Music Releases For August 13th, 2013

Well shit, I had to really dig this week for some albums that are worth mentioning here on AFGM.  Too much material coming out this week that really didn't catch my interest, nor were they albums that would make a splash to readers (in my opinion).  Luckily, the few albums I did happen to find are going to be spectacular and well worth listening to this week.

Yellowcard is marking their 10 year anniversary of their mega hit album "Ocean Avenue".  What a better way to celebrate the album's history then to make an acoustic version of the same album!  The 16 year old in me was pretty pumped to hear about this in the news.  Black Water Rising caught my attention back in 2008 with their self titled debut release, so it only makes sense to stick around and see what they have to offer 5 years later on their sophomore.  Most of the sites are giving it decent reviews so not too shabby for a band in the sea of hard rock.

Some new comers to the table for me this week as well.  Both Drowners and Beartooth are new on my radar, even though their names have been buzzed around.  Both of them doing a debut release this week so I am excited to hear what's in store.  The deluxe releases are pretty self explanatory for who and what they are. 

So in conclusion I invite you all to head over to your local record store, online retailer, or other online legal source to grab an album or two.  Cheers!

(Black Water Rising - Pissed and Driven)

Pissed and Driven is a tighter, darker performance from Black Water Rising, and one that fans will definitely embrace. There isn’t really a single bad track, though some do come off a bit more mainstream than their attitude will let on. Venturing various interpretations of Rock over the years, but still managing to give it a unique and identifiable quality, Black Water Rising greatly stands out from the crowd with an album that shows a great of growth over that period of time, leaving us with a recording that was well worth the five year wait. -Apochs Metal Review

(Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue Acoustic)

It is clear from this early stage that if the album hadn’t stayed true to the original, the songs would have lost much of what made them great in the first place. Two classics from the band's career stand out, with their acoustic counterparts almost on point with the original. The strings of Believe feature untouched, and rightly so. They truly make the song what it was. -Stereoboard

(Drowner - You're Beautiful, I Forgive You)

The band is not afraid to venture into soft and tender love song territory, checking the head-bashing guitar onslaughts at the door for cascading waterfall moments like “Fear of Falling” and “Shadow” which demonstrate that bombastic noise may not be the best way into your lover’s heart! -Psychedelic Baby

(We Butter The Bread With Butter - Goldkinder)

(*this review is loosely translated from German)

"The band flirts with the possibility of diverse interpretations of the German language, extrapolated negative trends in society and comments on this with a sarcastic grin but resigned.

The only thing that probably echoes the past, are becoming increasingly rare scattered breakdowns, however, are far more effective in a less extent, and the band from their self-imposed drawer Deathcore out definitively suppressed." -Impericon

EPs:

(Beartooth - Sick)

Having only been on the music radar for the better part of the last year, Beartooth have emerged from the grey of relatively unknown metalcore acts with one of the most ferocious EPs you’re likely to hear all year. Each of the four tracks contained on Sick offer evidence that the heavy music scene has found its new golden child, and those who consider themselves ahead of the curve would be wise to hop on their bandwagon now. I have no doubt by this time next year Beartooth will be a name on the tip of everyone’s tongue, and as long as they continue to release quality music this the sky is the limit for their career. -Under The Gun

Deluxe Sets:

(Crosby, Still & Nash)

Long-awaited reissue. Four CD set that celebrates the music of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. Originally released in 1991, this four disc set features material from their albums as a group in addition to selections from their various solo and duet albums. It also features many outtakes, including from sessions that did not result in an album by the group. Highlights include a cover of The Beatles' "Blackbird" and the full length take of "Almost Cut My Hair." With the exception of "Helpless" and "Ohio," the set excludes any material written by occasional bandmate Neil Young. -Amazon

(Coheed & Cambria - The Afterman)

Coheed and Cambria will release "The Afterman Limited 3 Disc Deluxe Set" (aka Live Edition) on Aug. 13th.  The 11 tracks on the live disc are from various performances during their Spring 2013 tour.

Like every C&C recording, this one is detailed to the gills, musically, lyrically, sonically, and, of course, in product design. There are also some returns to the fold here. Co-producers Michael Birnbaum and Chris Bittner helmed the band's first three records, and drummer Josh Eppard, who played with the band from 2000-2006, is back. Musically, Coheed and Cambria have become far more accessible, while remaining adventurous as they experiment with various rock styles.  The Afterman: Ascension is so ambitious it's actually a bit of a mess, but with so much here that works, this small lapse in focus can easily be forgiven. -All Music

True to their promise, Coheed and Cambria deliver the second half of the Afterman double album just four months after its predecessor. The wild ambition displayed on Afterman: Ascension deals with the adventures of astronaut Sirius Amory, his ascent into the spaceways, and his scientific achievement in discovering the secrets behind the cosmic energy source The Keywork. It ended with what songwriter and singer Claudio Sanchez called "a sonic cliffhanger." The second half details the return of Amory to his home planet and what he encounters after he arrives. The story is detailed not only in the songs on both recordings, but in a coffee table book by Sanchez that contains the recordings and song by song details, as well as gorgeous illustrations. -All Music