What's New 10-9-20
As Long As You Are is an album about trust, honesty, redemption and “letting go”, allowing old wounds to heal and bringing painful chapters to a close. But being delivered via their brand of new wave synth-pop full of bright melodies and heavenly choruses, it’s as euphoric and uninhibitedly joyful as anything the band has done in their 14-year career.
Metz not only continues to push their music into new territories of dynamics, crooked melodies, and sweat-drenched rhythms, they explore the theme of growing up and maturing within a format typically suspended in youth. Covering seemingly disparate themes such as paternity, crushing social anxiety, addiction, isolation, media-induced paranoia, and the restless urge to leave everything behind, each of Atlas Vending’s ten songs offer a snapshot of today's modern condition.
The fifth album from Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen), Sad Hunk, takes its title from a nickname bestowed by his wife in reaction to how he was portrayed in the media. A collaboration from the same team as 2018’s Earthtones, the graceful guitar work of Sam Weber - a musician he discovered on YouTube - and with GRAMMY-nominated producer Robbie Lackritz, Sad Hunk is the next step in Afie’ virtuosic signature style.
The claustrophobia of the here and now - a desire to return to past states on one hand and change on the other. In some cases, repetition and return are a desirable way to deal with uncertain times; in others, the stagnancy of the present is overwhelming. Fish Pond Fish lives between the two, creating simultaneously the most bedroom-tracked (thanks quarantine) and production-heavy full-length the band has yet released.
Produced by Randall Poster and Stewart Lerman, I'd Rather Lead a Band finds Loudon Wainwright III partnering up with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks for their take on some of the American songbook's finest classics. This album showcases a fresh side of LW3 with big band sounds and timeless songs from Irving Berlin, Cliff Friend, Lew Brown and other Tin Pan Alley contemporaries.
Creation Myths is the first album in 5 years from Elvis Perkins. Produced by Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby, Danger Mouse, etc), the album in many ways picks up where his debut Ash Wednesday (XL Recordings) left off. Subtle nods to Americana and spooky, blissed-out folk, but never lights for too long on any one spot.
The quintessential dark groove metal innovators return to deliver fans their most electrifying and introspective collection of anthems yet – Dealing With Demons I – part one of a hard-hitting double album that will have metalheads everywhere ushering in a new era! DevilDriver proves that they still reign supreme among metal’s all-time greats, leaving the listener craving what’s to come on Dealing With Demons II.
Black Pumas have unveiled a deluxe edition of their Grammy-nominated self-titled debut album via ATO Records. Features original album plus 11 bonus tracks, three new original songs and four cover tracks, plus unreleased live material. The package is updated with new artwork, and contains unpublished in-studio and live photographs.
SKALD is inspired by the Doggerland, an island that disappeared 20,000 years ago following various natural disasters (tsunami, long winter...). The Vikings tell here the history of the people who preceded them and question the role of Man for saving the planet. This is an invitation to listen to messages from the past to build the future.
Long In The Tooth delivers a truly epic collection of new material that finds the group further bridging the gap between the farfisa-fueled Ethio-Funk stylings of their early recordings, with the psychedelic, Sabbath-inspired hellfire of late. Heavy drum breaks reign supreme, setting the stage for the pulsating, hallucinatory wall of organ, menacing horns, and rugged guitar riffs to permeate your soul.
Brooklyn indie-rock stalwart Drew Citron formed Beverly in 2013, after having got her start as a touring member with Frankie Rose and The Pains of Being Pure of Heart. With Free Now, Citron, one of the most beautiful voices in indie rock, comes to the table with a whole lot of pain to sing about and the full musical knowledge to put herself, and her talents, front and center.