If there’s an art form to deconstructing art-punk syllable by syllable, Leeds trio Beige Palace stand at the vanguard. There music seems to look at the bigger picture in scope, just before it’s shattered into drawn out shards, dangerously crafted with sharp edges and puzzle pieces that delight in never quite fitting the way they should.
Marnie Stern's name remained stuck in the minds of modern rock fans. With a mention of Stern comes her always incredible guitar technique, never showing off, but always played with purpose. She’s back with another incredible offering, aptly titled The Comeback Kid, pushing forward without sacrificing her musical sense.
Infinite Hatch opens up a new realm in SPLLIT’s expanding galactic journey. The Baton Rouge duo dive into the deep end on their second full length, and they’ve created a masterpiece in the process. From songs that sound like bugged out pinball games to laser driven art punk odysseys, the layered eccentricities are tight yet discombobulated.
Less More shouldn’t be confused with the old adage of “less is more,” a saying that rarely applies to Tundrastomper’s nuanced compositions. The theme seems to be more of a contradictory nature, the push and pull between two sides of a spectrum, less vs. more. Whichever way you go, Tundrastomper offer a path.
The Map and The Territory, EXEK’s latest album, never subsists on dread or tension, the sound is rarely claustrophobic, but the sense of mystery is palpable, we’re wandering the unknown. That seems to be by design, as the band worked to create an emphasis on pop structure, but the atmosphere remains vast and disorienting.
With ear issues seemingly on the men, it would seem mclusky are ready to reconvene their second coming, a handful of great songs leading the way. The band released as “double A-side” single, with subsequent “double B-sides” to boot, delivered via Bandcamp in order to raise money for international touring and hefty visa costs.
Tomb Mold have pushed boundaries since their formation. With The Enduring Spirit, they’ve decimated form in favor of exploration, from caustic prog to jazzy psych expanses, and dare we say they’ve done it without alienating metal purists. Their latest album favors an open mind, a collision of primal force and deranged technicality.
Sadie Dupuis and her crew are BIG on sonics; they played about fifty different guitars, through over a hundred effects pedals and thirty amps at Rancho de la Luna and Sonic Ranch for Rabbit Rabbit. The band has always had a guitar focus, and the riffs have continuously been hot, but engineer Sarah Tudzin, brought added heat.
The recent self-titled album by Atlanta band Vangas is a punishing and relentless record. From the first moments of “Chromatic Ascending” to the closing “The Handstand (Pt. 2),” there’s little room to breathe as the band tunnels through a hole of noise for 35 minutes, dragging you along amid some of the year’s most exciting noise rock.
We can’t overstate the importance of Helvetia, a constant favorite for well over a decade. The impact of its sound and style, the structure, finesse (as well as lack of finesse), has left a profound impression on what this era’s psychedelic music can be. The Beach At The Edge Of The World is a prime example of Helvetia at its absolute best.
Some bands just sound like they are up for a good time. Florry are one of those bands. Led by frontperson Francie Medosch, Florry continue to let loose with a rootsy folk/country blend and some truly incisive and often times devastating lyricism on the Philadelphia based band's second full length, The Holey Bible.
The sense of freedom that reigns supreme on Vol. II is immediately apparent. It’s that exploration (along with Ian Teeple’s songwriting) that make up the heart of the record. He’s content to choogle along in a warped and weird world of progressive bedroom pop, distorted post-punk, glam-tinged power-pop, alien dream-pop, and lo-fi psych.
Super Snōōper toughens up the band’s sound. The recording lends depth and metallic sharpness for maximum wallop; Blair Tramel’s voice is brought more to the front of the mix, and gains range and power. With this more straightforward sonic palette, an array of Snōōper’s best material holds up: taut, funny, and ribboned.
Set in the woods of Harvey’s hometown of Dorset, I Inside The Old Year Dying constructs a folk-horror universe with the assistance of longtime collaborators, Flood and John Parish. Old Dorset dialect, musique concrète, field recordings, audio libraries, and standard instruments reshaped create surreal sounds that transport listeners.
