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Fresh Album Fridays: Taylor Swift, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The Mountain Goats, and more
Good morning ~ This is a thread to discuss new album releases that have arrived on our doorstep this week. Feel free to share albums and EPs that have caught your eye and interest.
Discussion Points
What are you looking forward to listen to?
Have you listened to any of these releases?
What are your thoughts?
What have you enjoyed from these artists in the past?
Why Friday?
Most (but not all) new LPs release on a Friday, as labels want to give the release a full week of sales before entering the charts.
~~ Feedback on the format welcome
Notable remasters/re-releases (aka you feel old now, you're welcome)
Non-metal releases
Not much to speak of this week. King Gizzard did a synth album and Taking Back Sunday has a new release but nothing really clicked for me.
Metal releases
Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar
album.link
Slovakian metal that somehow finds a way to spellbindingly mix majestic traditional heavy metal and black metal into something great. My favorite of the week! Nothing else really sounds like this.
Year of the Knife - No Love Lost
album.link
This band has been through a lot lately, including a horrific van crash. The metal community came together to help fund their recovery via GoFundMe (to the tune of over $250k). They've emerged from those trials stronger than ever. Vicious, defiant, death-metal-influenced hardcore and the first recording with Madi on vocals. She rips these songs to shreds. Highly recommended.
Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts
album.link
Veterans of the death metal scene come through with a solid new release. The single Throatsaw has me sold.
Gravesend - Gowanus Death Stomp
album.link
A rather ominous album cover continues the gritty, dirty, filthy themes we expect from this blackened death/grind outfit.
One of Nine - Eternal Sorcery
album.link
Medieval black metal but in some tracks leans more towards the aggressive end of things compared to a lot of artists playing in that same space of influence. There's a sorrowful weight to it all. Melody is present but this has sharper edges than Obsequiae or Weald & Woe, for instance.
Broder - Skarpretterfossilet
album.link
Blown out, dirty, war-like death/sludge. My ears appreciate the bludgeoning.
Endseeker - Global Worming
album.link
HM-2 death metal from Germany. I think the vocals are one of the strongest points of this band. Enjoyed their previous albums, especially The Harvest. Maybe a bit on-the-nose and simple from time to time but not in a way that bothers me.
Theosophy - Bleeding Wounds of the First and the Last
album.link
Cold, existential, dark black metal from Russia in the vein of Uada, Groza, etc.
Phantom - Handed to Execution
album.link
Punky death/speed metal from Mexico. Solid old-school feel- classic guitar sounds, reverbed vocals, and just an overall fun ride. Get in loser, we're going riffing!
Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version)
Single
Genre(s): Pop
Country: United States
Spotify
RYM
Listened to this last night! Worth noting that Kendrick Lamar also rerecorded his remix version of Bad Blood here, I didn't see it till TSwift posted it on Instagram this morning.
The Mountain Goats - Jenny From Thebes
Single
Genre(s): Soft Rock
Country: United States
Bandcamp
Spotify
RYM
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - The Silver Cord
Single
Genre(s): Progressive Electronic
Country: Australia
Bandcamp
Spotify
RYM
Don't make the same mistake I did going into this one! I saw some extended versions and assumed they were bonus tracks (not uncommon with synthpop records), but the second 'half' is actually an extended version of the entire album.
First impressions (and seeing comments elsewhere) is that the extended versions are the originals, and the first half is heavily abridged. A weird setup! Especially since King Gizzard don't shy from long songs, and run their own label.
A rather cooly syncopated techno album. I love it. I don't think I've touched the shortened versions at all minus the first 3 singles. The extended versions have all the depth, the musical lore, the elaboration of "endless boogies," as the singer Stu put it. Some lyrical tie ins to Petrodragonic Apocalypse, some new incredible imagery of the astral self and Gods afar. Catchy, with purpose, with zeal!
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond
Genre(s): Psychedelic Soul, Blues Rock, Southern Soul
Album.link
Bandcamp
Spotify
RYM