One of the last few big weeks as we march towards the end of the year. Let’s check it out!
The Cure: Songs of a Lost World
The gothic rock legends are back with their first new studio album since 2008’s 4:13 Dream. Now, you’d think with 16 years to work on new music, especially when the last over three years have been solely focused on them, that we’d get something great, new, or at least interesting, right? You thought wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I love their early stuff and their big hits, so it’s not like I’m not a fan of the band. It’s that this is gloomy, atmospheric ethereal bollocks for a good half of its runtime, and then it somehow doesn’t get any more captivating when Robert Smith starts singing. I know this is apparently the doomier of two albums the band have been working on so hey, maybe I’ll enjoy the other one more. It certainly sounds like it’ll be more akin to the stuff of theirs that I enjoy. But yeah, unless you like the more monotonous side of the likes of Pink Floyd and Devin Townsend, I’d give this one a miss. If I had to pick a highlight, it would probably be the Halo-esque ‘Warsong’. 3/10
Vola: Friend of a Phantom
Pardon my French, but this is a fucking fantastic album. Heck, that breakdown in ‘Bleed Out’ would be enough to get it some high points from me, but the rest of the album is also incredible. Opening on their hit new single ‘Cannibal’ (featuring In Flames’ Anders Fridén) was a good choice, it being heavy and quirky but also still pretty radio friendly. The same could be said for the more BMTH-like ‘Break my Lying Tongue’. Then you have quieter, slower, more introspective tracks like the two that follow before the aforementioned highlight track. And we’re only halfway through the album at that point. Other single ‘Paper Wolf’ is more proggy metalcore awesomeness, while the proggy, Chevelle-like ‘Hollow Kid’ is another HUGE highlight. And ‘Tray’ is a Dadi Freya-sounding proggy, synthy, epic soundscape and the perfect way to close out an album like this.
I’ve been a fan of the Danish prog metal band for years at this point, but this fourth album of theirs may be my favourite already. It is full of bangers from start to finish and it all flows perfectly together. Plus, the dynamics are fantastic, ebbing and flowing, quiet and loud. This is how you put together a modern prog metal album, yet feels like something only VOLA could put out. I would recommend this album to anyone, not just metal fans, as it’s that quirky and well put together that I’m sure anyone would get into it. It’s been a while, shockingly, but this is a 10/10 right here!
P.S. you are not convincing me that isn’t a male Billie Eilish on the artwork. Billy Eilish, if you were…
Willie Nelson: Last Leaf on the Tree
The second of the country legend’s albums we’ve reviewed here this year, and sadly it’s pretty firmly in second place. Don’t get me wrong, I completely get the appeal, and there’s some of his stuff that I truly enjoyed as it did give me nostalgia for his old stuff. But generally this was just another slow, long country album by another legend who’s way past it and put out far too much music in his time. Like geez Willie, save some songs for the rest of the world to write? ‘Keep Me In Your Heart’ was my personal highlight, and generally it’s listenable and a good album to chill-out to. But it is kinda rather boring. It probably doesn’t help that it’s such a strong week outside of this for releases, too. Either way, it can have a 4/10
The Virginmarys: The House Beyond the Fires
Another band I’ve loved for a good few years now, ever since Kings of Conflict exploded them into the mainstream a little, and I’m so glad they’re finally back with their first studio album in six years. And honestly, it was worth the wait! The duo very much wear their inspirations on their sleeves again; be it everything from Royal Blood to Highly Suspect to Arctic Monkeys to even the likes of Motörhead and Dinosaurs Pile-Up. The combination of hard rock and indie is infectious, and the band get such an incredible and heavy sound of just the two of them. The mix is amazing too, which definitely helps.
The opening track sets the tone for the album perfectly, somehow heavy yet melodic and radio-friendly in equal measure. The. You have tracks like ‘There Ain’t No Future’, ‘My Nettle’ and ‘Dance to the City’ are all pretty groovy and heavy, and easily more big album highlights. However, all are absolutely fantastic tracks, there really isn’t a bad one on the album. And it has such a great flow and sound to it all overall, it being a damn enjoyable 40-minute listen. I’m so glad the band are back, and I’d most certainly recommend this release to any fans of them or of hard rock, indie or punk in general! It gets an easy 8.5/10 from us!
Sam Barber: Restless Mind
This was a lot more indie than I was expecting, given that I got this album recommendation from a country site. I get that some of it kinda has similar vibes to the likes of Evan Honer and Wyatt Flores, but it also has just as much of a Jake Bugg or Bastille feel to it. Now, that isn’t a bad thing, and sometimes the combination works, like on the phenomenal opener or ‘Gambler’. But yeah, it would have been nice for a touch more country at times, at least for this humble writer’s tastes. We do also get an almost country-rock track with ‘76’, being upbeat which is surprising for the release. It’s another easy highlight, though! However, the highlights are rather spread few and far between, especially when a lot of it is a similar tempo, feel and energy. And can we also just address the absolute insanity of TWENTY-EIGHT TRACKS across over an hour and a half? No, that’s too much, even if it were a double album. Especially if it’s all similar, as I said previously. Even if you’re into this sort of music or the artist in general, I have a feeling it may even be a bit of a slog. This could have been a really concise, fantastic 10-tracks or something, but the massive amounts of untrimmed fat does nothing to help this album. The guy is talented and it’s the sort of thing I’d want to see live, but this was painfully boring at times as a whole listen on track. 4/10
Hush Money: Go Back Home
The US hard rock four piece returned with their sophomore album last week, but with a bit of a catch: it’s only physical copies for now. I like it as a callback to the not-so-distant past, and the band have gathered such momentum over the last couple of years at home and in the Uk that it’ll surely work for them. I’ve heard very good things and like the odd track I’ve checked out, so can’t wait to sink my teeth into this!
I was not at all disappointed, this is an AWESOME album! Every track is pretty awesome and the release is packed full of highlights, from the opener to epic southern ballad ‘Steve McQueen’ to ‘Sellout City’ to ‘Need a Little Rain’. There really isn’t a bad song on the album though, and I could rotate any track on it into those highlights on any given day! Everyone in the band are very talented when it comes to their instruments and songwriting, it transporting me back in time with somehow the perfect blend of old-school southern rock and a grungy edge. Like Pearl Jam meats Skynyrd meets Hootie & The Blowfish, and not least because vocalist efders as the Eddie Vedder/Scott Stapp vocal style. It’s an interesting combination for sure, and one that feels pretty unique and new, making for a very interesting, enjoyable listen, and one that went by far too quickly despite it being 13 tracks long. I love it, and that’s clear when the only slight complaint I can think of is that there could have been a slightly more up-beat track somewhere in the back few, just to keep the energy up. But yeah, this is an excellent album that I’d recommend to anyone, not just fans of southern or hard rock. It’s an easy 9.5/10, and the band have a huge new fan in me!
Sweet Electric: The Monsters are Rising
The latest project from the Massive frontman Brad Marr has been gaining a lot of momentum over the last couple of years they’ve been around, resulting in a fair bit of hype for this debut album. I’d say it delivers on that hype too, as this is a solid NWOCR album. If you’re a fan of Massive or the particular vein of AC/DC-soaked hard rock they did, you’ll know exactly what to expect with this. And if you’re a fan of it, like I am, you’re sure to get plenty of enjoyment out of it! Tracks like the opener, ‘Hey Kid’ and ‘Living it Up’ are easy highlights for me, but every track certainly has its charm.
You know exactly what you’re getting, which is both a good and a bad thing, I feel. It’s all good hard rock, but does feel a little basic these days. Brad and Massive really felt like they were one of the pioneers of the NWOCR movement back when Full Throttle came out, leading the charge for fun rock again. However, a decade on and now this style of simple, 70s/80s inspired rock has been done a lot recently and feels a touch saturated. And, as such, I do feel like there have been a few stronger releases in the style, even from Brad himself. But, as I said, it isn’t a bad album by any stretch. 7/10!
THUS LOVE: All Pleasure
Queer post-punk music was not something I expected to need more of in my life, but this was a damn good release! The band’s sophomore album after forming during the pandemic is a solid outing for its entire 36-minute runtime, and certainly won me over to a band that I probably wouldn’t have given much time to had I heard their description. Though post, it gives plenty of early punk vibes, be it the likes of the Ramonnes or Stooges, yet also infused in a touch of pop and indie. It’s a fantastically chilled-out sound that is filled with some memorable, catchy melodies, both from the vocals and instruments. I had it on in a coffee shop as I did other work and it somehow felt like the perfect setting, outside of a dark dingy bar/club, of course! Though every song is excellent, I think the beautiful ‘Face to Face’ is my favourite. It’s an easy 8/10 from me, and I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on this band moving forward!
Klogr: FRACTURED REALITIES
We actually checked this out for our Halloween special article. However we didn’t give it a score then. It gets a 7.5/10, I think!
Planes Mistaken for Stars: Do You Still Love Me?
This post-hardcore/hardcore punk outfit really punch you in the face immediately with this album, don’t they? After having Thus Love on just before, ‘Matthew is Dead’ was a crazy change of pace, but is an excellent song! I tend not to listen to or enjoy this type of thing, but the Illanoisans really impressed me with this fifth album, a full eight years after their last release. The album actually flowed pretty perfect together, me barely even noticing I’d finished all 40-minutes of it in one sitting until it started playing something else. The riffing is pretty great, the vocals fit it perfectly, and the atmosphere the band produced just felt dark and somewhat dangerous, making for an incredibly engaging and interesting listen. Highlights for me were ‘Further’ and ‘Peace’, but every track was pretty great. I’m definitely going to be listening to this again soon, and would most certainly recommend the full album over individual tracks! 7.5/10