interviewed Geoff Farina for my zine back in the day and my wife and I used his Secret Stars song "Shoe In" for our wedding song. So yeah, we are fans!
My favorite version of Karate was their early years, slowcore era – so their self-titled debut, In Place of Real Insight, etc. They gradually incorporated more jazz influence into their rock, which I thought made them an emo Steely Dan at times.
Make it Fit definitely maintains and build off that evolution. High expectations and love for their early material knocks this album down a notch or two, even if I'm very excited that the band is still around and making music.
Fate & Alcohol by Japandroids (Listen)
Another highly anticipated album, their last album before they break up. Not sure anything will match the excitement and energy of their classic Celebration Rock (2012). With that said, to me Fate & Alcohol is another doesn't-live-up-to-the-anticipation record. Your mileage may vary and maybe this one will grow on me...
