Woo hoo! All us Canadians (well, most of us) got ourselves an extra long weekend being that our Thanksgiving was yesterday. So not only did I get an extra day to relax and chill out, but I get to come back to work with a whole new stack of CDs to whittle away at as the work week progresses. Some of these will be new to me (and even 50/50 for likability) but will still give them the go ahead even if it's only one or two songs that stick out on the album. Hell, even the new Willie Nelson and TLC albums looks interesting enough to spin a few times. Nothing like some throwback artists!
A few of my heavier albums such as Trivium, Twelve Foot Ninja (awesome!), Death Angel, even the new Pearl Jam and Anberlin are all going to be enthusiastic plays this week. Like most release dates here on AFGM, I try and find a good selection for every genre lover.
So 'how do I get these albums' you say? Well, for starters you can head to your local record shop and see if they are carrying it. If not, then hit the internet and pick up a copy from an online retailer. If you don't want to wait that long, then head to a legal online source to download a copy. Either of those options will make myself and the band(s) very happy. Cheers!
(Toad The Wet Sprocket - New Constellation)
But let’s get down to brass tacks: Most Toad fans want to know, “Is the new album any good?” I would say it’s surprisingly good, at least better than their first two albums, “Bread and Circus” and “Pale,” though that might not be saying much. It’s not as good as their classic albums, “Fear” and “Dulcinea,” where all those ’90s radio mainstays such as “All I Want” and “Fall Down” sprang from, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. I’m still undecided if it’s better than “Coil,” though the songs are definitely happier. -What Culture
(The Avett Brothers - Magpie and the Dandelion)
While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with sweet little songs, Magpie And The Dandelion finds the Avetts nearing dangerously innocuous territory. These songs are nice and they’re pretty, but have no bite, no substance, and no real pizzazz. The band should have sat with them a while, or even taken them out on the road before recording them. Maybe then the Brothers would have learned to let sleepy songs lie. -AV Club
(TLC - 20)
2013 collection from the R&B trio. Entitled 20 as a nod to the group's 20-year-plus career, the album features TLC's biggest hits (including their four #1 singles, "Creep," "Waterfalls," "No Scrubs," and "Unpretty"), plus a new track written by Ne-Yo, "Meant To Be." The latter can be heard during the closing credits of the VH1 Original Movie, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, which inspired the track-listing for 20. The film, which stars Keke Palmer as Chilli, Drew Sidora as Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, and Lil Mama as Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez, chronicles TLC's humble beginnings in Atlanta and unprecedented rise to fame in the '90s. -Amazon
(Willie Nelson - To All The Girls)
Among the highlights of To All the Girls... is From Here to the Moon and Back, an emotional duet with Dolly Parton on a song she wrote for the film Joyful Noise.
Nelson also covers the Bill Withers' classic Grandma's Hands with Mavis Staples, duets with Sheryl Crow on the Great American Songbook's Far Away Places, and brings a new interpretation of his self-penned classic Always on My Mind with Carrie Underwood.
He is also joined by contemporaries including Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, Loretta Lynn and Roseanne Cash. -Telegraph
(Paul McCartney - New)
New is, thus, a bit of a patchwork, with production duties divided pretty much equally between all of Sir Paul’s young friends, each of whom appear to have found in the man a co-conspirator willing to try pretty much any idea they threw at him. Generally speaking, it works, although the songs aren’t quite as important or memorable as they think they are. For every gem like the “Penny Lane”-esque title track, the cosmic love song “Hosanna” or the simple acoustic ditty “Early Days,” a fond tip of the hat to old writing partner John Lennon, there’s a few more that try hard but don’t really linger all that long. -Toronto Star
(Gary Numan - Splinter: Songs From A Broken Mind)
Gary Numan - the Moog prince of the 1980s – is back with another moody synthesized album that paints a dark futuristic picture. Splinter is Numan’s 20th studio album, and his style has changed both musically and visually throughout the years, yet it remains true to his love of a synthetic vision of the world and its future.
Splinter is clearly Numan’s own creation as tracks such as ‘The Calling’ contain his signature synthesised moody soundscapes. Numan has always had the ability to write futuristic fantasy worlds and this album depicts just that. At times it’s cinematic, like a movie score – bringing to mind elements from his classic albums Replicas and Telekon. -Muso's Guide
(Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt)
Many of the best songs are downtempo, reflecting the vibe of Vedder's more folk-rocky solo projects. "Pendulum" is a creepy unpacking of depression that nods to Edgar Allan Poe; "Yellow Moon" covers similar ground with a nod to Nick Drake; and the acoustic "Future Days," like "Sirens," is a fraught but uplifting love song. Then again, a full-band rereading of "Sleeping by Myself," the standout on Vedder's Ukulele Songs, loses the bittersweet loneliness of the original.
The two most telling tracks invoke nostalgia for when rock albums carried more cultural weight. On the R.E.M.-Who hybrid "Swallowed Whole," Vedder declares he "could set the needle, spin it loud." And the dude in "Let the Records Play," a blues-rock romp with a touch of the Cramps, apparently cures his pain with LPs and a vaporizer — an ancient healing practice utilizing modern technology. That pretty much describes Pearl Jam, too. -Rolling Stone
(Halestorm - ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP)
The real triumph here, however, is Halestorm’s rendition of the Beatles’ “I Want You/She’s So Heavy.” If you have ever wondered what it would have sounded like if John, Paul, George, and Ringo met up with Black Sabbath and Janis Joplin for a late-night jam session, Halestorm have the answer. Lzzy’s caterwauls and sultry vocals deliver the message of raw passion and sensuality, with an absolute “I don’t give a fuck” attitude that many female vocalists could stand to channel more often.
Taken in full, ReAniMate is a treasure trove of top-notch hard rock, regardless of the performers’ genders. Cover albums in general run the risk of being either off-putting to fans of the all the bands involved or, worse yet, boring. But Halestorm managed here to make these songs their own while giving the artists they’ve covered their due. In fact, the release’s only failing is that it’s an EP: Six songs just aren’t enough. -Revolver
(Anberlin - Devotion)
Anberlin aren’t ones to shy away from putting out new material. Six studio albums and a b-sides album in a decade is a fairly significant output from a band that tours regularly and features a number of members in side projects, so it shouldn’t have been too surprising when the band started teasing new material earlier this year. Devotion is something of a mega-deluxe edition of last year’s Vital, featuring seven songs that weren’t included on Vital, a remix album, and a live album. Perhaps a light year for them then, to only release three truly “new” songs? Perhaps, but Devotion is still a massive release for an already exceptionally well-respected band.
Suddenly what was once a relatively straightforward eleven-song rock album is now an eighteen-song behemoth and more. It will be interesting to see what Anberlin look back on from this era; will it be Vital or Devotion? The two almost feel like two separate albums, or like the original Vital was merely a teaser for the extended edition found on Devotion. Perhaps Devotion is the statement Anberlin really wanted to make. Only time will tell if this is the case. -Indie Vision Music
The disc is played slightly out of order, but it doesn’t disrupt the memory of the original disc, nor does it cause a flow issue, as the original disc was a set of great tracks that stood on their own, without needing to lean upon their predecessor or successor. The addition of the other tracks adds a little depth to the band as they demonstrate how talented they really are as musicians when given the task of playing other artists parts. -100% Rock Magazine
If we ever needed any further evidence of how thrash lifers Testament completely rule, look no further than this two-disc live album (how often can you say that?), which draws heavily upon their recent releases. And it does rule — hard. With a fun, energetic, raw production sound, the band's enthusiasm shines through loud and clear, and while it's always excellent to hear a few old classics, and here they sound as good as ever, what comes out of this declaration is that the new material is just as memorable, just as thrashing and heavier than ever. -Exclaim
It doesn’t take long to appreciate the Twelve Foot Ninja experience; a heady, often eccentric, mix of prog, alt metal and quite a few stylistic surprises. The press release accompanying the record describes it as “heavy fusion” and there’s no doubt that Twelve Foot Ninja are – in large part – about music where influences coalesce and disparate styles sit happily together to produce something original.
There is enough diversity of content throughout the album to keep the listener coming back again and again. If you can, try to catch them on their upcoming European dates; and certainly give this excellent – and slightly bonkers – album the attention it deserves. -Ghost Cult Magazine
(Trivium - Vengeance Falls)
Possessing a feeling of intense focus, melodic thrash outfit Trivium delivers one of their tightest and most cohesive albums in years on their sixth studio outing, Vengeance Falls. With songwriting that emphasizes quality over quantity or complexity, the album feels more precise in its execution, with every moment expertly placed in order to serve the songs rather than show off the band's musicianship (which is, as always, considerable). A lot of this can be attributed to the work of producer David Draiman of Disturbed and, most recently, Device. Sharing the band's ear for melody, Draiman provides Trivium with a more mainstream perspective. Depending on your view of Draiman's work, that might sound like a bad thing, yet the reality is anything but. Rather than water down their sound, Trivium have refined it, doing away with anything that doesn't serve the song. Because of this, Vengeance Falls comes off as a rock-solid blast of melodic metalcore that manages to be technically impressive without needing to show off. While this might not be the album that will make believers out of their haters, Trivium have put out an album that, with its impressive blend of melody and scorching riffs, feels capable of luring more than a few post-grunge and hard rock fans over to the heavier side of the dial. -All Music
(Monster Magnet - Last Patrol)
Produced by Monster Magnet’s leader Dave Wyndorf and rhythm guitarist Phil Caivano, Last Patrol is a trip down memory lane as it depends more on its vintage vibe rather than hard rocking bombast. The band with the help of this album has returned to its roots. The cover art gives the listener a hint regarding the band’s musical approach on this album. Last Patrol is more psychedelic, spacey and atmospheric than their last few releases bringing their debut Spine of God to mind. It’s only reasonable that to some it might sound tame but longtime fans may feel that this album could have been released in 1994 before Dopes to Infinity. Actually, Last Patrol sounds like a cross between Spine of God and Superjudge with a cleaner and warmer production that results to a more organic sound. This is also the first album without long time guitarist Ed Mundell who had been with the band since 1992. Interestingly enough, the album features three guitar players, something that goes unnoticed to the untrained ear, making some listeners wonder if the extra guitar brought anything additional to the band’s sound. The lyrics were written within a one week period during February 2013 and Dave Wyndorf sounds pretty great for a 56 year old dude who has fought for a long time with drug addiction. -Sputnik Music
(Death Angel - The Dream Calls For Blood)
Of all the bands that have made a comeback after a long layoff, I'd say that Death Angel has been the strongest. Without question, and even as a fan of the early days, I'd have to say that their releases since their return have been far stronger than what they did originally. That's pretty big praise when you consider that I'm saying the last decade of Death Angel has produced stronger efforts than THE ULTRA VIOLENCE, ACT III and FROLIC THROUGH THE PARK. That's exactly what I'm saying though. At least in my world, THE ART OF DYING is one of the greatest albums ever to come out of the Bay Area, and each subsequent effort since has been nothing short of stellar. Death Angel returns once again with THE DREAM CALLS FOR BLOOD. While it's definitely not THE ART OF DYING, it's brilliant. Brutal, powerful and unrelenting, THE DREAM CALLS FOR BLOOD is everything we've come to expect from Death Angel over the last decade. -Pitriff
(Thousand Foot Krutch - Made In Canada: The 1998-2010 Collection)
As with most collections of hits, there are also two never before released songs on this compilation album. While “Complicate You” and “Searchlight” are not songs that will give you a glimpse into what Thousand Foot Krutch is currently working on, they do give you a chance to hear some of the stuff that was left in the studio due to not fitting the direction of their latest efforts. Music speaks to people on several different levels for several different reasons. For those music lovers out there that prefer to have a bit more energy and a bit more edge to their music then this collection is a pretty solid addition to your collection. Thousand Foot Krutch not only effectively showcases their history with this release, but has also picked the perfect mix of songs to show their powerful craft of weaving together wise lyrics that make one think while listening. -Vertical Hope
(Pelican - Forever Becoming)
The other end of the Pelican spectrum is represented in equal doses on Forever Becoming. “The Cliff” ends having jumped off, airy guitar gliding over the top of minimal cymbal. Ironically, a section of “Immutable Dusk” rides on shimmering guitar and rim-clicking percussion. Closer “Perpetual Dawn” spends a large part of its nine and a half minutes on empty-set guitar wavering, evoking the peace of its title. When the bass and drums crack back into the picture and begin to pummel, though, they again signal what could be an entirely separated movement; the transition between the two feels a bit abrupt.
Though not as resonant as Pelican’s material that better blended their two strengths, Forever Becoming nonetheless carries both. Pelican deliver an album that shows little of the rust that should come with a four-year absence and the loss of a key component of their core. If this is starting over, the putting the pieces together is a lot easier than coming up with the pieces in the first place. -Consequence of Sound
Once Whales and Leeches hits your speakers, any doubt about Red Fang falls aside as they find their feet on solid ground with the new record. A mixture of the commanding riff and the sparse hook structure on the last album gives a balance they had not yet accomplished. The biggest surprise: which songs they have decided to place out front. Not the weakest on the record, but as far as singles go; different choices could have been made, yet ultimately demonstrates the flexibility of the band to produce a well rounded album.
From the start to end, listenable, memorable, but never too far from their formula, simple but powerful jams like ‘1516’ and ‘DOEN’ play off the more dense and horrifying tracks like ’Failure’ and ‘Dawn Rising’ which without liner notes, has to feature a guest appearance from YOB’s Mike Scheidt, it’s either him or Dave Mustaine after he has gargled some glass. Every song sounds lean and mean, produced for the exact effect extracted in the time given. If you are a newcomer to the band, starting here would be recommended, as Whales and Leeches blends everything they do well into one album. Red Fang forged their sound into the new stoner rock benchmark, and will be regarded as their best full album to date, kick back with a PBR and enjoy. -Metal Injection
I can't wait to hear the whole album of Gary Numan's new work. I have been following Gary since his Tubeway Army days. I don't think the new stuff is anything like Replicas actually, I agree with Telekon. But that is just my opinion!!!! :)
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