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

Dudes, dudettes…

What’s the haps? Not much with me, so we’re going to get straight to the music. That’s right, I’m not even going to discuss the Seattle Mariners’ historic loss the other night. Holy shit, what was that?! I digress…

Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Go directly to the latest releases!

———————————————————————————————

Ah yes, back to no AOTW winner. Bummer. The two albums that almost made the leap are as follows. They still might bump up to AOTW after a few more listens; we’ll see.

43,050 – The Womack Sisters – The Womack Sisters
28,896 – David Duchovny – Prince Of Pieces

While there may not be an AOTW for releases this past week (yet), I do have one to announce from earlier in the year! How about that?! I always love surprises, and this is one of them.

For the week of June 5th-June 11th, I had one AOTW…

Slift – Fantasia

…and one “strong” Honorable Mention:

Oh Hiroshima – And The Dead Tree Gives No Shelter

But now Slift has to slide over to make some room for the following album:

30,920 – A.A. Williams – Solstice – [June 5th, 2026]

I’m not going to write anything about it here since I did such a beautiful write-up (haha) way, way down at the bottom of the Addendum section. Check it out, enjoy the album, and let me know what you think!

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
oneloudermagazine@gmail.com

———————————————————————————————

Album(s) of the Week** – August 14th to August 20th, 2026:

None.

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

35,292,989 – Various Artists – A Tribute To Metallica

A few weeks ago I listened to ‘Death Metal Tribute To Ozzy’. While “death metal” wasn’t in the title of this tribute record, it was all dm bands on this release, as well. Other than the growly Cookie Monster vox, this was kind of a bad-ass tribute, and it fully made me appreciate Metallica even more. What incredible songwriters they are!

I didn’t recognize any of the bands on this tribute – not a single one! – But I certainly recognized all of the songs. So you could say that this comp just reaffirmed my love for the almighty Metallica. I know these songs through and through, so hearing them – even if by different artists – is almost always welcome. Plus, I love that all bands came forward of their own accord. All voluntary! I shan’t listen to this again, but long live Metallica!

This compilation features 17 bands from 14 different countries!

Tracklist:
SoulBreaker (France) – Battery
Morituri (Austria) – Fight Fire With Fire
Kerker (Belgium) – Blackened
Seven Horns (USA) – Through the Never
Mercaptan (Romania) – The Thing That Should Not Be
Pict (UK) – For Whom the Bell Tolls
Discerptus (Spain) – Escape
Tyranno (Brazil) – Trapped Under Ice
Caiatus (USA) – The Shortest Straw
Vephar (Poland) – Sad But True
Imperial Domain (Sweden) – My Friend of Misery
Raxar (Spain) – Until It Sleeps
Kublai Kapsalis feat. Joseph Alderson (Turkey) – Wherever I May Roam
Metanol (Poland) – The Four Horsemen
Essedum (Finland) – All Nightmare Long
Ghoast (Switzerland) – Fade to Black
Myrholt (Norway) – Metal Militia

From the bandcamp page: “THIS IS A NON-PROFIT, INDEPENDENT TRIBUTE TO METALLICA. EACH TRACK WAS RECORDED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THIS COMPILATION. ANY FUNDS GENERATED THROUGH BANDCAMP WILL BE REINVESTED INTO PROMOTION, BANDCAMP DOWNLOAD CODES FOR GIVEAWAYS, AND SUPPORTING THE RELEASE ITSELF.”

6,560,130 – Various Artists – Sending Hearts To All My Dearies: A Tribute To The Smashing Pumpkins

This is a compilation featuring several bands playing tunes originally written and recorded by The Smashing Pumpkins. As with most compilations featuring various artists, it’s a mixed bag. There are some pretty amazing covers, then there are others that shouldn’t have seen the light of day. In the end, though, this comp just reaffirmed my love for the Pumpkins – and especially the earlier period. I know these songs through and through, so hearing them – even if by different artists (in their way) – is almost always welcome.

There is one song off the ‘Adore’ record (1998), but everything is older, and that works better for me since I’m more familiar with that body of work: ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995), ‘Siamese Dream’ (1993), and the ‘Singles’ soundtrack (1992). BUT… nothing off of ‘Gish’ (1991)?!?! That album f’n rules, too!!!

From Rough Trade Records: “More than a tribute album, Sending Hearts To All My Dearies serves as a conversation between generations of artists shaped by The Smashing Pumpkins’ fearless songwriting, experimentation, and emotional honesty, paying homage through reinterpretation and new perspective. Featuring covers from Tame Impala, The Midnight, Palace Royale, and more.”

Tracklisting:
Tame Impala – Hummer – ‘Siamese Dream’ (1993)
Yonaka – Today – ‘Siamese Dream’ (1993)
The Midnight – Tonight, Tonight – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Carpenter Brut – Cherub Rock – ‘Siamese Dream’ (1993)
Courtney Barns – 1979 – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Meg Myers – Eye – ‘Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ (1992)
Palaye Royale – Bullet With Butterfly Wings – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Between The Buried and Me – Jellybelly – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Alice Glass – Drown – ‘Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ (1992)
Starbenders – Tonight, Tonight – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Nita Strauss – 1979 – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Bones UK – Cherub Rock – ‘Siamese Dream’ (1993)
Moon Taxi – Thirty Three – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Des Rocs – Bullet With Butterfly Wings – ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
Urban Heat – Ava Adore – ‘Adore’ (1998)

3,339,085 – Phoebe Bridgers – Lost Weekend

This is a really nice, folksy, singer-songwriter album, her first release in six long years. I don’t totally love it, but I like it enough to keep my eyes and ears peeled for future releases. While I may have been a little ho-hum about it, fans and critics absolutely LOVE it! Not-so-fun fact: This album is dedicated to her father, who died in 2022. Apparently they had a difficult relationship.

From Townsend Music: “After Stranger in the Alps, Punisher, and three Grammy wins with boygenius, one of the most distinctive voices in modern music is back. Her songs are hallmarked by an intimacy that’s hard-found in contemporary music, scaling between the macro and the micro with an ease matched only by her prodigious way with words.”

660,576 – Jon Batiste – Black Mozart: Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 2

Listed as “jazz” – which it is – but he also throws in a little blues, gospel, R&B, and world music. I kinda dig what I heard! This is not an album of all-original music, though. Here, he puts his spin on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart classics… and it’s fantastic! I’d be really curious to know what classical “purists” think about this release. I’ll have my ‘ol man give it a spin and see what he thinks. I think Jon is incredibly gifted, and he shows his talent here, as well as on previous releases.

From amazon: “The second installment of the Batiste Piano Series sees multi-Grammy(r) and Oscar(r) winner Jon Batiste reinterpret Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most beloved melodies as Black American classical music, infused with influences from jazz, rags, stride, blues, and stomps. The result is a vibrant conversation without words – not about genre, but pure expression.”

660,576 – Jon Batiste – Monk Meditations: Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 3

^^^See above. Except here, he puts his spin on jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.

From amazon: “On Monk Meditations (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 3), multi-Grammy(r) and Oscar(r) winner Jon Batiste expands introspective short form compositions by Thelonious Monk into longer form piano works imbued with classical structure and quiet grandeur.”

660,576 – Jon Batiste – Monk Movements: Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 4

^^^See above. Another one featuring Jon’s take on Thelonious Monk classics.

NOTE: Yes, it’s true! Volumes 2, 3, and 4 were all released on the same day!

From amazon: “On the fourth volume of the Batiste Piano Series, multi-Grammy(r) and Oscar(r) winner Jon Batiste returns to some of the music that first shaped his voice at the piano, expanding upon the majestic, contemplative beauty at the heart of some of Thelonious Monk’s most iconic works.”

371,362 – Zebrahead – O EP

Rad punk-ska EP! My only complaint is that it was too short at ~17 mins. I wanted more! Gonna continue to keep my eyes on these fellas… they’ve been around awhile…

221,699 – Hollywood Vampires – At Montreux Jazz Festival 2018 [Live] (2 CDs)

Hollywood Vampires used to be a band of who’s who of big names in the rock ‘n roll community who’d get together occasionally to throw together some originals and covers. But for the past few years, the band members have remained the same: Alice Cooper (lead/backing vocals, harmonica, rhythm guitar, percussion), Johnny Depp (slide, rhythm, and lead guitar, backing and lead vocals, keyboards), Joe Perry (lead and rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals), Tommy Henriksen (rhythm and lead guitar, keyboards, backing and lead vocals), and friends (Chris Wyse on bass, Glen Sobel on drums, Buck Johnson on keys)… It’s pretty great! As seen below, the album includes a bunch of original and cover songs… and it f’n RIPS!

From the band’s website: “Fresh from launching their European tour in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans in London and Cardiff, Hollywood Vampires, the rock supergroup featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen, today release their new live album ‘At Montreux Jazz Festival.’ Capturing the band’s celebrated 2018 performance at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, the album delivers the same electrifying live experience that continues to draw audiences around the world to Hollywood Vampires concerts.

Recorded in front of an enthusiastic Montreux audience, the album showcases the band’s unique blend of original material and carefully selected tributes to some of rock music’s most influential artists. Across 19 tracks, the set moves effortlessly between Hollywood Vampires originals such as ‘Raise The Dead,’ ‘I Want My Now’ and ‘As Bad As I Am’ and iconic songs by Motörhead, David Bowie, The Who, AC/DC, Aerosmith and The Doors.

“The recording is a thunderous celebration of rock history delivered with raw power, attitude and unmatched chemistry. A night where legends honored legends.”

One of the album’s standout moments is David Bowie’s ‘Heroes,’ delivered with remarkable emotion by Johnny Depp. His heartfelt performance brings a fresh sense of intimacy to the iconic song, transforming it into one of the most memorable highlights of the evening. Alongside electrifying renditions of ‘Ace Of Spades,’ ‘Baba O’Riley,’ ‘Sweet Emotion,’ and the show-closing ‘School’s Out / Another Brick in the Wall’ medley, the track showcases the unique chemistry and spirit that define Hollywood Vampires.

Inspired by the original Hollywood Vampires, the legendary 1970s drinking club founded by Alice Cooper and frequented by rock icons such as John Lennon, Keith Moon, and Harry Nilsson, the band continues to celebrate the artists and songs that shaped generations while bringing their legacy to audiences around the world.

Since their debut album ‘Hollywood Vampires’ in 2015, which featured star-studded collaborations and classic rock covers, the group has evolved into a creative force with original material on their 2019 release ‘Rise’. Known for their high-energy live performances at major festivals and sold-out tours worldwide, they have achieved millions of streams, strong physical sales, and global media attention. Blending theatrical rock, iconic songs, and heartfelt tributes, Hollywood Vampires continue to celebrate and preserve the enduring spirit of rock ‘n’ roll while connecting generations of fans.”

Tracklist:

1. I Want My Now (Hollywood Vampires)
2. Raise the Dead (Hollywood Vampires)
3. I Got a Line on You (Spirit)
4. 7 and 7 Is (Love)
5. My Dead Drunk Friends (Hollywood Vampires)
6. Five to One / Break on Through (The Doors)
7. The Jack (AC/DC)
8. Ace of Spades (Motörhead)
9. Baba O’Riley (The Who)
10. As Bad as I Am (Hollywood Vampires)
11. The Boogieman Surprise (Hollywood Vampires)
12. I’m Eighteen (Alice Cooper)
13. Combination (Aerosmith)
14. People Who Died (Jim Carroll Band)
15. Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith)
16. Welcome to Bushwackers (Hollywood Vampires)
17. Heroes (David Bowie)
18. Train Kept A-Rollin (Aerosmith / Tiny Bradshaw)
19. School’s Out / Another Brick in the Wall (Alice Cooper / Pink Floyd)

82,162 – Laura Veirs – Temple Songs

Nice folksy singer-songwriter tunes. She writes great tunes and has a beautiful voice.

From Laura: “This is the first time I wrote, recorded, arranged, performed, and produced an album on my own.”

“This achingly beautiful album reminds us that finding inner strength during the roughest of times is perhaps the greatest act of resistance.” – Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney)

78,617 – Hovvdy – Big World

I wrote the following about their 2024 self-titled release: “Hovvdy (pronounced “howdy”) is an indie folk duo. As a whole, it’s decent – with some fantastic songs! – but I won’t listen again. But I will follow them. They could grow on me.”

Yeah, they’re growing on me. I enjoyed this album and would listen again!

From amazon: “Big World lives up to its name. Slated for release on August 14, it arrives on the heels of Hovvdy’s 2024 self-titled album with a palpable sense of expansion – songs that stretch outwards and fill every room that they’re played in – while still being rooted in the close, unguarded intimacy characteristic of the Texas duo.

It’s a progression that underscores how Charlie Martin and Will Taylor, now over a decade into their collaboration, continue to refine a shared language without losing the sincerity that has come to define it.”

43,050 – The Womack Sisters – The Womack Sisters

A retro-soul / R&B album released on the Daptone Records label, oh fuck yes! The three Womack sisters’ voices could melt butter, wow! I mean, it DOES make sense, though, due to their family tree: They’re the granddaughters of soul legend Sam Cooke, the daughters of 1980s R&B duo Womack & Womack (Cecil and Linda), and the nieces of Bobby Womack. Not to mention the fact that the girls got their start at a very young age (read ahead). What a fantastic album, their debut!

From amazon: “The Womack Sisters, Kucha, Zeimani, and BG Womack, were singing before they could walk. They grew up on the road. Their schools were stages and studios all over the world, where they sang behind their parents, Zekkariyas & Zeriiya (fka Womack & Womack), alongside their four siblings.

Nowhere was home for long. No matter where they lived, they were always surrounded by music and family. Their 2026 self-titled debut album, The Womack Sisters, is the musical culmination of the Sisters’ long and winding journey to find themselves.

Releasing in Aug on Daptone Records, the intensely soulful collection of tunes produced by Gabriel Roth looks forward by looking back, paying homage to their family’s lineage while creating a sound that is uniquely their own.

On an album that is deeply autobiographical, perhaps no lyric is as fitting as the final refrain: People come and go, but, darling, this I know, it will always be my sisters and me.”

28,896 – David Duchovny – Prince Of Pieces

I was/am a big fan of the TV show ‘X-Files’ starring a certain David Duchovny. I had no idea he was a fantastic singer-songwriter, too! Kinda has this folksy thing going on. Great album, very pleasantly surprised!

From his website: “David Duchovny’s fourth studio album, Prince of Pieces, is his most intimate and fully realized musical work to date. Created alongside longtime collaborators Colin Lee, Mitchell Stewart, and Pat McCusker, the album blends roots-rock, folk, and Americana influences with songs that explore love, loss, hope, and perseverance.”

25,328 – Ferris & Sylvester – It’s A Joy To Be Alive

Ferris & Sylvester is a British husband-and-wife duo – Issy Ferris and Archie Sylvester – that plays blues-infused folk. I’m not overly wowed by it, but it certainly made me take notice; enough to keep my eyes and ears peeled for future releases. I mean, after all, they were named an “artist to watch” by Rolling Stone magazine and won UK Americana Album of the Year in 2023. They got their start in 2016, but this is my introduction to them.

From Run Out Groove Records: “It’s A Joy To Be Alive is the third album from married British folk-pop duo Ferris & Sylvester. As the title suggests, the 11-track record explores the search for joy and hope in life’s darkest moments, inspired by the duo’s own experiences of music, marriage, and parenthood.

The album marks an evolution of the award-winning pair’s signature sound, blending soaring vocal harmonies, hook-laden guitar riffs, and their trademark balance of sweetness and grit. There is also a distinct nod to 1970s pop throughout the record, with lush strings and backing vocals reminiscent of Burt Bacharach and The Carpenters.

Written and recorded in their own studio and released through their label, Archtop Records, It’s A Joy To Be Alive is their strongest and most vulnerable work to date, showcasing the ‘immaculate harmonies’ praised by Rolling Stone.”

5,367 – Crypt Trip – Hard Ride To Venus EP

The dudes from Earthless gave these guys a shout-out, and I had to check it out; glad I did! They have this old-school psychedelic bluesy stoner rock delivery… fuckin’ tasty!

2,565 – End Of Dayz – Nothing But Hate EP

Need a shot of adrenaline and espresso ain’t cuttin’ the mustard? Ten songs (22:16) of pure, unadulterated hardcore jams on this one. Rough and raw. Bonus points: the band’s from Seattle!

1,606 – Kelly Doyle – Thieves

This is an all-instrumental guitar-sax-driven psychedelic jazz record… and it’s pretty interesting! Probably nothing I’d listen to a whole lot (if ever), but the album interested me enough to keep my eyes and ears peeled for future releases.

From Kelly’s website: “Houston guitarist Kelly Doyle returns with Thieves, a vivid, genre-defying instrumental album that plays like a film score for a movie that doesn’t exist, but should. The record shifts effortlessly between ambient jazz, psychedelic exotica, and noirish Western motifs.

Recorded and mixed by Steve Christensen (Khruangbin, Steve Earle, Paul McCartney), the album’s raw, spacious sonics allow each track to breathe, expand, and evolve—letting personality and tension seep through every note. This is music for late drives, strange dreams, and the clarity that sometimes follows chaos.”

833 – Heezer – Stereolith

Ah yeah, killer fuzzy, desert stoner rock… this is pretty slammin’. Riffs for miles and miles and miles… They are on my radar now for future releases, too!

680 – Coyote Man – Prosthetic Memories

Ooh, what a fun listen! Coyote Man is a Chicago-based (mostly) all-instrumental power trio that f’n rules! I had never listened to them before, but they are certainly on my radar now. It’s part prog-rock, part post-rock, part straight-up rock/metal, and fully awesome!

From Earsplit PR: “COYOTE MAN is an instrumental power trio from Chicago, Illinois. Members Augie Portugal, Ian Wheeler, and Rene Rodriguez have been making noise since the early 2000s but officially formed the band in 2015. Together they deliver powerful riffs that are simultaneously haunting and soothing. COYOTE MAN is a reminder that music can still be an art form not easily subjugated to clichés of today’s digital age.

“Our aim is to make the listener more susceptible to the complexities of their own feelings and breathe new life into the established paradigms of metal music.”

With Prosthetic Memories, the band delivers their most ambitious and compelling work to date – an instrumental album that guides listeners through a cinematic journey of hope, conflict, introspection, and triumph. From moments of beauty and wonder to thunderous clashes with darker forces, the album unfolds like the soundtrack to an epic story, driven by the band’s powerful musicianship and fearless creativity.

The title Prosthetic Memories refers to memories that were never truly lived yet feel deeply personal – borrowed fragments of emotion, history, imagination, and experience grafted onto the self. Existing in the haunting space between remembrance and invention, these “prosthetic memories” reflect the ways we absorb stories, feelings, and perspectives from the world around us. Throughout the album, COYOTE MAN transforms this concept into sound, creating music that feels both familiar and otherworldly, deeply personal yet universally relatable.

In advance of the record’s release, the band presents the lead single, “War Hatchet,” a relentless surge of groove, power, and dynamic intensity. Built around crushing rhythms and expansive musical shifts, the track showcases the band’s ability to tell a compelling story without words. Throughout the writing process, the band sought to embody the title through their instrumentation, crafting each section to reflect the tension and weight behind its meaning.

“The title ‘War Hatchet’ serves as a metaphor for revived hostility and unresolved conflict,” elaborates the band, “themes that connect directly to the band’s forthcoming album, Prosthetic Memories. Together, the single and album explore the lingering impact of the past and the emotional remnants that continue to shape the present, delivering a powerful and immersive listening experience.”

Powerful, cinematic, and emotionally charged, Prosthetic Memories stands as COYOTE MAN’s strongest artistic statement to date. It is an album designed not only to be heard, but experienced-inviting listeners to lose themselves in its textures, themes, and unforgettable sonic landscapes.

Prosthetic Memories was recorded in the Summer of June and July 2025 at Iron Hand Audio in Chicago, mixed and mastered by Dan Klein, and includes guest vocals by Chris Pacific on “Faith In A Burning Room.””

11 – Afrofuturistics – The Enigmatic EP

Afrofuturistics is a (mostly) all-instrumental “Chicago Jazz Fusion/Hip-Hop Group,” and this is their debut EP. I absolutely LOVE what I read about the EP (see ahead), and I like it quite a bit – enough to keep my eyes on ’em for future releases – but am I sold on ’em? Not yet. But having a horn section play over hip-hop beats is pretty sweet!

From Earsplit PR: “AFROFUTURISTICS is a Chicago-based instrumental ensemble blending the idioms of cosmic jazz fusion and experimental hip-hop. The collective is defined by its massive, multi-layered brass and woodwind section, which serves as the melodic and harmonic engine of the project. Their sound is an explosive collision of the improvisational fire of 1970s jazz-funk and the heavy, atmospheric pocket of instrumental hip-hop—creating a sonic landscape that is as rhythmically disciplined as it is harmonically expansive.

Fresh off winning Best Hip-Hop Group in the Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago 2025 poll, the AFROFUTURISTICS collective is currently preparing for the release of their debut EP, The Enigmatic. The Enigmatic was recorded at Maynott Studios with Eric McWhorter and mixed/mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Rollin Weary at Deluxe Studios. The record was completed with design/photography by Katia Jackson/Katia Sentry Photography, Erik Vecchione/Azure Taurus Designs, and photography by Annmarie Vecchione.

The lead single from the album arrives through a visualizer for “These Things Happen.” Erik Oldman states, “I wrote the sketch of the track on the electric fretless bass, wanting a composition that started in the fingers and ended in the lungs. Initially, it was heavily inspired by the bass lineages of Stanley Clarke and Charles Mingus, utilizing that deep, sliding fretless pocket to drive the groove. But as we began arranging the horns, I realized the underlying music needed to evolve. I wanted a sharp bebop hook that the horn section could really grab onto—something deeply informed by the angular melodies of Thelonious Monk, particularly ‘Epistrophy,’ mixed with the raucous energy of Mingus’ ‘Moanin’.’ Giving the brass that Monkish friction to fight against transformed the song from a standard fusion groove into a living, breathing conversation.”

He continues, “The title of the tune evolved with Karl and Levi Stress… these things happen is sort of a reflection on the state of the world and just dealing with people. The video concept is really about the motion of the tune…. Borrowing from the concept of Sun Ra’s notion of traveling the spaceways, but as a passenger on a galactic wormhole subway to the next destination.”

AFROFUTURISTICS plays live throughout Chicago with regularity and is currently booking new hometown shows in support of the record, including a headlining set at the free/all-ages Artists Of The Wall Festival on June 21st, and a release show for the record on August 29th. Additional upcoming performances will be announced in the weeks ahead.

AFROFUTURISTICS was founded in the Summer of 2024 by bassist and composer Erik Oldman (Sons Of Ra, Mare Crisium) and rapper/producer Karl “Brother Tone” Isaacs (Sands Of The Hour). Originally conceived as a vessel to interpret the works of Sun Ra, electric-era Miles Davis, and Fela Kuti through a modern beat-making lens, the project rapidly expanded into a specialized, horn-section-forward vehicle for original composition.

The group’s signature sound features tenor saxophonist Keith Wakefield (Sons of Ra), trumpet and cornet player Scott Free, and the versatile woodwinds of Luc Mosley (Graphics, Grappler Zorn, Mucca Pazza) and Eli Wilson. Together, they drive the melodies and dense harmonic soundscapes for the band’s fusion-heavy explorations. This core lineup was solidified during the 2025 recording sessions for The Enigmatic, which features the additional textures of Guinean folk artist Abdoulaye Conde on Kora.

The ensemble’s compositions are often punctuated by the razor-sharp lyrical artistry of MC Brother Tone. The project’s arrangements are further enriched by collaborations with veteran underground hip-hop crew Sands Of The Hour with MC Levi Stress and rapper Artie Slaw.”

AFROFUTURISTICS:
Brother Tone – beats/MC
Keith Wakefield – tenor saxophone
Erik Oldman – bass, synths
Scott Free – trumpet, cornet
Luc Mosley – soprano saxophone
Eli Wilson – baritone/tenor saxophone

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

9,105,044 – The Script – The User’s Guide To Being Human

Most of the time, I like to listen to albums without referring to my notes from previous releases beforehand. Such was the case with this release, as well. Funny thing. My review of this release matches (almost) exactly my thoughts on their last release, 2024’s ‘Satellite’: “Irish pop-rock band The Script has released seven full-length albums and a handful of EPs, yet this is my introduction to them. Unfortunately, if this release is an indicator of what I’ve missed out on, I can safely say that I actually didn’t miss out on anything. Boring, paint-by-numbers “rock” <zzzzzzzzzzzz>…

5,169,456 – Marilyn Manson – One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2

Controversy aside, I like Marilyn Manson… I really do. I think his music is great. However, I haven’t really cared for what he’s released in a number of years. For me, it starts and ends with 1996’s ‘Antichrist Superstar’, a mind-blowing album top to bottom… been a while; I should probably spin that one again. This release? Eh… I don’t want to say that it’s embarrassingly bad, but it is a far cry from his earlier work. What a shame.

Maybe there will be a 30th anniversary edition of ‘Antichrist Superstar’ with a shit-ton of previously unreleased bonus tracks, demos, alternate takes/mixes, etc. Now THAT is an album!

1,903,580 – benny blanco – Hermoso EP

Benjamin Joseph Levin (bka benny blanco and/or Mr. Selena Gomez) is a songwriter/producer. It’s 17:07 of boppin’ Spanish-sung tunes. The final song, ‘DEGENERE’ (feat. Myke Towers) samples Suzanne Vega’s ‘Tom’s Diner,’ which was kind of fun. That EP cover is hella wild, too! Otherwise, this was a total disaster, and I’m glad it was over quickly.

1,811,491 – Jungle – Sunshine

I can’t recall where I saw it, but the band’s genre was listed as “funk”. I’m like, “YES, I am all in, I love me some good stanky funk!” What a disappointment. Not a drop of funk on this shite release. Nah, rather, Jungle is a British producer duo that combines electronic, pop, and soul. And it can be passed.

1,254,715 – Saliva – Breaking Through

Very bland cookie-cutter “metal” album… what’s next on the chopping block?

264,039 – Sparks – Sparks Live On The Moon

Another album that receives a nomination for worst release of the year. It’s a duo – brothers, actually! – who play weird, artsy fartsy art rock / chamber pop / new wave / avant-garde horse shit. Very easy one to pass on. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Fans and critics alike are eating this album up…

222,145 – DOMi & JD BECK – YOU ASKED! [INSTRUMENTAL]

DOMi & JD BECK released their sophomore album ‘WHO ASKED?’ two weeks ago, and I crapped all over it (after highly praising their 2022 debut ‘NOT TiGHT’). It was a major letdown, a massive loss of steam. So, two weeks ago they released ‘WHO ASKED?’ and probably expected the results we saw with this release in ‘YOU ASKED!’.

‘YOU ASKED!’ is ‘WHO ASKED?’, but sans vocals. An all-instrumental album. I thought I’d like it better than ‘WHO ASKED?’ – and I did – but it’s not even in the same stratosphere as ‘NOT TiGHT’. Still disappointed.

131,730 – Open Mike Eagle & Kenny Segal – DOOMED!

‘DOOMED!’ (aka ‘Rap Songs About A Relationship That Ends In Every Possible Universe’) was some of the weirdest, artsy-fartsy, experimental bullshit that I’ve heard in a long, long time. It’s like avant-garde rap/poetry (courtesy of Open Mike Eagle) over random beats (courtesy of producer/DJ Kenny Segal). I’d throw it in the hat for worst release of the year, but, hey, don’t listen to me. Fans and critics love it <shrug>…

96,986 – Getdown Services – Massive Champion

I had read that this band was an “indie dance duo”, so I wrote it off before hearing a single note, but you know what…? It’s not bad, per se, and it almost sounded like a tale of two halves. Like, one half of the album (or more, even) is post-punk-ish, and the second half is more New Wave-y-type disco-ey tunes. It’s a little jarring, but not too bad. I’ll keep my eyes on ’em, but keep my expectations tempered.

31,472 – Sweeping Promises – You Say I Romanticize

Whoa, this indie post-punk meets new wave album is absolutely putrid… so bad that it’s almost unlistenable. Too long even at 34:04. Pass pass pass.

24,565 – Sarah Longfield – Retribution EP

Sarah’s a shredder and… she’s hit-or-miss for me. Some of the tunes are so bad-ass and shred-tastic, but the vocal-based tunes are just kinda weird and don’t really seem to fit the album. The album was kinda all over the place; stoked on it one minute, not thrilled the next minute…

19,271 – Kris Barras Band – Monsters We Made

It’s a decent rock album, but it’s also kinda cookie-cutter. Is it an album I’ll listen to again? Eh, probably not, but it has its moments…

13,803 – Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y – Kind Of Grunge

Jazz goes Grunge! A friend suggested I check out this all-covers album, including ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ (Mudhoney), ‘Even Flow’ (Pearl Jam), ‘Would?’ (Alice In Chains), ‘Disarm’ (Smashing Pumpkins), ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (Nirvana), ‘Wooden Jesus’ (Temple Of The Dog), ‘Spoonman’ (Soundgarden), ‘Interstate Love Song’ (Stone Temple Pilots), ‘In Bloom’ (Nirvana), ‘Celebrity Skin’ (Hole), ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ (Nirvana), and ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night?’ (Nirvana / Huddie Ledbetter aka Lead Belly).

It was fun for a single listen, but perhaps a bit too jazzy for my taste. They realllllly stretch out the covers to the point that they were barely recognizable anymore, almost sounding like original jazz compositions. That’s neither here nor there if you’re a jazz snob/afficianado… of which I am not, ha! Snob, yes. Jazz snob, no!

From the bandcamp page: “In early 2024, Ulysses Owens Jr. walked into the Drumeo studio, sidled up behind the kit, and plugged a pair of IEMs into his ears. He was there to take part in Drumeo’s “For the First Time” series in which drummers are challenged to play along with a famous song, its drum track extricated from the mix. Host Brandon Toews cued up “In Bloom” – a once inescapable rock-radio hit off Nirvana’s 1991 major-label debut, Nevermind.

Taking the measure of the tune’s opening chord progression, the Grammy-winning jazz musician and renowned music educator settled into the pocket of the song’s verse, intuiting the song’s soft-loud dynamics, shifting into high gear for the chorus with a burst of increasingly technical flourishes. Not only had Owens Jr. never played the song before. Much to the surprise of his host, he’d never even heard it. “I’m not really a rock guy,” Owens Jr. told a stunned Toews, who remarked, “That was insane.” The video quickly amassed several million views on YouTube.

The viral success soon inspired another novel endeavor. Less than a year later, Owens Jr. and members of his ever-shifting ensemble, Generation Y, were challenged to – without previous foresight or preparation – reinterpret another classic from the grunge canon: Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box.” The resulting video racked up nearly 10 million views, lending more credence to the notion that Owens Jr. and Drumeo had arrived at, well… something.

To what do we owe the popularity of these videos? It’s a good gimmick, sure – classically trained musicians reframing the primitive wallops of nineties rock. Such highbrow-meets-lowbrow mashups aren’t without precedent, either: French pianist Maxence Cyrin’s haunting piano interpolation of influential alt-rockers Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” certainly registers.

“People love seeing music being created in real time,” Owens Jr. said when asked to reckon with the popularity of his Drumeo sessions. “It’s nostalgic. It’s what used to happen.” In an era of algorithmically created chill-vibes playlists of nameless and faceless music meant to encourage passive listening, Owens Jr. argued, “People are desperate to hear real music played by real musicians.”

There’s certainly something to that. Nirvana’s chief creative force, Kurt Cobain, was an inventive songwriter and competent guitarist, despite his neophyte posturing (he once told an interviewer, “I’m not into musicianship,” and that he had “no desire to get better at guitar”). He loved music and believed earnestly in its transcendence. In order to recenter music as something born of human struggle, he sought to strip it of artifice. In the face of a commercial rock landscape that promoted virtuosity and puffery, Cobain served up three chords and his truth.

And wasn’t that sorta what Miles Davis was up to? After an era in which bebop’s evolving complexity goaded audiences to listen, Davis emerged from his “Birth of the Cool” period armed with fewer chords and more human-centered voicings. He compelled us to listen but, more importantly, to feel.

And that may be the key to understanding the power and appeal of Owens Jr.’s work with Drumeo. By challenging himself with unfamiliar pieces – even as technically simple as those songs may be – he’s seemingly arrived at a way to hotwire feeling.

Kind of Grunge pushes the capacity of this delicate circuitry. Recorded over three days in April of 2026 at the Drumeo studios in Vancouver, the album finds Owens Jr. and Co. feeling their way through a collection of new-to-them tunes that, in this environment, have been all but stripped of cultural milieu. Unrehearsed, save for three songs, the band relishes the freedom of exploration.

But while this approach may have emancipated the group from the strictures of a typical session, the album is not free of context. Individually, Dan Wilson (guitar), Thomas Milovac (bass), Langston Hughes II (saxophone), Benny Benack III (trumpet), and Tyler Bullock (piano) each brought a wealth of experience to the sessions. This is a road-tested ensemble, a nimble collective that’s grown intimately familiar with one another over years of global touring. Rather than disrupting the group’s synergy, Kind of Grunge’s unconventional nature – and nonstandard track list – seems to have accelerated the group’s cohesion, amplifying the whole beyond the sum of its parts.

Through Hughes’ saxophone, the lyrical melody of pioneering grunge band Mudhoney’s “Touch Me I’m Sick” is rendered in the fiery, internal conflict of spiritual jazz. On “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Nirvana’s Kingsmen-hearkening chord progression is de-emphasized in service of the song’s raucous energy, which Wilson, Benack, and Bullock foreground with dynamic and dissonant interplay. “Even Flow,” Pearl Jam’s strident top-ten hit, is reengineered through the cool-era idioms of exotica and Latin jazz, the melody of Eddie Vedder’s forcefully voiced lyrics deployed in laidback bursts of brass and reed over Milovac’s incessant groove.

The collection of tracks – from Alice In Chains’ discordant “Would?” to Stone Temple Pilots’ jangly “Interstate Love Song” to the Smashing Pumpkins’ symphonic “Tonight, Tonight” – finds the group reaching deep into its bag, proving grunge as nebulous a genre as jazz. Conceptually, album closer “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” is the album’s most explicit effort to trace the throughlines between these two disparate musical styles. A 19th-Century American folk song, a version recorded by bluesman Lead Belly in the 1940s is most recognizable today for Nirvana’s 1993 performance of the song for MTV Unplugged. While Cobain’s take connected the Mississippi Delta to the Pacific Northwest, Kind of Grunge’s version finds Wilson in the driver’s seat, parking the band somewhere off Highway 61 with an electric-blues take.

In his own framing of the blues, Miles Davis kept his aperture wide open. He readily pushed back against the clichés that might have inhibited him – “My father’s rich and my mama’s good looking,” he famously told an interviewer, arguing “I can play the blues.” His opus was not Very Blue or simply Blue. It was Kind of Blue. Kurt Cobain, for his part, never embraced the word “grunge,” which he believed was nothing more than a commercial perversion. Neither artist would let themselves be constrained by genre. Instead, they pushed against and beyond sonic boundaries.

On Kind of Grunge, Owens Jr. and Generation Y do the same. Despite its cheeky title, its novel conceit: There are no tricks, no gimmicks. It’s just music. Pure and simple.”

Matthew Shaw
May 2026
NYC

3,334 – James Ellis Ford – Lost In Another World

This singer-songwriter went through hell and back again to write and release this album (read ahead). I so wanted to like it based on the album description, but was ultimately let down. It’s just kind of meh, but what a baller move on his part, holy shit!

From amazon: “Lost In Another World is James Ellis Ford’s excellent, emotionally resonant second solo album. It was made from start to finish in just over two weeks in early 2025, while James was on a hospital ward between punishing rounds of chemotherapy, following a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive cancer of the white blood cells. He hadn’t even fully absorbed the implications of the diagnosis – nine months of treatment with only a 30% survival rate – before a bed was found for him at Barts, London.

During the second round of treatment, James (known for his production work with Fontaines D.C., Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode and as both a solo artist and one half of Simian Mobile Disco) did the only thing that felt natural to him; he wrote, played, sang, recorded and mixed a solo album about the experience. “There was no filter. I just sang the first thing that came into my head into the laptop.”

It became a form of diary-keeping; a way to process what was going on and also a way to cheer himself up, which would account for why some of the album is so surprisingly upbeat and poppy: “It was a pep talk; I was telling myself I was going to be OK. It was one way of dealing with the existential dread I felt. It gave me the ammunition to fight the experience and was a distraction from it.”

Lost In Another World shares the experiences from the frontline of illness: fear, love, reassurance, boredom, pain, calm, disbelief, and ultimately hope. These transmissions from the eye of the storm have informed an album which is truly something special.”

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

962,031 – Bleachers – everyone for ten minutes – [May 22nd, 2026]

Another shitty indie pop / new wave band / album. Will this shit band ever disappear? Probably not… they are wildly popular. I don’t get it. The only shining moments were the occasional flair of the horns. It was released to mixed reviews.

From amazon: “Bleachers’ new album “everyone for ten minutes” will be released on 22 May 2026. Described by The New York Times as “anthemic, life-affirming pop rock,” Bleachers are fronted by eleven-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Jack Antonoff.

Over the past decade, Bleachers have built a massive, devoted following, renowned for their impressive live show and infectious camaraderie. Bleachers’ self-titled fourth studio album took the band to new heights, including a sold-out Madison Square Garden & the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.”

684,656 – Future Islands – From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth – [May 22nd, 2026]

So everyone’s got a boner over this synthpop/new wave/indie rock band/album, but I thought it was a bunch of bullshit. No thank you very much. I love the idea behind this – their 20th-anniversary release (read ahead) – but everything else can be sent down the drain. This 20th anniversary compilation contains alternate versions, rarities, fan favorites, and a couple of new songs. Congrats on two decades as a band – not easy to do – but what’s next?

From amazon: “Future Islands are an emotionally charged synth pop group, known for their dexterous melodic touch, stately momentum, and impassioned delivery. Over the past twenty years, they have travelled a rare arc, from promising newcomers to best-kept secret, from cult favourites to heroes of the genre.

As they reach this remarkable milestone, they resist the obvious move. Instead of a ‘best-of’ compilation victory lap, Future Islands present From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth – an immediate and accessible collection – half of which have never appeared on streaming services – comprising alternate hits, rarities, and fan favourites that showcase the band’s palette and bring further colour to their uniquely universal appeal.

Twenty songs for twenty years, four members of the band, four sides of vinyl.”

“The best synth-pop band of the 21st century […] a band of renaissance men who can make a sublime and meticulous genre like synth-pop feel grandiose and loose” – Paste

408,860 – Tarja – Frisson Noir – [June 12th, 2026]

Tarja Turunen is the former singer of Nightwish (1996-2005) before venturing off on a solo career. Much like Nightwish’s music, Tarja’s is also symphonic metal. While I found this album significantly more palatable than anything Nightwish has ever done, I still find it a bit too cheesy for my taste. I will give high praise to Tarja, though, who has an amazing voice with a range of three and a half octaves! It was released to massive praise from fans and critics alike.

Fun fact: Frisson Noir means “dark shiver” or “black shiver”, with frisson meaning an involuntary shiver, thrill, or goosebumps (often experienced during an emotional musical or aesthetic moment), and noir translating to black or dark. Now we know about music goosebumps – frisson! Another fun fact: Tarja speaks English, Finnish, Spanish, and German fluently.

From earMUSIC: “The word frisson describes the moment when music sends a shiver through the body.

It is the instant when sound stops being just sound and becomes emotion, memory, and physical sensation.

Frisson Noir was created around this idea.

In an era where technology can generate songs instantly, the album celebrates the human element in music: real performances, breath, imperfection, uncontrolled emotion, and the unpredictable spark that turns a song into an experience.

Every song on the album was written, recorded, produced, and mixed with that intention. From the first note to the final orchestral swell, the music is designed to trigger that unmistakable sensation, the moment when sound becomes something you don’t just hear but feel: to give the listener chills.

Seven years after her last full studio release in the heavier spectrum, Tarja returns with renewed intensity and deeper poetry.

Frisson Noir is, without a shadow of a doubt, the heaviest record of Tarja’s career and a powerful statement of identity, strength, and belonging.

When the right combination of sound, performance, and emotion occurs, something extraordinary happens, and you feel the shiver.

The Frisson Noir.”

294,203 – Amy Grant – The Me That Remains – [May 8th, 2026]

The “Queen of Christian Pop” returns with her first album of all-original material in 13 years and… color me surprised! It’s less “poppy” and more in the folksy singer-songwriter vein. Well-written songs, great voice, solid production. Welcome back, Amy, it’s been a hot minute!

From amazon: “Six-time GRAMMY Winner & recent Kennedy Center Honoree Amy Grant returns with her first album of all-new music in over a decade. Produced by legendary Mac McAnally, this very personal album is a journey through themes of healing, human and spiritual connection, unity and hope.

The album features collaborations with guest artists Ruby Amanfu & Vince Gill, along with co-writing partners Jon Foreman (Switchfoot), Tom Douglas, Mike Reid, Mac McAnally and more.

The title song is a reflection of Amy’s journey over the last few years, overcoming heart surgery and a bike accident that nearly took her life. Amy’s music always looks through a lens of hope and faith while probing the human condition with honest commentary, inviting a conversation.

The album sounds and reads somewhat like a ‘life manual’ written from the perspective of an artist who has lived through it all, knows who she is as an artist and human, and, as Amy has said, “I want to be present for whatever emerges in my time.”

The story is not over; it is just the beginning of new chapters to come.”

284,939 – The Coral – 388 – [May 21st, 2026]

The Coral are listed as an “Indie Psych-Folk-Pop-Rock” band. Unfortunately, I found this release to be… quite terrible! Just over ~38 mins long, but it felt like a lifetime. Pass.

From amazon: “The Coral return with 388, their thirteenth studio album, officially released following an initial physical-only run through record shops across the UK. Led by new single ‘Let The Music Play’, the record draws inspiration from the sound and spirit of vintage reggae and dub cassette tapes, while continuing the band’s long-standing blend of psychedelic rock, melody, and escapism.

Following the UK Top Five success of 2023’s Sea Of Mirrors, 388 further expands a catalogue that has produced six UK Top Five albums, including the Mercury Prize-nominated self-titled debut The Coral, alongside Magic and Medicine, The Invisible Invasion and Coral Island, as well as defining singles such as ‘Dreaming Of You’ and ‘Pass It On’.”

30,920 – A.A. Williams – Solstice – [June 5th, 2026]

I’m in love with A.A. Williams. The music, her voice, the production, all of it top-to-bottom. In fact, midway through track three, I was thinking, “I don’t want this album to end.” Halfway through the album, I imagined that it would be AOTW unless she did a complete 180˚. Spoiler: she didn’t. On the final song, I cried to myself, “Is that it?”

Nearly an hour long, but it could’ve continued playing. I was very impressed with this release. It reminded me (a little bit) of Evanescence’s debut. But whereas Evanescence exploded on the scene and the songs became more “bombastic”, I feel as if A.A. Williams almost “withdrew,” preferring the darker, more piano-led tunes. Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of epic, bombastic moments and tunes, but for the most part the focus is on piano and voice. Gorgeous.

A few fun facts:
(1) In addition to vocals, A.A. Williams also played piano and cello.
(2) This was my first A.A. Williams experience, so I had nothing previous to base it on. Now I need to go back and listen to previous releases.
(3) I read the description of the album first (read ahead) and thought, “there is zero chance of it being as good as it sounds on paper.” I was completely wrong and now eat crow… and love it!!!
(4) I might have been a teensy-weensy bit high. I am convinced, however, that it wouldn’t have mattered, anyway. Sober, stoned, semi-stoned, it’s a really great album!
(5) I went to support her and buy the album… sold out!! Good for her!!
(6) I didn’t listen to it the week of the release, but I did add it to my AOTW list.

From Reigning Phoenix Music: “Having made her debut live appearance at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands off the back of a self-titled EP, A.A. WILLIAMS has since toured across the globe with the likes of CULT OF LUNA, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, SLEEP TOKEN, and THE SISTERS OF MERCY, as well as establishing herself as a headline artist – including a show at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall inside London’s Southbank Centre.

Standout festival appearances have dovetailed with two album releases – 2020’s “Forever Blue,” and 2022’s “As The Moon Rests” – both of which received widespread critical acclaim and placed A.A. WILLIAMS at the forefront of a wave of artists taking textured, epic and folk-rooted heavy music into new and progressive directions. A BBC session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios only bolstered her credentials.

Never one to rest on her laurels, she has also released a series of “companion pieces”: a collaborative single with Japanese post-rock titans MONO (“Exit In Darkness”); a solo covers collection recorded during 2020’s pandemic lockdown – “Songs From Isolation” – that drew praise from THE CURE’s Robert Smith and SMASHING PUMPKINS’ Billy Corgan; and perhaps most impressively, 2021’s arco, in which the multi-instrumentalist completely reworked her debut EP from rock instrumentation to string ensemble, drawing on her classical training to stunning effect.

Now signed to Reigning Phoenix Music, the singles “Just A Shadow” and “Wolves” – the first taste of forthcoming album “Solstice”, due 5th June 2026 – have already turned heads, with Rock Sound calling her “one of the most vital voices in modern alternative culture” and Kerrang! declaring her work “typically spell-binding.””

From Metal Injection: “With a release date of June 5, A.A. Williams has announced her new LP, Solstice, an emotionally charged venture that explores the impact of the world on someone’s psyche and what it actually means to be resilient while still being vulnerable.

Accompanying the announcement of her forthcoming record, A.A. Williams dropped a new single, “Hold It Together,” with a music video to go in hand with the release. Describing the single, Williams says: “Silence exists where you long for answers, a bleak fragility that you daren’t disturb.

“Where beauty stood, only the faintest glow remains, afraid of smothering it, you shrink into a mould of your own making. Your edges dulled, your features disappearing, you put on that brave face not knowing whether you do it to protect others or yourself. You smile, you carry on, feeling everything, showing nothing.””

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…

None!

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

27,316,046 – Sam Smith – Hazel Eyes

12,029,730 – KISS – KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76 [Live]

5,365,835 – Weezer – Weezer (Gold Album)

492,750 – Brandon Flowers – THRASHER

383,386 – Chelsea Wolfe – The Dark

382,074 – Keb’ Mo’ – The Breakdown

131,188 – The Afghan Whigs – Soft Control

32,194 – Fen – Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth

31,048 – William Shatner – Love & Other Mysteries

10,078 – Pattern-Seeking Animals – Grimalkin

2,445 – 7 Zuma 7 – Beneath the Desert Floor: Chapter 11 – 7 Zuma 7 – Deep Inside

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

———————————————————————————————

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