Music Thread 2017

That new Slowdive is indeed pretty good. I was nicely surprised how much I like the new At The Drive In album. It's no Relationship of Command/Vaya but they would be hard pressed to capture that youthful drug fueled magic of their early stuff.

The new Slowdive album is indeed really good. It's been a great year for bands/artists coming back after a long hiatus: Slowdive, Gas, Feedtime, The New Year, Oxbow all put out pretty great albums. Haven't heard the ATDI or Jesus & Mary Chain albums, but I never really liked ATDI much and I didn't like the JAMC single I heard but maybe the rest is good?

It's definitely... competent. They didn't embarrass themselves all that much, which I guess is the least you could hope for in a reunion. Although, the album sounds like a scremo also-ran from the early 2000s. The tunnel vision of trying to recapture the wildest moments of Relationship of Command really hamstrings this one.

Maybe they thought they had something to prove, but the constant thrashing tends to drift into hard-rock mediocrity. "No Wolf Like The Present" and "Governed By Contagions" in particular, sound like something you'd expect a mid-2000s wrestler to have as entrance music. There are a few good moments in the second half of the album, but fatigue really sets in. Too much middling fury, and not enough variety. It's like they forgot how much songs like "Invalid Letter Dept" and "Enfilade" and "Quarantined" helped Relationship of Command. "Ghost-Tape No 9" is too little too late.

"Continuum" is their best shot at classic RoC electricity. After a few spins, "Tilting At The Univendor" sounds like an In/Casino/Out song. I would have much preferred if they did a victory lap of their discography (Some Vaya weirdness would have done wonders here) rather then trying and remake "One Armed Scissor" over and over again. Anyway, those are the two best songs, and it's a shame they're sandwiched by the two worst songs.

I just feel like gushing about the new Paramore album After Laughter because I've been listening to it basically non-stop since it came out on Friday. I absolutely love the sort-of 80s New Wave style they've transitioned into and lyrically a lot of the songs hit real close to home for me. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect out of the album but I love just how hard they committed to the new sound. They could have easily leaned on the same pop-punk power chord heavy stuff from 10 years ago but they actually showed a lot of growth on this album with some real great instrumentals all around.

Gotta second the new Paramore album, its pretty fun. Hard Times is a song of the summer if I've ever heard one.

Horizon by Aldous Harding is probably the best song I've heard this year. Diet Cig's new album is good if you like pop punk. Goldlinks album is pretty sweet as well.

Kendrick has probably got my top spot right now. New Slowdive is really hot. I need to sit on it for a bit, but on first listen Bodyguard (The I.L.Ys) is pretty great. Not sure how I feel about the new Pond record. I Keep returning to it though...

New Slowdive, Perfume Genius and Paramore are my jams at the moment. Good few weeks.

Been revisiting some 2016 stuff too. That last Alcest album is really good, as is the Japanese Breakfast album.

2017 has been a little less active for me re: finding new tunes. i think the blame's mostly on me for that though- hopefully since touring season is ratcheting up that will change shortly.

anyway- these are the records/tunes that have resonated thus far:

colin stetson - all this i do for glory

if you're not familiar with this guy, he's a pretty incredible sax player. when he's not a backing up other bands (arcade fire, bon iver, etc) he cuts solo records that don't really sound like anything else. his technique is absurd (circular breathing, overplaying, turning a monophonic instrument into polyphonic, never using overdubs/looping/effects) and his compositions are very accessible. on this latest one he said he was going for a aphex twin/autechre vibe- i'm not qualified to determine if he got there, but it all sounds fucking rad. this tune kinda sounds like his magnum opus/freebird...when he get's into the pocket around the 10min mark...OOF!

perfume genius - no shape

@chebbles has got it right! i'm a relative newcomer to this guy's oeuvre, but i feel like he's on the edge of greatness with this newest record. that tune 'slip away' at the beginning is an awesome kick-the-door-down kinda jam, and i'm looking forward to repeat listens of this album. very ziggy stardust-esque.

sylvan esso - what now

also relatively new to these guys- but having seen some of their live material i am very impressed. singer has a very strong, consistent (underrated) voice and the producer brings some legit dance jams. lyrically they kinda skew a little cynical/dark as well, which i'm a general fan of.

This is the first musician death in awhile to actually bother me, just so unnecessary. Only Seattle great left is Eddie.

i've deigned to curse these boards with the same affliction i've been harbouring for weeks. be careful:

The Night Game - The Outfield.

when my friend first sent it to me i thought i was stroking-out because

1) there's already a bomb-ass band from the 80s called The Outfield.

2) this sounds like a song the fucking Outfield would have written 30 years ago. but it was released in 2017.

anyway- i'm not usually one for straight up nostalgia plays- but the early-80s-power-snare-permed-up-rock genre is criminally under-served.

plus, i'm relatively certain the man in my avatar would have named this a SUMMERJAM.

Just heard the new Chelsea Wolfe song, can't deny being extremely excited for the album.

Radiohead released a cut track from OK Computer a couple weeks back, "I Promise." Sort of a little marching band style with sweet vocals -- the video is really cool I think. Not groundbreaking or classic-status, but very lovely.

"Nocturne," by Mark Lanegan is a great song this year. The album it's from (Gargoyle) is very good, but that track soars darkly.

Here ya go - Stuff that's on Spotify

Stuff that isn't on Spotify (basically Japanese artists, lol)

New Chon record (Homey) was mostly a fun listen. Some real trash on that record though.

Also...

https://mobile.twitter.com/CHONofficial/status/875914401601257472?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Let's get some S U M M E R J A M Z goin!!!!!

2017 players

• This new BROCKHAMPTON record is chock full of them - HEAT, BUMP, SWIM, CASH, BANK, ect
• SZA - "Drew Barrymore"
• DAMN. obviously - although it did get a lot of play during the NBA playoffs so fatigue could be setting in.
• Frank Ocean - "Biking" (my fave of his 2017 tracks but Chanel is solid too. Did not much care for Lens)
• New Meme DeMarco album
• Chaz Bundick Meets the Mattson 2 - "Disco Kid"
• The new alt-J record was super disappointing for me personally but "In Cold Blood" is still a worthwhile track
• APB: Getting word of some c h i l l v i b e s on the new Luxury Elite "Comfort Zone Remixes" album

Happy Summer everyone

Picked up a copy of The Record Company album Give It Back To You as a Father's Day gift. He seemed to love it. Went to Wikipedia and found that the band came in second in the Grammys for Best Contemporary Blues Album to Fantastic Negrito's The Last Days of Oakland. So now I've got another new(ish) blues artist to listen to.

Best payoff in a music video since Karma Police.

Disturbing lack of phresh jams already. At least I have more of these dumb things to share:

Gallery

Thanks for doing God's work @thepickle, This is some of what I thought were pretty hot jams imo, with descriptions if y'all care:

"Give Me a Reason" - Ibibio Sound Machine
"Show You the Way" - Thundercat with Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald
"I Dare You" - The xx
"Purging the Demons" - Shintaro Sakamoto, the fourth track on Love if Possible (it's all in Japanese so I don't know how to really type it, but that's how it's translated at least : P)
"The World's Best American Band" - White Reaper
"Crazy Crazy" - Yasutaka Nataka with Charli XCX and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
"Advice" - Kehlani
"Crushed Glass" - Freddie Gibbs
"Revolution Rock n Roll" - Low Cut Connie, or "Angela," can't decide which is more fun, they also did a great cover of "Controversy"
"Help" - Delicate Steve

Really loved Low Cut Connie's new album and White Reaper's, in terms of just fun songs back-to-back.

I think the last few weeks have been pretty top notch indie/pop wise, been a few things a week that have really stuck with me.

Lorde - Melodrama: Perfect Places

Big Thief - Capacity: Mythological Beauty

Richard Dawson - Peasant (got to see him last week in Newcastle UK, absolutely wonderful): Ogre

Aldous Harding - Party (Probably my favourite album I have heard this year): Blend

Marika Hackman - I'm Not Your Man: My Lover Cindy

Chastity Belt - I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone: This Time of Night

Also, discovered Thee Oh Sees recently thanks to a friend, easy to go down a spiral of live youtube videos: KEXP Performance

^this guy/gal knows what he/she's talking about. Big Thief and Richard Dawson especially kind of took my breath away, and I didn't think I cared that much about Big Thief's debut at the time

Anyone else being listening to that new Chelsea Wolfe Single ? of here upcoming album ? It's pretty good if your into some darker stuff. People describe it as DOOM Metal what ever that means these days.

@soulcake: I loved Abyss, I've been meaning to go back into her discography since then, I've heard the new song is badass but I haven't tried listening to it yet, almost wanna just wait until the album drops because I know I'm gonna listen to it regardlessd. I can see the "doom metal" tag from Abyss at least, while maybe not incredibly mucky like a lot of those bands seem to sound, she definitely can ride with some darrrk shit. Like a singer songwriter that is really into doom metal, sure!

That new Vince Staples is pretty dang good.

Yes Alex Jones is a idiot but this mash up is pure GENIUS !

I present to you Alex Jones meets Death Grips

Despasito....... you welcome

Chon 's new album Homey is really great. It's upbeat in a way that reminds me of 16 bit era music. Math rock is not my genre, but I love Homey.

The Killers put out a new tune on Spotify (they've played it live recently as well) and it's a banger.

The Killers - Run For Cover (Spotify link because all the YouTube versions are live and not as good. Gotta get that fat bass line)

They also put out another one called The Man, which is good but it's not as good as Run For Cover. Run For Cover is a perfect The Killers song.

Loooove Chon. Excited to see them again this fall. They're touring with Thrice, Circa Survive, and Balance and Composure, all bands my husband and I have had playing for years.

I'm so behind on new music. I've gotten most of the bigger releases I was looking forward to this year. Lately, I've been digging the new Stone Sour record, Hydrograd. It's not flawless, but it certainly has a lot of variety, and the heavier cuts hit hard. Whiplash Pants is a great song to work out to!

I was at Chicago Open Air a couple weekends ago and was turned on to some new bands, particularly Black Map, who has the sound of modern Thrice with heavier riffs. No Color is a solid jam. The other new bands I dug there were Cane Hill and Ded, the latter of which just put out their first record this week. Juvenile lyrics but some catchy melodies and real heavy industrial/nu-metal guitars.

On top of that, I just ordered a bunch of stuff from Amazon, including the new Projected, Dark Tranquility, and Big Wreck.

Elwan - Tinariwen

Eucalyptus - Avery Tare

Mellow Waves - Cornelius

Big Fish - Vince Staples

Chelsea Wolfe, and Oneohtrix Point Never have put out some solid singles recently.

Brian Eno - Reflection

Moonshine Freeze - This Is The Kit

Hug of Thunder - Broken Social Scene

Mellow Waves (the first album from Cornelius in 11 years) is finally available in America. The first half is pretty great. Definitely the most mature and focused album he's ever made. The second half kind of gets away from the "chillwave" dreamlike style with a few gimmicky songs, and he really didn't need to do that. But man, those first 20 minutes are sublime.

Holy Fuck has a new EP out called Bird Brains. They're really digging their heels into the dirty electronic disco sound that they've toyed with before. (the music video is possibly NSFW)

Math rock weirdos, Tera Melos have a new album out in a couple weeks. Their first in a while. I'm really looking forward to this.

Emily Haines has a new solo album out in a couple months. This is something I'm cautiously optimistic about. I think Haines is a little bit too.. hmm.. thinks she's a way more profound songwriter than she really is. And Metric hasn't been good in over a decade. But the last Soft Skeleton album was a good listen, so I'll check this out. This song off the new album gives me Let it Out vibes, so my curiosity is piqued.

I know this is supposed to be about new music, but duders... are there any fans of The Residents around here? I just "discovered" them (quotes because I've known about them since the 90s, just never actually listened to them) and I'm kind of obsessed and want to rant about how great they are to people who know what the hell I'm talking about, haha. Also because I'm neck-deep in Residents albums (they've put out four already just this year alone) and need guidance :P

Good music continues to come out this year!

The new Manchester Orchestra album, A Black Mile to the Surface, has quickly become one of my faves this year. Definitely needs to be listened to as a whole, doesn't quite work piecemeal. Sharing a link to The Gold, but I think the final run of four songs is an incredible run to end an album.

I am not super hot on the new Arcade Fire - Everything Now, found it be surface compared to their other stuff (The Suburbs is very important to me). I feel the gimmicks of the marketing have overtaken the album, it all feels a bit Sixth Form rebellion in their cynicism. It is very listenable but I can't see it sticking with me. Here is Everything Now.

That new Converge EP is a bit good, happy to hear their return and just blow everything out of the water, been missing their metal. I Can Tell You About Pain.

The new Waxahatchee album is also really good, some good hooks and lyrics in there. Silver - for whatever reason this song makes me think of early Weezer.

I need to put more time into the new Japanese Breakfast album (Soft Sounds from Another Planet), don't think I have quite fallen for it yet, but it is getting it's hooks in me. I have had Road Head as an ear worm for a few weeks.

I am happy Colin Stetson released a metal album, hearing his roar and saxophone in this context is so good. The album is by EX EYE and is a really good instrumental metal record. Xenolith; The Anvil.

Also recently discovered the debut by Kelly Lee Owens, really nice low-key electronic dance album. Anxi

If you like me are into old school EBM and industrial stuff as well as hardcore punk, Uniform's "Wake in Fright" kinda hits all those notes.

Apparently they also appeared in a recent Twin Peaks episode too, I but I haven't caught up to that yet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tACZRjFmuJo

They're certainly not for every body, but I absolutely dig Shabazz Palaces' new double EP that just came out. They posted both of them in full on the Sub Pop Youtube page. It's a spacey, poetic, hip-hop/rap album.

And if you're into Tyler, The Creator, (I understand if you aren't) his new album is his best work to date, in my honest opinion. I've been listening to Boredom a lot recently. The work feels more mature than his previous albums.

Vince Staples newest albumis being heralded as his best work yet. Despite the fact that I wasn't as in love with it as much as other people, it's still worth listening to if you're a fan of his. Big Fish still gets played pretty regularly by me.

Waxhatachee's new album is solid, as mentioned in a previous reply above. I'm partial to 'Recite Remorse' myself but that album as a whole is pretty great!

As far as tracks go:

• The War On Drugs released a new track called 'Strangest Thing' that is worth a listen if you're into them
• Action Bronson has a new song out that reminds you that he's pretty good at rapping and having unique style about it
• I love female vocals, and Alvvays has a new track out that I enjoy

And to top it off, I highly recommend you listen to the Pyre OST because it's very good.

Wintersun didn't take 15 years to release another album, even though it is not Time II. I overall really like The Forest Seasons. It feels like a more polished Time I (The mixing always felt off with that album to me). Every song is between 12 to 14 minutes, so it will probably be a bit much for a lot of people. That said, I think the songs flow pretty well.

There are a few things this week that I enjoyed.

The Girl Ray album seems pretty good, pretty low key indie, not feeling it as much as the singles led me to think but will give it some time! Stupid Things

The Dead Cross album is some good hardcore music, with a good manic Mike Patton vocal performance. Seizure and Desist

A few reissues this week has made me listen back to some albums:

In Nothing We Trust by Reuben is still an amazing album, rather small release in the UK in 2007 it is an album that reminds of my teenage years so much. Cities on Fire, one of my favourite openings to an album ever.

I also got the reissues of the first three Rolo Tomassi albums, which reminded how great their weird grindcore-hardcore-electronic-metal sound is...weird but so great. Howl.

Very heavy week with music haha.

Something that I've totally missed this year is that Squarepusher has really been pushing his Shobaleader One project to the next level. A full band and everything.

They put out an album this year, Elektrac. It's a lot of Squarepusher cuts redone (I like the 70's cop TV show tinge on "Coopers World" quite a bit). There are "live audience" sounds at the end of few songs on this, but can't tell if it's just a gimmick, or if this was really recorded live somewhere. Either way, a fun cool release.

I've been listening to both Swamp by Brockhampton and 95 Radios by Open Mike Eagle a lot the past day. Both are distinctly different sounds; both are really great!

All the good Hip Hop is coming from China these days.

China cares about Hip hop it seems. ( also this video clip is something else. ) also i am into to word Chigga, hope they don't make it a Chinese slur.

Yeah The Forest Seasons is an interesting album. As an album, I think it's a bit better than Time I, but it doesn't really have any standout songs like "Sons of Winter and Stars" was on Time I. It's definitely you have to listen to as an album and not as individual songs.

I think the first time I listened to it, I would have agreed. Since then I have listened to it a couple of more times and have appreciated the individual songs more, especially Summer and Autumn. Sons of Winter and Stars perhaps has more of a kick to it, but I think I like the overall production and songwriting on The Forest Seasons more.

The new LCD Soundsystem song is great. I'm stoked for the album now. It's nothing new, but every LCD album needs a long rambling anti-pop song, so I'm glad they've still got it.

Holy shit you guys, the new War on Drugs album (released today) is so good.

I'm not totally sold on Villains. My main problem is just with the production. It doesn't sound punchy or heavy enough. It sounds sterile and overproduced. Like the drums especially sound really bad.

Songwriting isn't bad, though there are a couple of tracks I didn't really care for like Fortress and Un-Reborn Again.
Not a bad album, def my least favorite QOTSA album though.

I'm super looking forward to the new Converge record.

The new Mastodon track is excellent too.