One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED!

One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED

Introduction
Album of the Week
Honorable Mentions
Missed The Cut
Addendum
On The List
Looking Forward To
Fine Print
About One Louder Magazine

Holy crap, what a weekend it was… or wasn’t!

It was so packed with things that when it ended, I’m not sure if I even had one or not. Friday after work was band practice. Always good seeing/hanging with the boys and making a racket.

A few weeks ago I had mentioned reconnecting (via email) with my old roommate from 30-ish years ago. Well, we got together for lunch on Saturday at one of my old haunts, Pagliacci Pizza. Now, it might not be a big deal to some of you other locals, but for me, their locations are not kind. Where I live and work and hang out is like the Bermuda Triangle, with every Pagliacci located at the center of my three triangle spots. But, hey, Dylan lives in Seattle, and Pags was a good halfway meeting point… and yes, I ordered extra for leftovers.

After returning home for lunch, I mowed in the blazing heat… but it was worth it. The grass was looking a little shaggy. I might touch it up again this weekend – hey, we have Friday off, woo-hoo!

On Sunday my mom and I headed over to Whidbey Island (Langley) to see my sister and her three beautiful kiddos (two in college, one a year or two away). Man, I love seeing the kids. Always difficult arranging times when school is in session, and they always have BUSY summer plans. Hopefully I get to see them again before they head back to college.

Anyway, the weekend was great nourishment for the soul, but… it also kicked my ass. I’m whupped!

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Ok, so this movie came out in 2014, but I just heard about it – read somewhere, can’t recall – and was like, “yeah, I GOTTA see that.” And I’m glad I did.

It won’t be for everyone, but if you like dark, dark, dark comedy meets ‘The Twilight Zone’ meets ‘Black Mirror’ meets the movie ‘Falling Down’, then you’re in luck!

The movie is titled ‘Wild Tales’ (or ‘Relatos salvajes’), and it is subtitled, so ya gotta sit, watch, and read… unless your espanol is perfecto.

It is two hours long, BUT… it is not a full movie. No. Rather, there are six stories that are each roughly ~20 minutes long.

My favorite stories were #3, El más fuerte (my favorite one; this was IN-FUCKING-SANE!!!!). I won’t say anything other than a fun fact: the bridge in the episode is now a tourist spot.

Another favorite was the opener, Pasternak. This was the story that I read about that got me interested in watching the whole thing. The other four are pretty solid, as well, but these two top my list. At ~20 mins each, just check your brain at the door, and watch in order. It’s easy and fast!

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I’d be remiss if I didn’t congratulate the New York Knickerbockers, who became NBA champions for the first time since 1973, a span of 53 years.

I’ve become a little FxUx to the NBA after Commissioner David Stern allowed the Seattle SuperDuperSonics to move to… Oklahoma City?! After the Spurs beat OKC, I thought, for absolutely sure, that they’d take the title. So hats off to the Knicks.

Hey, some of you remember Ty Vaughn. He lives in NY now, and I asked him if he got caught up in all the hoopla. His response:

“Yezzir! I actually went to a playoff game at MSG cause my uncle coaches for the 76ers and he got me some tix! NYC is so electric right now, everyone is so pumped! Miss y’all, too, man!”

Dude, those tickets were going for your first AND second born kid. Man, that would’ve been fun!

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Last, but not least – Father’s Day is this Sunday. Be sure to give your ‘ol man a call!

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This week’s AOTW is not a single one, but rather a Tupac. Get some!

They could not be any more different, yet they both remind me of a bygone era of the late ’80s / early ’90s.

The first is by reggae/ska/punk legends, Sublime, and their first drop in THIRTY years! All with Bradley Nowell’s son, Jakob, handling vocal duties. RIP Bradley.

The second is by a new band called Lex Legion. But they’re not a particularly new band at all since it is King Diamond’s old band… minus King Diamond. Vocalist Nils K. Rue does a fantastic job, and the latest from both Sublime and Lex Legion could’ve been released anytime with their other classics back in the day.

Do you feel the same as I do? Let me know!

Are you a casual fan who stumbled across this site? If so, be sure to SUBSCRIBE, as these are delivered every Thursday at 9 PM PT. With a subscription, you’ll be sure to never miss an issue!

😁 BE THE REASON SOMEONE SMILES 😁

Be sure to let me know what you agree / disagree with, etc… always fun to hear your opinions, too. Happy listening… and see you next week!

Cheers,

Troy

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Album(s) of the Week** – June 12th to June 18th, 2026:

3,626,297 – Sublime – Until The Sun Explodes

Ska-Reggae-Punk legends Sublime’s last release was their self-titled album… in 1996… a span of 30 looooooong years. Yet this release coulda been released back in the early to mid-90s. Fits right in. “But wait, Troy,” I can hear you say… “didn’t vocalist Bradley Nowell die in ’96, marking the end of the band?” Sure did… but his son – Jakob – now fronts ’em. Hellz yeah, this was great! Welcome back, and PLEASE overstay your welcome!

From amazon: “After nearly 3 decades, Sublime return with Until The Sun Explodes, their first full-length album with Jakob Nowell as frontman, arriving June 12 on Atlantic Records. Featuring collaborations with H.R. of Bad Brains, Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise, G Love and more, the album stays rooted in the band’s classic sound while opening a new chapter.”

5,734 – Lex Legion – Lex Legion

All hail the almighty Lex Legion! Are you a fan of Mercyful Fate and/or King Diamond? If so, you’re in luck! Lex Legion’s self-titled debut features all members from King Diamond’s classic late-’80s lineup (sans vocalist King Diamond). In his stead is Pagan’s Mind vocalist Nils K. Rue. This album easily could’ve been released back in the ’80s tucked between MF/KD classics. This was fantastic and I hope they release more! My only complaint is that the album was too short at 34:35.

From MNRK Music Group: “Lex Legion is a brand-new band comprised of old friends with incredible heavy metal pedigree. Featuring four-fifths of the classic late 1980s King Diamond lineup—Mikkey Dee, Pete Blakk, Andy La Rocque, and Hal Patino—infused with the jaw-dropping vocals of Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind), it also boasts Motorhead, Scorpions, and Death on its collective resume. Lex Legion’s eponymous debut album is a single-minded, future-facing throwback of world-class hard rock/metal distinguished by tasteful, less-is-more arrangements, virtuoso musicianship, and relentless melody and harmony.

“Lex Legion is totally written the way we thought in the ’80s,” said drummer Dee (Motörhead, King Diamond), relaxing in Tenerife before a busy year with Scorpions. “We wrote what we wanted. If you liked it, great bonus. If you didn’t, that was fine with us too!”

Lex Legion was formed by former King Diamond guitarist Blakk and drummer Dee, completed by bassist Patino alongside guitarist/producer La Rocque—a King Diamond constant since 1985 who also played on Death’s seminal Individual Thought Patterns—and finally, Nils K. Rue.

This is music for hard rock/metal fans, but with a freshness and excitement that only a debut album can capture. The members find themselves more musically accomplished than ever but now free of youthful egos, with the camaraderie and routine that comes from careers spanning over forty years.

Despite their impressive resumes (Dee is a Grammy winner, La Rocque a nominee) and busy schedules, Lex Legion is a serious passion project gestating for a quarter-century until the time was right. Released by MNRK Music Group in June 2026, possible touring begins the following year.

Album opener and first single “Sleep Eternally” states its case immediately. “It has elements of everything on the album,” said La Rocque. “The right tempo, the right vocals, starting like a fist in your face!” Second track “Gypsy Tears” seals the deal—eerie and rapturous, otherworldly and propulsive.

“This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music and there’s a big hole for us to fill,” Blakk concluded. “Welcome to our new journey of friendship and hard rock!””

Honorable Mentions (in order by “popularity”*):

52,336,898 – Olivia Rodrigo – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love

This is not an album I’ll listen to a whole lot – if ever – but this 23-year-old pop princess has a bangin’ voice over some really nice tunes. This is a concept album chronicling “…the rise and fall of a relationship and the gradual loss of self that unfolds along the way.” As an added bonus, she writes her own stuff (along with producer Dan Nigro, who also plays a ton of instruments on the album), although… fun fact: The Cure’s Robert Smith is a special guest on ‘What’s Wrong With Me’; it is the first time another artist has appeared on one of her albums. Good stuff, my sister’s kids love her! But don’t listen to us – the album has been very well-received by fans and critics alike!

From Rough Trade Records: “Three-time Grammy Award winner Olivia Rodrigo’s highly anticipated third studio album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, follows her critically acclaimed LPs Guts and Sour.”

5,354,090 – Keith Urban – Flow State

Keith Urban is a mega-popular country star… but here he goes easy, breezy, and greazy with an album packed with all yacht rock covers and one original tune. The songs include Robert Dupree’s ‘Steal Away’, Player’s ‘Baby Come Back’, Walter Egan’s ‘Magnet And Steel’ (featuring Little Big Town), Bill Withers’ ‘Just The Two Of Us’, Stephen Bishop’s ‘On And On’, original song ‘We Go Back’ (featureing Michael McDonald), Little River Band’s ‘Help Is On Its Way’, Ambrosia’s ‘How Much I Feel’, Seals And Crofts’ ‘Summer Breeze’, Gino Vannelli’s ‘I Just Wanna Stop’, and Bread’s ‘Guitar Man’ (featuring John Mayer).

I’m not much of a fan of country music, so it’s an easy slam dunk “no”, right? Not so fast, compadre. It’s not an album I’ll reach for again, but I love yacht rock classics, so this was a very fun listen, and I think he does a fantastic job with the covers. Easy, breezy, and greazy!

From Universal Music: “Award-winning global Country music superstar Keith Urban’s latest album Flow State (via MCA) serves as an antidote to life’s stresses as it creates an atmosphere for community gathering, deep exhales and optimism. In this album, Urban revisits the breezy, laid-back sounds of classic yacht rock tunes for a reinvigorated collection of songs that will have us lathering up the sunscreen and blending drinks all summer long.

“Creating FLOW STATE was one of the most unexpected albums I’ve ever made. In a lot of ways, it felt like the whole album had an energy and life of its own, and I was just following where it led me. The songs we recorded were all so natural though, and I discovered a lot about how much they’ve helped shape my own music. There’s a reason these songs have stood the test of time, and equally so, the need for their spirit of fully disconnecting from ‘the grid’ and swimming in blue sky simplicity.”” – Keith Urban

2,113,706 – Yes – Aurora

I am a MASSIVE fan of their classic ’70s (and some ’80s) output. Yes is one of the best prog-rock bands ever, right?! Well, before listening to this, I read a review that slagged it. I went in thinking, “yup, dudes are older, perhaps not as inspired”, and more… but you know what? I came away pretty excited! I mean, honestly, if I’m gonna reach for Yes, I’m gonna reach for their old shit, but make no mistake. While a far cry from the original/classic lineup, this new era of the band sounds vibrant. The current lineup is: Steve Howe (guitars), Geoff Downes (keys), Jon Davison (vox), Billy Sherwood (bass), and Jay Schellen (drums).

From Rough Trade Records: “Aurora.

When Yes first began sketching out ideas for what would become Aurora, the process was loose and exploratory. There was no preconceived concept at the start, just a collection of musical fragments that gradually began to find one another and take form. Among these early sketches was a piece titled “Aurora,” and it quickly became clear that the name carried certain gravity. It suggested light, emergence, and a sense of vastness, qualities that resonated deeply with the band.

As Steve Howe explains: “Making this record was joyful, a chance to play, explore, and give everything to the music. It’s always been about collaboration; somebody can write a song, but until everybody puts their contribution in it isn’t really a Yes song. We’re not trying to echo the past; we’re carrying the spirit of Yes forward and turning it into something new”.

With their 24th studio album, Yes demonstrate not just longevity, but a sustained curiosity, a desire to keep exploring, keep refining and keep discovering their capacity to create.”

919,041 – Dirty Heads – 7 Seas

I love Dirty Heads! …but I’m not sure about this release. Here is what I’ve said about previous releases:

“If you dig the reggae / ska / rock stylings of Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, etc., then definitely give this a spin. Totally along the same lines…smooth grooves perfect for a drive on a warm Summer day!”

This release still has reggae throughout, but they also introduced a lot of hip-hop. Like too much. I’m a fan of hip-hop, but DH’s latest felt nearly packed with it. Enjoy their earlier releases first, then come back to this one.

From amazon: “Dirty Heads have built a career out of soundtracking the best moments of people’s lives, and with 7 Seas, they’re not slowing down. The RIAA Platinum Certified Southern California outfit returns with their much-anticipated ninth full-length album, building on their signature balance of carefree energy and reflective songwriting while inviting fans into their next chapter of freedom, positivity, and forward motion.

From sun-soaked, laid-back anthems made for a day at the beach to hard-hitting late-night bangers, the album moves fluidly across moods without ever losing the infectious Dirty Heads energy fans have come to love.

With over 3 billion career streams worldwide and multiple #1 singles on alternative and rock radio, Dirty Heads have built a dedicated global following by seamlessly fusing reggae, hip-hop, alternative rock, and pop. 7 Seas CD has 10 tracks, wallet packaging, and a gold disc.”

586,981 – Ryan Adams – The Suicide Handbook

Ok, I get it. I’m not supposed to like him – and I certainly don’t condone his behavior – but God damn, son, the guy can write a tune. I’ve heard a bunch of Ryan’s stuff and really dig it. All of it. Amazing. He keeps releasing great shit, keep it comin’, Ryan!

This is not a new album, per se, but rather one that was written and recorded in his early years as a solo musician (circa 2000-2001), yet never released… until now. Brilliant singer-songwriter, asshole of a human being.

From amazon: “The Suicide Handbook” is one of Ryan Adams’ most legendary unreleased works, and it’s become something of a holy grail among his fanbase. Here’s what’s known about it: It was recorded around 2000-2001, during an incredibly prolific period for Adams – right around the time of Gold and shortly after Heartbreaker.

The album is a deeply personal, raw, and dark collection of songs that leaned into his more introspective and emotionally heavy side, more in the vein of Heartbreaker than the classic-rock Polish of Gold. The track list has circulated in various forms among fans and bootleg collectors over the years, though the exact sequencing and contents have never been officially confirmed – until now.”

541,314 – Triumph – The Best Of Triumph

Ah yes. Triumph. The other Canadian rock trio. Good, solid hard rock with a pinch of prog-rock. I love Triumph and never turn the dial when one of their tunes comes on. Don’t underestimate guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett. The guy’s a beast of a musician! As you might’ve guessed by the title, this album compiles the best tunes throughout their illustrious career, with all tunes remastered.

From amazon: “Spanning arena-ready anthems and melodic hard rock classics, The Best of Triumph captures a band that helped define the sound of late ’70s and ’80s rock. Featuring essentials like “Lay It On the Line,” “Magic Power,” “Fight the Good Fight,” and “Hold On,” the collection traces Triumph’s rise from Canadian breakout to international mainstay. As the band returns to the stage in 2026, these songs remain as powerful, optimistic, and electrifying as ever.”

245,746 – The String Cheese Incident – On The Road: Hulaween – 11/01/25 (2 CDs)

TSCI is a hit-or-miss band for me. I dig the fiery, passionate, jam-oriented grooves when they get in that state (like on this live release – they’re en fuego!)… but they also lull into more “adult-oriented rock” occasionally, which I find to be painfully boring. More killer jams, less “boring songs”! I listened to this release for set two: the covers (see ahead)… but don’t miss out on their first set of all originals, too. Great stuff here!

The second set of this show is a Halloween-themed dance-party titled ‘Club Transylvania’. It is packed with covers such as: ‘Le Freak’ (Chic), ‘Stayin’ Alive’ (Bee Gess), ‘Murder On The Dance Floor’ (Sophie Ellis-Bextor), ‘I’m Coming Out’ (Diana Ross), ‘Dracula’s Wedding’ (OutKast), ‘I Will Survive’ (Gloria Gaynor), ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ (Nina Simone, The Animals), ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ (The Rolling Stones), ‘People Are Strange’ (The Doors), ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ (Duran Duran), ‘Dragula’ (Rob Zombie), ‘Zombie Boy’ (Lady Gaga), and ‘Celebration’ (Kool & The Gang).

NOTE: Two other TSCI live albums were also released this past week. Granted, it’s a nearly NINE-hour runtime betwixt the three releases, so I stuck with the Hulaween Special. But I hope to get to these others at some point since they’re such a killer live band! That is where they thrive…

The String Cheese Incident – On The Road: Eau Claire, WI – 8/16/25 (2 CDs)

The String Cheese Incident – On The Road: Atlanta, GA – 2/08/25 (2 CDs)

239,899 – Goose – BIG MODERN!

Seventy minutes of mostly instrumental funky barn-burner jams around a few sung lyrics. If you dig exploring the unexplored, give this album a spin. If you prefer more structure to songs, then perhaps it’s best to move on. Me? It started off a little slow, but once they got going, they would not let up… I was all-in on this album!

From Rough Trade Records: “Following the back-to-back releases of Everything Must Go and Chain Yer Dragon in 2025, Goose return with Big Modern!, a vibrant next chapter that expands the band’s signature indie rock sound with neon-lit inspired synths, driving rhythms, and soaring anthemic hooks.

New tracks like “Good2B” and “Good Times // End Times” arrive alongside fan favourites “Big Modern” and “Torero,” capturing Goose’s adventurous spirit while delivering some of their most bold and dynamic studio recordings yet.”

212,837 – Fruit Bats – The Landfill

Fruit Bats is led by folksy singer-songwriter Eric D. Johnson. I’m a relative newcomer to them – 2019’s ‘Gold Past Life’, even though they’ve been releasing albums since 2001’s ‘Echolocation’ – but I’ve been a fan ever since. Eric is an incredible songwriter and has a fantastic voice.

From amazon: “The Midwest, particularly the part of the Midwest Eric D. Johnson hails from, is a largely flat expanse. Zipping through it on the highway, you’ll see cities and towns rise up in the distance, but blink and you’ll miss other man-made rejoinders to horizontal living dotting the landscape, hill after hill, built from the refuse of the past: landfills. Some of these hills make for great sledding spots, parks, and trails. Others turn organic waste into compost. The Landfill is something else entirely: a mountain dominating the landscape of Johnson’s heart.

Over the course of his now 25-year career under the Fruit Bats moniker, most of Eric D.Johnson’s output has been the product of patience and fine-tuning. His songs, to borrow a phrase, are slow growers, given life on albums that encompass long stretches of time and memory. Baby Man changed that – he disallowed himself from referring to material he’d been working on before laying the album down, utilizing the morning pages technique of stream-of-consciousness, observational songwriting which flowed directly into his afternoon recording sessions. It was both a breathtaking document of Johnson’s skill as a singer-songwriter and an unvarnished account of the two weeks in which he recorded the album.

Baby Man’s closeness to Johnson’s heart and the close attention to his voice and instrument its minimalist-maximalist ethos required uncorked something in him as he wrote towards a new full-band effort. “That session was over,” he explains, “but there was way more to explore. I liked the immediacy of it, and I wanted to see how that would translate into a full-band Fruit Bats record.” Within weeks, he was back in a studio, this time with his band – David Dawda (bass), Josh Mease (guitars, synth), Frank LoCrasto (piano, synth), and Kosta Galanopoulos (drums) – with whom Johnson has spent over a decade building Fruit Bats into one of the most in-demand live acts in indie rock. Listening to The Landfill, it’s not hard to understand why: simply put, this band smokes.

Producing the initial recording sessions in Washington’s Bear Creek Studios, Johnson set out to capture “the sound of this band I constantly marvel at, the feeling of being in a room with musicians you love and trust enough to let them cook.” They laid most of it down on the floor – no click tracks, no comped vocals, and minimal overdubs, with frequent collaborator Thom Monahan returning to provide additional production and The Landfill’s final mix. “It’s how we do things with my other band, Bonny Light Horseman, and I was curious to see how it would work with Fruit Bats,” Johnson notes. “It’s both a very personal record, and my most collaborative to date.” It’s also the most live a Fruit Bats record has been since 2009’s The Ruminant Band, and in paring back the number of tracks that typically layer a full-band song, the psychedelic, technicolor dreaminess of their sound is more vivid than ever. Time and space melt into the sublime as the band gels around Johnson’s hazy croon on “That Goddamn Sun,” stretching out to accommodate him as he trips from California to North Carolina.

In striking a balance between ecstatic romance and melancholia, “Think Aboutcha” occupies the blissful-but-doomed intersection of the E Street Band and Paul McCartney, playful but playing for stakes that are larger than life, while “Perhaps We’re a Storm” charges headlong into the unknown. All of these songs – most of the songs on The Landfill, in fact – mark themselves immediately as some of the best in Eric D. Johnson’s ever-expanding songbook, seekers and anthems alike. It’s the most daunting peak he’s scaled yet, musically or lyrically: a swashbuckling set of full-band jammers couldn’t be more honest and open-hearted about his hopes and anxieties, his dreams and fa…”

209,082 – MONO – Snowdrop

I’ve been listening to Japanese instrumental post-rock band MONO for 20-some-odd years now, and they have never failed to disappoint. They do one thing, and they do it really well… all-instrumental ambient, soundscape-y, mellow-ish post-rock, but then follow that up with huge walls of sound that swell up. Fucking great band, love these guys!

From Temporary Residence Ltd: “When MONO recorded their previous album, OATH, with longtime production partner and friend, Steve Albini in 2023, they never fathomed that it would be the final studio album they made together. Albini tragically died the following year, and that loss left an incalculable void in the lives of not just everyone who ever knew Steve, but everyone with an attachment to any of the thousands of records he helped bring into the world over the past four decades. He brought a clarity to the chaos, and a selfless sense of service to art and artists that was unrivaled. On both a personal and practical level, the loss left MONO faced with profound grief and uncertainty. Albini had become a fundamental part of MONO’s unmistakable sound, and the thought of replacing him was daunting, to say the least. Enter: Brad Wood (Touché Amoré, The Smashing Pumpkins).

Chosen for both his familiarity with MONO’s creative and technical working process – as well as his decades-long friendship with Steve Albini – Brad Wood entered Albini’s storied Electrical Audio studios in September 2025 to record what would become Snowdrop. Once again working with Chicago-based conductor and orchestral musical director Chad McCullough, MONO enlisted a 10-piece orchestra as well as an 8-piece choir for the eight massive pieces that make up Snowdrop. With the band performing and Wood recording in the same hallowed space where most of MONO’s records had been made in their quarter-century history, the songs on Snowdrop carry an extra weight. Mixed by Wood at his Seagrass home studio in Los Angeles, the album is equally intimate and enveloping.

Where there could easily be a pall hanging over Snowdrop, there is instead an extraordinary air of gratitude. Rather than steep in heartache, there is a poignant appreciation for the resonance of life well-spent with a dear friend – and the yearning for what may come. Snowdrop is the sound of a band turning shock and sadness into hope and wonder – and finding renewed focus in the freedom of unknowing.”

205,795 – Paul Gilbert – Tribute To Jimi Hendrix [35th Anniversary Edition – 1991]

Paul Gilbert just might be my favorite “solo” guitar wanker, going all the way back to his Racer X days in the mid-’80s. [Petrucci’s my favorite “band-based” guitar wanker]. The songs vary from funky and soulful, to pop, to all-out shredding, back to blues, etc. I dig me some Paul Gilbert!!

But this release is a bit of a departure. It includes all Hendrix tunes (as evidenced by the album title), but the story ‘behind’ the album and how we even got one is amazing (read ahead). Since this was originally released in 1991 – now digitally for the first time ever – Paul was still in his “let me show everyone how fast I can play” mode. His newer stuff is more “relaxed” and song-oriented. I like both sides of Paul, but man, those albums in the early days (including this release)… whew! Dude is en fuego! The five-song set includes ‘Red House’, ‘Hey Joe’, ‘Highway Chile’, ‘Midnight’, and ‘Purple Haze’.

From Mascot Label Group: “Hot on the heels of his latest studio album WROC, released last February, we’re announcing ANOTHER album from the guitarist extraordinaire.

Paul Gilbert will re-release his 1991 album Tribute to Jimi Hendrix to celebrate its 35th Anniversary on 12 June via Music Theories Recordings, marking the album’s first official digital release.

It’s the album that almost never was, or never should have been. Picture the scene: it’s 2 June 1991, and Paul Gilbert was invited to the Frankfurt Jazz Festival in Germany to trade a few solos with Albert Collins, who was headlining the festival. However, shortly after arriving at the venue, Gilbert learned that Collins had suffered a sudden health issue and would be unable to perform.

The promoter of the festival quickly assembled a backing band using the bassist and drummer from Ten Years After, the group led by Alvin Lee, who were also appearing at the festival. It was only hours before showtime. The only thing Paul could think to do was to quickly rehearse some Jimi Hendrix songs, and make the solos long enough to fill up a whole set. So the band and Paul jumped into rehearsal, and a couple hours later, did the show with scorching renditions of ‘Red House,’ ‘Hey Joe,’ ‘Highway Chile,’ ‘Midnight’ and ‘Purple Haze’.”

158,238 – Samantha Fish – Paper Doll [Live At The Bijou Theatre]

Samantha Fish is great! She plays mean, mean blues (with a touch of swing and rockabilly), yet has the voice of an angel. It’s the perfect one-two combo. Based on this release, it’s apparent that her live show must be pretty spectacular, too. In addition to original fan favorites from across her discography, she also plays a few covers, as well, including ‘Kick Out The Jams’ (MC5 – as the opener, fuck yeah!), ‘I Put A Spell On You’ (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins), and ‘Poor Black Mattie’ (R.L. Burnside).

From Rounder Records: “Recorded at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, TN, Paper Doll Live marks Samantha Fish’s first live album release. The tracklist features music from across her catalog and fan-favorite covers showcasing what makes Fish one of the most formidable guitarists of her generation. Fish deals in her own unmatched brand of bravado, bringing both mind-blowing power and extraordinary emotionality to everything she creates. Paper Doll Live showcases the electrifying stage presence that defines her career.”

72,073 – Big D & The Kids Table – The Good Ole American Saturday Night

Congrats to Boston ska band Big D and the Kids Table on their 30th anniversary, and shame on me for not having listened to them before! Better late than never. If you’re a fan of ska, Big D’s latest drop is a solid choice!

From amazon: “Boston ska punk legends Big D and the Kids Table are back with their first LP in 5 years! The Good Ole American Saturday Night marks their reunion with producer Joe Gittleman of The Mighty Mighty BossTones, who produced Big D classics Strictly Rude and Fluent In Stroll, & Matt Appleton of Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger, who produced their 2021 LP Do Your Art. Big D will be celebrating their 30th year as a band in 2026.”

64,643 – Khemmis – Khemmis

Straight-up raise the horns heavy fucking metal! Definitely has that heavy, chunky riffage, but still quite melodic. I dig these guys!

From Nuclear Blast Records: “After eleven years of releasing albums and touring the world, Khemmis’ 5th full-length record is a dense, blood-infused honey for the ear. A grand spiritual celebration of heavy metal, a concept album framed as a ritual of musical freedom that starts with the pounding rhythms of “Invocation of the Dreamer” and culminates with the starlit exaltation of “Benediction Tones.”

From Metal Injection: “This record is everything Khemmis can be, so it’s fitting to be a self-titled affair. There are moments of thrash, epic doom, old school heavy metal, prog, and more. The flow between all these ideas is so well done throughout the record that you almost don’t notice that you’ve been given a lesson in heavy metal mastery.”

33,056 – Vanden Plas – AcCult II

Phenomenal release from these German prog-metallers. With past VP albums, I stated, “Sort of a second-rate Dream Theater, but a second-rate DT is a hell of a lot better than a lot of other crap out there. I’m definitely intrigued and want to hear some more from these guys…”

This new release, though, hearkens back to earlier days, as they re-worked songs from their back catalog… in a more subdued, acoustic style. And it totally works! FWIW, lead vocalist Andy Kuntz does still sound quite a lot like Dream Theater’s James LaBrie. Neither here nor there, just an observation.

The album also contains reworked covers of Styx’s ‘Boat On The River’ and Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’, and Supertramp sax player John Helliwell contributes to the album’s final track, ‘You Fly’. Nice stuff, guys!

From Frontiers Records: “German progressive metal pioneers Vanden Plas are back with “AcCult II”, a new acoustic album set for release on June 12, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.

“AcCult II” is the highly anticipated acoustic sequel to Vanden Plas’ 1996 landmark album “AcCult”.

Stephan Lill explained how the album came to life: “When we released our first acoustic CD, “AcCult”, in 1996, it was special to us in many ways. For this release, we arranged songs from our debut album, “Colour Temple”, into new acoustic versions. And we did the same with songs by other artists or bands that didn’t necessarily fit our usual musical style. Ever since that release, we’d always had it in the back of our minds to produce another acoustic CD at some point. But then came tours, more regular CDs, many theatre productions we were involved in, and time flew by…”

“When Frontiers approached us with the idea of another acoustic CD, we knew that we had the time needed for it, and with the right songs, it could work. And we can now say, it worked out. We sticked with the concept of the first “AcCult” CD, and so “AcCult II” once again features acoustic versions of Vanden Plas songs, as well as two cover songs: “Nothing Else Matters” (Metallica) and “Boat on the River” (Styx)”, he continued. “We are more than happy that, exactly 30 years later, we can write the next “AcCult” chapter. And all Vanden Plas fans can look forward to a truly extraordinary release.”

Building on the innovative concept that first reimagined tracks from their debut “Colour Temple” in a stripped-down, unplugged setting, this new release revisits select songs from their extensive catalog with fresh acoustic arrangements, offering fans a completely new perspective on the band’s music.

In addition to reworked originals like “Far Off Grace”, “Holes In The Sky”, “The Ghost Xperiment”, and “You Fly”, “AcCult II” features inspired interpretations of classic songs by other artists, including Styx’s “Boat On The River” and Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”, blending reverence for the originals with Vanden Plas’ signature emotional depth and musical sophistication.

Notably, John Helliwell of Supertramp makes a guest appearance on saxophone on the album’s closing track, “You Fly”, adding a unique, melodic touch to the album’s finale.

The album showcases the band’s current lineup – Andy Kuntz (vocals), Stephan Lill (guitars), Andreas Lill (drums), Thorsten Reichert (bass), and Alessandro Del Vecchio (keyboards) – whose synergy brings a nuanced warmth to each track.

With “AcCult II”, Vanden Plas demonstrates that their progressive sensibilities translate seamlessly into intimate, acoustic settings, creating a compelling experience that resonates both with longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

31,039 – The Bobby Lees – New Self

The Bobby Lees are a Woodstock, NY-based garage punk quartet. I didn’t fully love this eight-track 20:17 EP, but it did make me take notice.

Fun fact #1: the band name came from a hallucination that vocalist/guitarist Sam Quartin experienced. She thought she saw a ghost named Bobby Lee.

Fun fact #2: the band actually went on hiatus in 2023 due to burnout and financial pressures. Actor/musician Jason Mamoa considers himself a fan and helped the band out financially so they could record this new EP.

From amazon: “For The Bobby Lees, their fourth album and Epitaph debut New Self marks a thrilling new chapter for the band while doubling down on what’s always made them so magnetic.

The Bobby Lees don’t need much in the way of introduction. Within a few seconds of exposure to their furnace-blast live shows or their bottled-lightning studio records, it’s easy to hear why they’ve earned fans in legendary musicians like Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, and Henry Rollins. They’re as uncompromising in their sound and generous with their energy as any of their punk ancestors who first rewrote the rules of engagement back in the 1970s.

Led by singer and guitarist Sam Quartin, drummer Macky Bowman, and bassist Kendall Wind, The Bobby Lees bring wildness and danger back into punk rock. You can hear the band easing into a new confidence – one that’s both looser and more towering – all throughout New Self, from the seething, fiery “Napoleon” to the rambunctious, offbeat take on PJ Harvey’s “50ft Queenie.” This is the sound of a band who’s scrambled over shaky ground only to come back stronger than ever: more confident, more connected, louder and fiercer and secure in their own skin.”

25,289 – Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs – Mission of Mercy

Mike Campbell is the former lead guitarist in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and this is his new/old project. I was lukewarm with his last album, 2024’s ‘Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits’ because it leaned a little too much on the country side of things. This release, though, finds Mike and The Dirty Knobs leaning more in the rock-blues world with just hints of neo-psychedelia. If I may be so bold, I “hear” Tom Petty’s fingerprints all over the album. Great album. Respect!

From amazon: “‘Mission Of Mercy,’ produced by George Drakoulias, Martin Pradler and Mike Campbell, is the band’s fourth studio record. The album features 12 new songs penned by Campbell, showcasing his unique perspective through his songwriting, while also tapping into his signature, iconic guitar playing that changed rock music forever. The album features collaborations from Morgane Stapleton and Kate Pierson (B-52s) and was recorded at Hocus Pocus Studios in California.”

12,195 – Duane Betts – Isle Of Hope

Duane Betts is the son of The Allman Brothers Band’s guitarist Dickey Betts (RIP), and it comes as no surprise to me that I’d dig this. If you dig The Allman Brothers (like I do), then this album will be right up your alley. So killer, looking forward to more from DB!

From Sun Label Group: “Duane Betts brings a coastal chill to his new album Isle of Hope, his first on Sun Records. Recorded in the Georgia Lowcountry with GRAMMY-award-winning producer Dave Cobb, Betts brings his unique blend of Southern rock and roots riffs to tracks co-written by Duane with Stoll Vaughan. Among all the fire on the fretboards is an intimate look at Duane’s sobriety, the loss of his father (Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers), and his decades on the road touring in the rock and jam band worlds.”

9,767 – Jon Spencer – Songs Of Personal Loss And Protest

Ah yeah! Other than 2024’s super-short ‘n sweet ~19-minute ‘Sick Of Being Sick’ EP, I haven’t heard Jon Spencer’s name mentioned in years, but I’m glad he’s back! To me, this sounded like the baby of The White Stripes and The Black Keys. It had that rough ‘n raw, old-school bluesy-garage/punk swagger… and they do a great job at it!

From their bandcamp page: “Picking up where 2024’s mini–LP SICK OF BEING SICK left off, Jon tears it up with KENDALL WIND on bass and SPIDER BOWMAN on drums (also famously the rhythm section of Woodstock’s punk powerhouse The Bobby Lees). They deliver garage punk for today — hyper-driven soul and powerhouse groove, beats hard as diamonds and slick as ice, fuzz bass in your face, and an avalanche of uncontrollable urges, pushing Jon’s latest outbursts — hollering, drooling, sexified crooning, and vociferously lamenting these difficult times — to new levels of rock’n’roll expressionism. SONGS OF PERSONAL LOSS AND PROTEST is the New New Super Heavy Rock for Hard Times.”

Jon Spencer – vocals, guitar, synth, organ, percussion
Kendall Wind – bass, vocals, guitar, piano, organ
Macky Spider Bowman – drums, vocals, percussion

Recorded by Chris Bittner at Applehead Recording, Woodstock, NY, July 7-9, 2025 except Vermin Attack! & Mr. Lion, recorded by Felipe Ruz & Perrosky at Estudio Algorecords, Stgo. Chile, April 6, 2025. Mixed by Chris Bittner at Applehead. Mastered by Dave Gardner at DSG
Produced by Jon Spencer

All songs © 2026 by Spencer, Wind, Bowman (Patricia Ann Music, BMI)
SONGS OF PERSONAL LOSS AND PROTEST is the New Super Heavy Rock for Hard Times.

XXX

8,403 – Klimt 1918 – Àmor

I wasn’t bowled over with excitement with this release, yet this Italian shoegaze meets post-rock band did make me take notice. Fun fact #1: the band is named after Austrian painter Gustav Klimt and the year of his death in 1918. Fun fact #2: the band was formed by brothers Marco and Paolo Soellner in 1999 after they split from their former band… that played death metal! Marco began listening to The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and more, leading to Klimt 1918. I’m just not 100% sold on it yet.

From amazon: “”Àmor” is a pure rush of passion and irresistibly sexy! The burning pulse of the sun’s nuclear fire scorching the desert. The smooth sliding of glistening skin over other skin in a throbbing rhythm. The swelling hum of motion in a mass of bodies.

KLIMT 1918 capture many such fleeting moments in time and preserve them through cascading walls of sound and the elegant drone of guitars. The Italian’s fifth album, “Àmor”, represents a climax of their acclaimed previous work into a most melancholic, sensual, and majestic collection of captivating music.

“Àmor” was born out of silence, solitude, and social distancing. Yet as a deliberate artistic counterpoint, KLIMT 1918 decided to have all their new songs revolve around carnality, ardour, physical contact between bodies, and the urgent, compelling feelings that keep people awake at night.

As a crowning glory, KLIMT 1918 were artistically knighted when the legendary Tony Doogan accepted to mix ‘Àmor,’ and Frank Arkwright (Abbey Road Studios) added his mastering genius. Both renowned engineers have previously joined forces to collaborate with such acts as MOGWAI and SNOW PATROL, and their portfolios also include such greats as JOY DIVISION, COLDPLAY, and OASIS among many others.

Although it took plenty of time, diligence, and energy, “Àmor” proves with every second that the album is more than worth this long wait. KLIMT 1918 take their raw emotionality expressed in dynamic, glowing soundscapes rather than fixed structures and calculated hooks to another peak!”

8,205 – Lyle Workman – Live At Alvas

This dude is a major player in the soundtrack world and as a session/live touring musician, but here he goes solo and… I dig! It’s an all-instrumental album with jazz-fusion leanings. Tasty!

From Blue Canoe Records:
Guitar: Lyle Workman
Keys: Matt Rohde
Keys: Stan Cotey (Guitar – “Born Ready”, “Pass The Torch”)
Bass: Jorgen Carlsson
Drums: Ezequiel Ghilardi
Recording Engineer: Jairo Camacho
Additional Engineer: Art Valdez
Mixing/Mastering: Lyle Workman
Art Direction/Layout: Wyatt Workman

6,371 – zakè & marine eyes – Still Beauty

zakè is Zach Frizzell and marine eyes is Cynthia Bernard. They play super-minimal, ambient, soundscape-y drone. Really nice, beautiful, mellow stuff!

From the bandcamp page: “With Still Beauty, PITP label head zakè (Zach Frizzell) and California-based marine eyes (Cynthia Bernard) present a suite of lovingly constructed pieces that combine organic, tape-saturated drones with angelic, spacious vocals and a host of other texturally nuanced instrumentation. Building on the hushed promises of their collaborative debut, Unfailing Love (2021), the two artists immerse us in the processes of loss, grief, and renewal, spiriting us through overlapping shadows into newfound light.

“Unfailing Love explored sadness, resilience, and a path toward deeper compassion and empathy,” Frizzell explains, “and while those themes continue here with greater clarity, we also wanted to show that even after hardship, there is a precious, persistent beauty worth holding onto.” Fittingly, the album’s eight movements sit on the precipice of some darkened abyss from which a mysterious, sweetened air arises, balanced between hope and melancholy, at peace with the whims of nature’s immensity.

Throughout the album, Frizzell wraps blankets of etherized drone around Bernard’s heavenly incantations for an overall feeling that is infinite and rapturous — a perfect synthesis of Midwestern, existentialist gravity and daydreaming, coastal drift. On pieces like “Map of Edges” and “What Was Home”, the earth moves in humming tremors as the seismograph flits at the corners and a comforting, crystalline mist of upper-register harmony wafts across the landscape. In many places, a focus on orchestral elements provides an understated sense of evolution for the duo, taking us through meditative landscapes, always with a current of protective strength and a vast range of emotional contours.

Above all, Still Beauty casts a spell of kindness and care. Each artist has experienced significant trials and traumas in the half-decade since Unfailing Love, but as two individuals who profoundly revere the natural world, they choose to nurture their strength of spirit through the creation of beautiful things. “Zach and I share a wonderful friendship, and when we collaborate, our synergy just naturally locks in,” notes Bernard. “These songs contain a lot of secretly encoded messages to our loved ones, honoring the importance of each day we get to share… We have such an unbreakable bond based on our awareness of that fragility, and this collaboration has been a gift to us both.””

Written, recorded, produced, and arranged by zakè and marine eyes. Engineered and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard. Cover image by Benoît Pioulard on Polaroid SX70 film. Design and layout by zakè. ©℗ 2026 Past Inside the Present. This is PITP78. pastinsidethepresent.com / pitp.us / zakedrone.com / cloudcollecting.net

1,040 – Bolan – Gargoyle Of The Garden State

Bolan is Rachel Bolan, the bassist in Skid Row, and this is his first solo album. It is a ~36-minute journey through eleven jam-packed rock and punk anthems, and, of course, a ballad! Ya never know what you’re gonna get with established band members heading out on their own, but this was a solid release! No frills – Just rock ‘n f’n roll! It reminds me of the “punkier” side of Duff McKagan’s releases, so if you like that, give this a spin. It’s good!

From Rachel’s website: ““Gargoyle of the Garden State” marks the solo debut of Rachel Bolan, bassist, songwriter, and co-founder of Skid Row. After more than 40 years shaping the band’s sound and attitude, Bolan now steps into the spotlight under the name BOLAN with his first solo release, featuring entirely new material.

The album was produced by multi-Grammy winner Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Alice in Chains, Skid Row, Evanescence). Across eleven tracks, “Gargoyle of the Garden State” blends high-energy punk rock with catchy hooks, strong melodies, and plenty of attitude.

Bolan is joined by an impressive lineup of friends and collaborators, including his Skid Row bandmates Dave “Snake” Sabo (‘See You On The Other Side’), Scotti Hill (‘Rock And Roll Star’), and Rob Hammersmith (drums, all tracks), as well as Corey Taylor (‘Big Stick’), Danko Jones (‘At War With Myself’), Nuno Bettencourt (‘Jet Black Universe’), Damon Johnson (‘Walk Away’), and Steve Conte (‘Bridges’).

“Gargoyle of the Garden State” is loud, direct, and authentic, capturing the spirit of friends coming together to make music and enjoy the moment.”

“”Gargoyle of the Garden State” is not a project; it is every bit of my soul,” says Bolan. “Like me, it knows when to be serious and also knows where the party is.””

846 – King Potenaz – Arcane Desert Rituals, Vol. 2

Rad album artwork is greeted with rad doom metal / stoner rock stylings. This is pretty badass, and I will continue to keep my eyes on these fellas, this being their third full-length. Tasty slab of riffage!

From King Potenaz: ““Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 2 is finally here. One year after the first chapter began its journey across the desert wastes, the circle is complete. This record represents the final step in a vision that has grown with us through every riff, every ritual, and every mile travelled. The gates are open once more. Join us for one last voyage to the furthest reaches of the cosmos and beyond.””

512 – Joseph Tholl – It Might Be Art

Wow, this was great! Joseph is the current guitarist of Tribulation and former guitarist of Enforcer. Those bands are on the much “heavier” side of metal, but here he forgoes all that, and instead focuses on combining straight-up melodic rock with goth rock, Swedish pop, and more. There are several guest appearances, but otherwise Tholl handled all vocals, guitars, piano/synth, and (some) bass. Drums were split. This is his second solo album, but I’m looking forward to hearing more!

From High Roller Records: “Joseph Tholl is widely known as a Swedish multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He gained international recognition as a founding member and guitarist for the speed metal band Enforcer (officially leaving in 2019). Following his time with Enforcer, he formed Black Trip (later Vojd) and is currently playing guitar for Tribulation.

Following 2019’s »Devil’s Drum«, »It Might Be Art« is his second solo album (also the second for High Roller Records). “My original idea was to release the follow-up album much earlier,” comments the multi-instrumentalist regarding the long gap between the two records, “but I joined Tribulation in 2020 and have done an album and an EP with them along with touring. Also, I’ve done two albums with Tyrann, and I became a father a few years back, so it has been hard to find the right time up until now.” Busy times for the Swede indeed.

“»Devil’s Drum« was received very well at the time,” he continues. “It was something quite different from most things I’ve done before, but people seem to receive it in a positive way, and reviews were really good. The album came out right before the pandemic, but we did get to play a successful show at ‘Hell Over Hammaburg’ and a few shows around Sweden around the album release.”

On »It Might Be Art« Joseph Tholl is singing, playing guitar and most of the bass; he also handles piano and synthesizer parts. Robert Eriksson (The Hellacopters) and Jakob Ljungberg (Second Sun) share drum duties on this album. Besides that, there are a few guest appearances by musicians such as Johannes Andersson (Tribulation), Tobias Lindkvist (Tyrann), Pia Stjärnvind (Serpent Omega), Adam Zaars (Tribulation) and Robert Pehrsson (Dundertåget, Robert Pehrsson’s Humbucker).

Joseph Tholl’s second studio album »It Might Be Art« was recorded and mixed at Humbucker Studio, which he co-owns with Robert Pehrsson (who’s also on High Roller Records): “Robert works there full time recording and mixing other bands, whereas I mostly record my own music in there. The album was recorded during November and December 2025. Robert has engineered during the drum recordings, and he has mixed and mastered the album. For the rest, I’m producing and engineering myself most of the time. But it’s always great to have Robert in the room next door whenever you need input on an idea or a sound.”

A lot of you may have wondered what the album title is all about: »It Might Be Art«. There is a funny story attached to that: “It comes from a moment in my youth when I was hanging out with my dear friend Johannes from Tribulation at his home. His parents are artists, and their home was filled with art. There was a bowl on the table with two apples in it, and I asked if I could eat one of them, and Johannes replied, ‘Hmm, I’m not sure, it might be art.’ I’ve always kept that in mind as a funny and thoughtful saying, and it suited well as a title for this album and the title track. The artwork is inspired by the title, combining an old painting I bought second hand together with a portrait painted of me by my friend Mats Davidsson.”

Most of the material for the album was written between January and March 2025, with some exceptions: “A few ideas have been lying around for a longer time. ‘The Burial,’ for example, was written straight after the release of »Devil’s Drum« in 2019.”

“There are definitely similarities to the previous album, but »It Might Be Art« takes it all to another level”, comments the singer/guitarist/bassist/keyboard player. “I wouldn’t want to hold back on anything here. Reaching new realms of writing is very important to me. And yes, very liberating to just let go of what people might expect.”

“There’s a bit of a theme throughout the album,” he continues, “it’s really a record about life and the trials most of us go through at some point. I wanted the album to feel like a journey through darkness, death, birth, love, despair, hope and so on. All the songs are very important and different from each other. Every song handles a certain theme in its own way, both lyrically and musically. But if I had to introduce the album with just three songs, I might say ‘New Dawn’, ‘Invocation Of The Evening Star’ and ‘It Might Be Art’. There’s a lot of big melodic choruses on this record. I wanted the songs to sound grand and straightforward.”

The keyboard work on the record is pretty prominent, although it’s not very upfront in the mix … it was probably planned like this, wasn’t it? “That’s right,” answers the Swede. “I wanted it to be a guitar-driven record but to add atmosphere with synthesizers. For a lot of songs, it’s quite subtle, but there are also songs like ‘It Might Be Art” where it’s actually the main element.”

Some of the tracks, like “I’m In A Darkness”, sound rather melancholic. So, is »It Might Be Art« a melancholic album? “It’s both darker and brighter than »Devil’s Drum«, comes the answer. “Musically it probably sounds a little brighter and poppy overall. But then there’s songs like ”I’m In A Darkness” or ‘The Burial’, which are very dark.”

At times, influences of Sisters Of Mercy, The Cure, New Model Army and Midnight Oil can be detected on »It Might Be Art«. Joseph Tholl ponders: “It’s incredibly hard to name a few bands as influences; there’s just too many. Besides those bands you mentioned, there’s a mix of grunge, heavy metal, Swedish pop/rock, AOR etc., that I mold into my own kind of rock n roll.”

Joseph Tholl thinks that despite its broad variety, »It Might Be Art« is still suitable for heavy metal fans: “I couldn’t see why not. I mean it’s not heavy metal. But I hope people will like it for what it is, a very honest and well-crafted melodic rock album.”” –– MATTHIAS MADER

151 – Foreign Film – A Love Letter

I am pleasantly shocked! Four of the band members in “noise metal” meets “extreme metal” band Will Haven are also on Foreign Film’s debut album, ‘A Love Letter’. FF is a complete departure from WH, with a more “cinematic” and post-rock-ish approach to music.

From Earsplit PR: “From the heart of the fertile Sacramento underground music scene, including four members of the legendary metallic hardcore outfit Will Haven, FOREIGN FILM is preparing to release their debut album, A Love Letter.

Established in 2023, FOREIGN FILM is the vision of Will Haven guitarist/primary songwriter Jeff Irwin, with several of his bandmates bringing it to fruition, created to explore soundscapes that differ vastly from Will Haven’s dark hardcore band. The band takes its name from Will Haven’s song of the same name, found on their heralded 1997 debut LP, El Diablo. Irwin was curious to explore new boundaries beyond the walls of their primary project, infusing influences such as Pink Floyd, Mew, Hum, and The Cure to create a lush, filmic sound.

After a year of writing demos, Irwin recruited fellow Will Haven musicians – drummer Mitch Wheeler, guitarist Sean Bivins, and bassist Adrien Contreras – and a full year of recording sessions at J Rigged Studios in Sacramento began, with Weston Ray and Robert Kerr handling producing and engineering duties. Throughout these sessions, the lineup grew with the addition of fellow musicians Robin Florkin (piano, keyboards), Rylan Kerr (guitar), and Tami Taracena (backing vocals).

Now, having realized their core sound, FOREIGN FILM is ready to unveil their debut album, A Love Letter. Across ten somber, vibrant, organic songs, the band creates cinematic soundscapes and textures with emotive authenticity. Dreamlike auras of tranquility intertwine with enveloping swells of emotion, carried out in a measured, mesmerizing delivery. Completed with artwork by Michael Cobra, A Love Letter is an emotive and immersive proper introduction to FOREIGN FILM.

Irwin states, “After two years of hard work, we are very excited to put this record into the world, we are happy with how this record turned out. With new friends and collaborations along this journey, this was one of our favorite records to make. We’re looking forward to what comes in the future.””

Missed the Cut (in order by “popularity”*):

2,683,046 – Sleeping With Sirens – An Ending In Itself

This metalcore meets post-hardcore band/album isn’t doing anything for me. Will not listen again, nor will I dig into their past catalog… the lead vocalist sounds like a whiny little bitch.

233,793 – Des Rocs – To Hell And Back

Modern rock album. No frills, no fat, just 11 songs of rock ‘n roll. It didn’t move me, but it wasn’t horrible, either. Kinda came and went, leaving little to no impression. What’s next?

176,613 – Embrace – Avalanche

Ooph. This English rock band reminds me of “anthemic rock” bands a la Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, U2, and the like. FWIW, I actually enjoy the latter two bands’ work, but I’d MUCH rather listen to them than this. But, hey, congrats on your 30th anniversary as a band… with all the same band members since their inception. Impressive!

156,109 – Kelsey Lu – So Help Me God

Kelsey is a British cellist, and her tunes lie within the singer-songwriter world. It was pretty forgettable, unfortunately…

147,021 – Pussy Riot – CYKA

Pussy Riot is an all-female Russian punk meets performance art band that openly opposes President Vladimir Putin. [They are currently in exile, as a Moscow court deemed Pussy Riot an “extremist organization”. If any of them return, they face lengthy (and severe) prison sentences for “spreading false information about the Russian military”].

In addition to the band’s protest of Russia’s state surveillance, protest actions, authoritarianism, the patriarchy, imprisonment, and more, other topics the band sings about are Big Pharma, personal struggles with PTSD and depression, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights. The song ‘Candy Dopamine’ features Avenged Sevenfold, and ‘Gore’ features Cypress Hill rapper B-Real.

Anyway, my thoughts? I love the idea behind Pussy Riot, but the music sounded (to me) like experimental / avant-garde punk. Not an easy listen. They have released a few EPs, mixtapes, and singles, but CKYA is the band’s full-length debut.

Fun fact: CYKA (or rather, СУКА) is not an acronym. Rather, it translates to “bitch” in Russian.
С makes an “S” sound.
У makes an “oo” sound.
К makes a “K” sound.
А makes an “ah” sound.
When you pronounce it together, it sounds like “soo-kah.”

143,970 – Hawkwind – Psychedelic Selection

Hawkwind is a psychedelic rock band that I should absolutely love, but they’re hit-or-miss for me (and, unfortunately, mostly misses). I dig their psychedelic / space rock odysseys, but not as often as I had hoped for. This release contains several new tracks, but it’s also a mixed bag with older songs re-interpreted, and more [read ahead].

From amazon: “Hawkwind return with a new release that blurs the boundaries between studio album, archive excavation and future transmission. Combining brand-new recordings, previously unheard material and reworked classics, this forward-facing collection captures the band in motion rather than looking back.

New tracks including ‘Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad’, ‘There Are Fairies In The Garden’, ‘The Judge And The Fisherman’, and ‘Goonhilly Downs’ showcase the current line-up’s continued creative strength.

Re-imagined versions of ‘The Demented Man’ and ‘Those Days Of The Underground’, alongside live-in-the-studio recordings of ‘PSI Power’ and ‘The Traveller Of Space’, bring fresh energy to key moments from the band’s catalogue.

Highlights include ‘Hurry On Sundown’, the final recording with Huw Lloyd-Langton, plus rare material from Dave Brock and Magnus Martin.”

46,346 – Black Tusk – Systems Of Solitude EP

This is the band’s first release in three years and third without founding bassist Jonathan Athon (RIP). Unfortunately, like previous releases, I’m kinda disappointed in this one, too. In the beginning, I had heard good things about this sludge metal band, but other than the occasional decent riff, this seemed way subpar. And the vocals are terrible. Sorry guys, not for me. But hey, that album artwork is sweet… Silver lining? Only three songs and a run time of 8:46.

19,637 – Spread Eagle – The Brutal Divine

Well, I enjoyed their last release – 2019’s ‘Subway To The Stars’ – stating: “Kinda diggin’ on this. The label – Frontiers Records – for the most part resurrects older, classic rock bands and the results are varied (but leaning heavy on the “uh, no” side). This band / album, though, reminds me of Velvet Revolver. Hope they don’t wait another, what, 20 years? to release a follow-up.”

This release, on the other hand, sounds like typical butt-rock and should be avoided.

1,049 – The Mon – Live At Kadoc

The lead vocalist/bassist/keyboardist of Ufomammut – Urlo – goes solo with this live release and… I dig Ufomammut, but this is a little too out there for my taste. That album artwork is pretty tasty, but I am having a difficult time getting into this psychedelic-ambient-drone album.

856 – Lockhart – City Pulse

This Canadian trio aims for melodic ’80s AOR-based radio rock… and NAIL it. It’s pretty cheesy, so I gotta bow out once it’s over, but hey, I gave it a shot …

0 – Scatter – Tech Hell Cyber Thrash EP

This is the thrash metal trio’s debut and… I am an avid fan of thrash metal, but this release misses the mark for me. I think it’s the vocals. That said, I’ll keep my eyes on ’em. The music is tight AF. Five songs and a run time of 18:39.

Addendum (in order by “popularity”*) – Albums that were released earlier in the year (or previous years) that I missed, but are worth mentioning, anyhow:

None.

On the List (in order by “popularity”*) – Albums that I didn’t get to (yet) for one reason or another. Will (hopefully) get to them at a later date:

Only listing ones that made me take notice, not everything…

14,475,037 – Look Outside Your Window – Look Outside Your Window

These are the “leftovers” from Slipknot’s 2008 release ‘All Hope Is Gone’ sessions.

From RSD: “Look Outside Your Window is Corey Taylor, Jim Root, Sid Wilson, and Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan, who in the downtime during recording sessions for Slipknot’s 2008 album All Hope Is Gone, began to freely create songs for themselves, exploring new directions with no outside expectations. Over the years, the existence of this project has seen coverage in outlets including Vice, Revolver, NME, Kerrang!, and countless others, and the fans have only grown louder in their demand to hear this album… now over 15 years later, the fans will finally get to experience it for themselves. “

From Metal Injection: “After more than 15 years of rumors, delays, and near-misses, the long-lost Slipknot offshoot album Look Outside Your Window finally has an official release date.

The record will not be released under the Slipknot name, instead arriving as a self-titled project… For Slipknot fans, the announcement cements an album that has long carried near-mythical status within the band’s lore. No word on if that means it’ll be out digitally and all that as well, but we’ll see.

Look Outside Your Window was originally recorded during sessions for Slipknot’s 2008 album All Hope Is Gone. At the time, Corey Taylor, Jim Root, M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan, and Sid Wilson branched off from the main band to explore a radically different creative direction — one that members have previously described as having a “Radiohead vibe.”

Speaking collectively about the project, the four musicians explained the mindset behind the album: “We knew we were heading down a different creative path, entirely apart from Slipknot, and we followed it eagerly. We called the project Look Outside Your Window as a tribute to this experimental spirit.

Created during a chaotic time in our shared history, the songs were born late at night, in a house on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Peering out through a big picture window, we wondered about what, or who, might be lurking outside. That sense of the unknown seeped into the music itself.

There were no rules; ideas could come from anywhere: subtle drum loops, bits of organ or abstract guitar noise, even samples of frogs or crickets. Guided by emotion and instinct, we let the sounds themselves point the way.”

According to a newly announced product listing, the album captures a moment of pure creative freedom, removed from expectations tied to the Slipknot brand: “Look Outside Your Window is Corey Taylor, Jim Root, Sid Wilson, and Shawn “Clown’ Crahan, who in the downtime during recording sessions for Slipknot’s 2008 album All Hope Is Gone, began to freely create songs for themselves, exploring new directions with no outside expectations.”

That demand will finally be met more than a decade later. The Record Store Day pressing will feature splatter vinyl, a die-cut jacket, purple foil detailing on the front, purple flood inside the jacket, and embossed text on the back.

For a project once thought destined to remain locked in the vaults, Look Outside Your Window now stands as one of the most intriguing and anticipated releases in the extended Slipknot universe.”

2,737,193 – Cream – Wheels Of Fire [Super Deluxe Edition – 1968] (5 CDs)

From Cream’s website: “WHEELS OF FIRE 5CD SUPER DELUXE EDITION chronicles the full creation and fruition of Cream’s groundbreaking third album.

The set includes a special, newly remastered stereo version of the nine-track studio portion of Wheels Of Fire. Originally released in 1968 utilising CSG processed recordings, this remastered, de-CSG’d version now presents the album phase corrected, delivering the recordings with greater detail and a crisp soundstage.

Also included are newly remastered mono and stereo versions of the studio album. Sourced from the late Cream producer Felix Pappalardi’s personal reference reels, these recordings have never been released before and include many alternate mixes.

The collection features remastered versions of the four live tracks recorded in March 1968 and originally released on LP2 of Wheels Of Fire, alongside eight additional tracks performed at the March 1968 concerts, including an unreleased live recording of “We’re Going Wrong”, recorded on 10th March 1968 at Winterland Ballroom.

A newly compiled rarities collection is also included, featuring 15 rare recordings, nine of which are previously unreleased. This collection includes early versions, alternate mixes and single versions. Highlights include WHITE ROOM (EARLY VERSION MONO MIX), DESERTED CITIES OF THE HEART (MONO ROUGH MIX / NO STRINGS) and CROSSROADS (MONO SINGLE VERSION), alongside seven additional alternate stereo and mono mixes, three single versions and two rare live recordings.

The set is completed with a hardcover book featuring sleeve notes by Jim Faber and photographs of Cream from the era. The five CDs are housed in a gatefold sleeve and, together with the book, are enclosed within a rigid slipcase with a silver lamination finish.”

245,746 – The String Cheese Incident – On The Road: Eau Claire, WI – 8/16/25 (2 CDs)

Jam Band. This live show captured the band at The Pines Music Park.

245,746 – The String Cheese Incident – On The Road: Atlanta, GA – 2/08/25 (2 CDs)

Jam Band. This was the final night of a three-night run at Atlanta’s Tabernacle. It is the first time that TSCI has played the Tabernacle in roughly 25 years.

Looking forward to (in order by “popularity”*) – These albums will be released this week and should be in next week’s AOTW blog:

1,022,214 – Joe Bonamassa – The Spirit Of Rory: Live From Cork (CD / DVD)

660,576 – Jon Batiste – Black Mozart

325,934 – PJ Morton – Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (2 CDs)

84,948 – Daniel Lanois – Belladonna Nocturne

22,054 – Lost in Kyiv – We’re All Going To Be Fine

5,017 – Gin Lady – Toads and Diamonds – Volume I: Live in Spain

1,115 – Green Desert Water – Eerie Meadows

751 – Plaindrifter – Gestalt

237 – Prince Of Failure – Prince Of Failure

88 – Liminal Sky – All Tomorrow’s Darkness

…and several others. Some that I am looking forward to and others not so much.

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Small print that’s normal size print:

*These albums are listed in order by “popularity”. Wait, what? How? By no means is it a measured calculation. They’re listed in order by number of ‘followers’ on Spotify. While it is listed by Spotify ‘followers’, the order would (most likely) be similar if looking at the number of ‘likes and/or followers’ on each band’s social media pages. Speaking of “popularity”, there is a bolded red number. This number (more or less) represents the number of Spotify ‘followers’ at the time of review.

**Album of the Week. No promises, but I will do my best to NOT include Greatest Hits, Best Of, Live releases, re-releases, etc. Even if these “new” releases include a ton of bonus goodies, multiple unreleased tracks, demo versions, etc, I’ll still (try to) hold off.

All albums are listened to IN FULL unless stated otherwise.

Some artists are quite controversial. My goal is to review the album on its own merits, not based on the history, beliefs (political or otherwise), police records, and/or anything else that could be considered “unsavory” of the artist(s).

(Almost) all albums are hyperlinked. I link in order by Bandcamp first, YouTube next, then Spotify last. This is so you can check out (AND PURCHASE) the album, if interested. I do and hope you do, as well!

Do you have any friends or family who might be interested in this weekly blog? If so, send ’em this way!

Until next week…

Cheers,

Troy