We had to go on two pages, the article was getting too long!
P.S. we ran out of time to do the new Sabrina album, but it’s pretty great and she’s punk AF atm. 9/10, you go girl!
The Hives: The Hives Forever Forever the Hives
The garage rock Swedes are back with album number seven, and bring just as much energy here as they did in their early work! It’s balls-to-the-wall for 13 tracks, and is in and out in just over 30 minutes. It’s fucking awesome! It’s just a fun time listen from front to back, and is so hard to pick out select highlights from as it’s all great and flows surprisingly well! The bands punk edge is right at the forefront with this album, and I’m all for it. From the opener to ‘O.C.D.O.D.’, there’s plenty of Black Flag/Dead Kennedys energy! I remember us enjoying their last album, but I’d argue this is even better than that one! That one felt like they put it out because they hadn’t released music in a while so felt obligated, while this feels more inspired and wanted. If you are into the band, or genres like garage, indie or punk rock, I’d highly recommend this release, it very much feels like a much awaited return to form! 8/10
Zach Top: Ain’t in it For my Health
We’ve also checked out this awesome album! Check out the review here!
Vicious Rumours: The Devil’s Asylum
Some rare US power metal this week, even if it’s a bit more thrash/speed metal infused than their description lead on. The first album the band have released in half a decade (14th overall) is still pretty fantastic! The band are insanely good musicians and songwriters, and that shines through a lot here. Songs like ‘Dogs of War’, ‘Butchers Block’ and ‘Better Than Me’ are all big personal highlights. My only slight surprise/complaint is that there isn’t a slower, ballady song, it’s pretty balls to the wall throughout. It’s very Accept of them, and it doesn’t make any the tracks any worse by any stretch, but a change of pace in the back half somewhere might have made the album even more interesting, and I’d be curious to hear how the band would handle it! Still, if you’re into any of the bands that I’ve named already, or any sort of 80s power/thrash/speed metal, this is well worth checking out! A solid 7.5/10 from us, and one we will definitely revisit again!
Hunx and His Punx: Walk Out on This World
The Californian punk outfit put out their first studio album in a whopping 12 years a couple of weeks back, and somehow only their third overall. It’s a throwback sound, giving off X and Ramones vibes; awesome for a generally younger band. It’s another album that it is almost impossible not to have a good time listening to. It’s a fun, feel-good sound, even if the lyrics are sometimes a little darker. Tracks like the opening two, ‘Top of the Punks’ and ‘Bad Thoughts’ are all big highlights, but there honestly isn’t a bad track on here. My only vague complaint is that it’s yet another album that slows down for a few tracks in the middle; spreading them out may have helped more! Still, it’s an incredibly easy 35-minute listen, and if you’re into more of an old-school punk sound, it’s way worth giving a spin! 7/10
Ivy Gardens: Death of Don Valley
The sophomore album from the sludgy, doomy , hardcorey Canadians is an awesome, heavy release from start to finish. It’s a really fantastic combination of genres that still feels fairly fresh and unique, as well as being done to perfection on this release. The riffs are amazing and heavy throughout, and there is a surprising amount of catchiness and melody across the album too, be it awesome instrumentation ones or cleaner vocal choruses. There truly isn’t a bad track on the release either, even the mostly instrumental tracks held my attention in the palm of their hand throughout. It’s a fascinating listen, and is a heavy musicians dream listen for nearly 45-minutes. The band have a BIG new fan in me, and it’s insane to me that they aren’t bigger given the bands sheer massive talent. I’d urge you to check this out immediately, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Connor Selby: The Truth Comes Out Eventually
Shockingly not hailing from the whiskey-soaked streets of New Orleans, Connor is one of the shining lights of the UK blues scene, and it’s easy to see why when he’s putting out such incredible work like this! 10 incredible songs that highlight his talent not only as an exceptional guitarist but as a songwriter too, packed full of great riffing and soloing, lyrics from the heart and enough organ and horns to make me fall in love with it! Even if it’s not everyone’s thing, there is no denying his talent, as even if vocals on this are stellar throughout. Tracks like the opener, ‘(I Am) Who I Am’ and ‘It Hurts to be in Love’ are all massive highlights for me, but every song on this is pretty incredible! I’m honestly shocked I haven’t heard of him before now, as I love this sort of music, and he certainly has a new fan in me! It’s something I’d love to see live, I imagine it’d somehow be even better than on track. But still, the tracks are awesome, and I’ll certainly be spinning this more in the coming weeks and months. I’m loving this revival of the older jazzy-blues sound, especially here in the UK with the likes of Cardinal Black too! Check this out if you are at all curious. 8.5/10