One of the last weeks of 2023 and we still have plenty of great new music to check out. Let’s dive right in!
Peter Gabriel: i/o
This has been a LOOOOONG time coming. Originally being spoke about in 2002 after the release of his previous album, it’s believed Gabriel started work on the album as early as 1995. 21 years between releases, especially when actively working on new music, is insane. Tool and System of a Down fans have nothing on Peter Gabriel fans, it seems!
The OG Genesis frontman put out a very interesting release after all that time, at least. It’s a double album, but the tracks on each mirror each other. However, both discs have a different mix of each track. It’s definitely an interesting idea, though does make for a long, somewhat exhausting listen for me. I was never the biggest Genesis or Gabriel fan when it came to full albums, and this is no different. Each disc is over an hour long, and all the expectedly similar slow, soft prog rock. I know this will have a lot of fans as it’s similar to all of his previous stuff, but it’s not for me at all. If you’re going to check out any of it, ‘The Court’ is probably the best of the bunch. 3.5/10
P.S. I also honestly didn’t hear enough of a difference in the mix to warrant putting out two different versions. The Dark-side mixes were generally a little more subtle so I gravitated towards them slightly more, but it really doesn’t actually matter. Sorry.
Full of Hell and Nothing: When No Birds Sang
Two widely different bands came together to form this album. The former is a grindcore band and a modern legend in their scene. The other is a Shoegaze band (Yes, I too had to Google what the hell Shoegaze is). To my absolute shock, the genres actually combine together surprisingly well. Much like Gabriel above, it’s not exactly my sort of thing. However, the dark, brooding, atmospheric tone throughout the album is awesome, and makes tracks like ‘Forever Well’ and ‘When No Birds Sang’ rather enjoyable. Honestly, I’d probably enjoy this collaboration more than either of their solo stuff. As an album as a whole, it’s far greater than any of its individual tracks. And for that, it easily gets a 7/10 from us!
Dowsing: No One Said This Would Be Easy
The Chicagoan indie/emo/punk band are back with their fifth album. It’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a band in the genre. It reminds me a lot of Taking Back Sunday’s more recent releases, but injected with an almost skater punk energy at times too. I can hear everything from Goldfinger to Flagpole Sitta.
The tracks are short and sweet, none even reaching the four minute mark, and are very to the point. And, most importantly, they’re all good songs. Tracks like ‘Being Real’ and the beautifully depressing ‘RMT’ are personal album highlights for me, but there isn’t a bad track on here. Sure, it carries on this week’s trend of being all pretty similar music, but it’s hard to complain when it’s all of this high a calibre. If anyone wants some good depressing music, especially when it’s rather chilled and up-tempo, you need to check this out immediately. 8/10
The Alchemy: Somewhere // Anywhere
We’ve already covered this awesome album! Check it out here.
Beans on Toast: The Toothpaste and the Tube
Owen: Self proclaimed foolhardy folk singer Beans on Toast is back with his annual instalment of simple songs and catchy rhymes with a message. Releasing an album every year on his birthday since 2009, fans of Beans already know what they are in for with this album given the state of world politics and events of this year. Thankfully, there are tracks of levity simply about good times had touring around the country and still finding new things to explore.
Having followed the career of Beans on Toast for a number of years now what stood out to me most about this release was the polished sound of the overall production. The tracks are very much still classic Beans but with a backing band and an eclectic assortment of other supporting instruments the album is given an elevated feeling when compared with previous releases. A stand out track for me is ‘The Golden Lion’, which tells an interesting story about pub found along his travels and the regulars met there. This one feels like a story that only Beans on Toast could tell in any effective manner. 8/10
Liam Cromby: What Can I Trust, If I Can’t Trust True Love
The debut album of the British indie singer-songwriter is finally here after much anticipation. After multiple singles released in the build-up throughout the year, I can’t wait to check out the whole album and see if it’s just as good!
Honestly, it’s a fun yet incredibly emotional release. Whether it’s slow, folky ballads like ‘At This Table’ or more up-tempo bangers like the opener, it’s diverse and constantly interesting. And yet it all feels like one cohesive release. Everything flows together perfectly and the same story and emotion is felt throughout. And it’s a truly beautiful, chilled-out release, too. It’s the perfect combination of British and American indie sounds, folk and even Americana and country.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a tad slow overall for my liking. It did get a little samey by the last couple of tracks or so. However, it is the perfect album tor relax to, as there really isn’t a bad track on it. And if you’re into this sort of music, you’ll absolutely love this. And for that reason, it’s a solid 7.5/10
Cobra Spell: 666
The second coming of the 80’s glam metal revival is in full swing, and these ladies are really proving to be leading the pack. Whether it’s awesome riffs, soaring vocals or insane leads, the band encapsulate the very best of the sunset strip sound from decades prior. Whether it’s Guns ‘n Roses, Whitesnake or Motley Crue, the band certainly wear their inspirations on their sleeve. However, they still have a modern twist to their sound, also reminding me a little of the likes of Inglorious and Wayward Sons. And I’d put these tracks up there with some of the top glam tracks from all the bands I’ve mentioned.
‘Satan is a Woman’, ‘Bad Girl Crew’ and ‘Warrior From Hell’ are modern glam classics and easily highlights of the album. Meanwhile ‘Fly Away’ is an epic, emotional, awesome ballad. As a debut album, this is incredibly impressive. Their sound is incredible and they all play their parts perfectly. The band have a very bright future ahead of them if this release is anything to go by, the sky is the limit. And, in terms of this release, it’s a very easy 9/10!
Plastic Barricades: We Stayed Indoors
The British indie rock band released their third album this last week. We’re actually a little familiar with the band here at Overtone, as I reacted to one of the singles of this album way back at the start of the year (find it below!). I remember loving the track at the time so can’t wait to hear the rest of the album.
Much like a lot of the music this week, it’s a pretty chilled out, atmospheric release. It feels like the perfect blend of modern indie and old school, 70s and 80s pop. Think Pulp, The Cure or even Bowie meets Almost Monday or The Gaslight Anthem. Tracks like ‘Forever Is Made of Nows’ and of course my favourite, ‘Lucid in the Fall’, are major highlights for me. I’m honestly shocked they’re not bigger, as this sound is really starting to come back in a major way. This album deserves to be the one to catapult them into the mainstream! It’s an honestly beautiful album and, while not quite my sort of thing, I can still appreciate how amazing it is. 8/10