I know I feel like my sentences are on repeat when it comes to releases each week, but I truly do find it hard to pick which albums I want to spin first. Most of the time it's based on availability. I am a fan of listening before I buy; only because of the amount of music I enjoy sifting through. Some artists you grow to know and can automatically assume the material they put out will be to your liking. Others we are not so fortunate on, hence why many labels and bands throw material out on the internet prior to release dates. Not only does it beat the [illegal] downloaders to the punch, but it also gives fans a chance to critique and anticipate an album purchase.
Artists below such as Weird Al Yankovic and Jason Mraz you can assume that the material is not necessarily the same as previous albums, but built on a foundation of style that remains consistent with their album releases. Other such as Morrissey and Loverboy I will have to revisit.
("Weird Al" Yankovic - Mandatory Fun)
Of all the musicians who came of age in the ’80s, the artist that’s remained the most relevant might be a surprising one: “Weird Al” Yankovic. The master accordionist/humorist has endured thanks to some savvy career diversification. Yankovic knows he’s only as good as his most recent parody, and so he’s always been a serious student of pop culture’s hot topics and new musical trends. But he’s also taken great pains to emphasize that he has more to offer than novelty songs or polkas. On every album, these lighthearted moments dovetail with shrewd social commentary and straightforward, earnest songwriting. -AV Club
(Morrissey - World Peace Is None Of Your Business)
As great as it is to find him grappling with overbearing fathers and feckless politicians, though, there’s an equal delight in hearing Morrissey just being Morrissey: no-one else, you’d wager, would make a song as simple as ‘Kiss Me A Lot’ feel like such a dizzying, romantic rush of driving guitars, or find such pathos in the crunching waltz of ‘Istanbul’, where a parent is forced to identify his wayward son’s corpse. And unlike the meat-and-potatoes rock of ‘Years Of Refusal’, it’s full of gorgeous and unexpected musical flourishes. ‘Earth Is The Loneliest Planet’ is a flamenco-indebted stomp, ‘Mountjoy’ a thing of strummed, slow-burn beauty and ‘Neal Cassady Drops Dead’ a splatter of fierce, snarling riffs in which Morrissey pays tribute to the beat poets in his own inimitable way, growling: “Neal Cassady drops dead, and Allan Ginsberg’s tears shampoo his beard”. It’s sad, it’s strange and it’s oh-so-funny. In short, it’s Morrissey. -NME
(Jason Mraz - Yes!)
While the 14-track set can get tiresome in one sitting, there's a more important place for "YES!" in the catalog of a singer staying in his lane, but eager to take the next step. "What's ironic is that I don't listen to my kind of music," Mraz also added last month. "But for some reason, when I sit down to make music, that's what it is. I'd love to compose songs like Radiohead or Wilco, but I have what I got." And what he's got, now, is an invigorating change-up record that shines in an already impressive discography. -Billboard
(Loverboy - Unfinished Business)
"Unfinished Business" could not be more appropriately titled since some of the songs on the album come from writing sessions that date back 40 years!
The majority of the songs on this album are filled with big hooks and catchy choruses therefore"Unfinished Business" succeeds in doing exactly what it was meant to do... it gives the hardcore Loverboy fans some songs they have always wanted to hear while reminding everyone else why we loved these leather clad MTV darlings in the first place. -The Kansan
Then we have some hard rock acts such as Big Wreck, Rise Against, and Pennywise all dropping new albums this week as well. Make sense since all three bands have either been touring heavily, or will be with the release of these albums. Big Wreck just wrapping up some North American dates while Rise Against and Pennywise are set to embark on their own tours this summer/fall.
(Big Wreck - Ghosts)
For a band that planted their roots nearly 20 years ago, Ghosts shows Big Wreck taking that natural step towards musical progression. “This time around, it really feels like we are a band that has a direction and a thing that we are going for,” says Thornley.
This is a new, mature Big Wreck with a sound that should bring in new listeners and reacquaint themselves with old fans, while ensuring not to alienate the long-time Thornley/Big Wreck followers. Big Wreck appear to be on the verge of reigniting a flame and a passion, arriving at that place where all the pieces are starting to fit. -NMC
(Rise Against - The Black Market)
Musically, however, The Black Market is just more of the same. Guitars and drums launch their sonic onslaught, and choruses are still lined with crowd-ready woah-ohs and heys. Even "People Live Here," the album's acoustic protest song, directly echoes "Hero of War" from Appeal to Reason. The band manages not to compromise their sound, but on The Black Market, the formula is growing stale. -Exclaim
(Pennywise - Yesterdays)
The record starts off with a police radio broadcast before a waltzing bass line and some mosh ready riffage takes the listener right back to the glory days of independent punk rock. And immediately you know, this is a record that celebrates youth in all its nihilistic rebellion.
So Yesterdays is a record that sounds as if it was written by a bunch of snotty punk ass kids, but performed by seasoned veterans. And it ends with those kids in transition. The loss of innocence, but the start of something new. Much like Pennywise themselves right about now. All in all a fitting tribute to their scene, their legacy and to Thirsk himself. -Vandal Magazine
And finally we have the heavily distorted stuff. While fans have been eagerly awaiting new material from I, The Breather and Volumes, the main focus for the metal world fell on Suicide Silence. Since the untimely passing of former front man Mitch Lucker, the band has been on a hot streak of support from fellow musicians as well as the injection of new vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (formerly of All Shall Perish). And for final thoughts, give yourself the chance to check out Betraying The Martyr's new music video for "Let It Go". Yes, that's correct. It's a cover from the film Frozen.
But anywho, as much as these artists give the impression they are financially stable it's still nice to throw a couple of extra bucks their way for support. Stop off at a local record store, an online retailer, or a trusted digital source to grab some of these albums. Cheers!
(I, The Breather - Life Reaper)
Vocalist Shawn Spann has felt lost at times, and his faith has helped him get back on track, as the inspirational metalcore tracks on I The Breather’s third full-length reveal. As the group’s name implies, its holy cauldron of low-octave, chop-infested heaviness and melodic, super-creative segments dish out the idea that the dude upstairs allows us to breath—and you’ll even hear some actual breathing on Life Reaper, which ends up sounding like a breath of fresh air on “Soul:Seek” and “Self:Restore,” two tunes that mix amp-cooking extreme rock and Korn-ish, electronica-fueled madness. Life is good when I The Breather get down to business. -Revolver
(Suicide Silence - You Can't Stop Me)
Perhaps the most intriguing song on the album is ‘Ending Is the Beginning.’ It was originally recorded for the band’s 2005 self-titled EP. It’s interesting to hear the 2014 version of the band playing the early material, showing how much their chops have improved.
Suicide Silence’s songwriting has also improved. They add a little more variety to the proceedings than on past albums, such as the intro to ‘Sacred Words’ and the album closer ‘Ouroboros.’ ‘You Can’t Stop Me’ is an album that is a fitting tribute to Lucker, and serves notice that the band is taking the album title literally as they keep moving forward. -Loudwire
(Betraying The Martyrs - Phantom)
Picking up where ’11’s ‘Breathe In Life’ left off, Betraying The Martyrs continue to mix killer melodies, bilious anger, and wrap it up neatly with dramatic orchestral moments. Although circling the emotional chorus of ‘Walk Away’ and speedy riffing in ‘Lighthouse’ around an enjoyable, but oddly placed cover of ‘Let It Go’ [from Disney’s Frozen] does mean ‘Phantom’ takes a fair few spins to get your bonce around. Once it all sinks in, though, it’s clear that Betraying The Martyrs are one of the bands currently working their way through the ranks who are well worth keeping an eye on. -Rocksound
(Volumes - No Sleep)
Equipped with two instrumental songs, the layout of the track listing is set perfectly. Opposed to being a barrage of disorganization I found myself flowing between tracks effortlessly, and arriving at the end of the album completely satisfied. As you move your way through the streamlined listing on this album, you’ll be impressed with not only the lyrical content but uniformity as a whole. There are no tracks that leave you wondering the purpose of the placement or if maybe it was something that was found randomly. No Sleep seemingly was crafted by design, and the effort from Volumes is reflected clearly. This album is not, however, a far cry off from their previous release. You’ll find fleeting moments that bring a rush of familiarity, reminiscent of the 2011 release Via in a good way. This band extracted the pulp of their previous endeavors, and improved in all the right places. -New Noise Magazine
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