Surprising turns from established heavy bands. New heights for critical darlings. Up and coming artists making strong first impressions. The back half of summer saw all of this and more, as even the dog days saw some worthwhile releases that begged our attention.
The fourth collection of Song of the Year nominees are:
LAMB OF GOD: Overlord
From: VII: Sturm Und Drang (Released July 24)
Few fans knew quite what to expect from Lamb of God's first album since frontman Randy Blythe's ordeal in a Czech prison facing manslaughter charges. I don't think any of them predicted a swerve into Alice in Chains territory, or that it would work this well.
TITUS ANDRONICUS: Dimed Out
From: The Most Lamentable Tragedy (Released July 28)
When your album requires as much attention as Titus Andronicus' fourth, there are bound to be detractors trying to cut them down for their ambition. Sure, a five-act rock opera stretched out over an hour and a half with a story that's bolstered by wordy annotations on Genius might be a tough sell on folks who claim the band's concepts are getting a bit bloated. Thing is, by turning the record into a bloated, messy, grand tale, they've created an album that satisfies dorks like me with the big picture but can also be enjoyed a piece at a time by people who just want to rock out. In the end, The Most Lamantable Tragedy's concept is only as large as you want it to be.
FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES: Juggernaut
From: Blossom (Released August 14)
The former Gallows lead voice took a swing at rock grandeur with his first post-Gallows project, Pure Love. They made a really good record, but fans were a little appalled by the sudden turn toward normalcy. Never fear, Carter's got a new band now and is back to the menacing, snarling beast you all knew and loved before (and not a moment too soon; his former band released their most accessible record this year, which left some fans a little appalled).
GHOST: Cirice
From: Meliora (Released August 21)
I had written Ghost off as harmless fun, failing to quite see why those who followed them did so with such vigor. Maybe I was getting too old to understand what the kids were getting into. Maybe I had grown up with metal bands who worked the old Satan angle more effectively. Maybe I was beyond hope of seeing what others saw in them. Then I heard their monstrous, bombastic and wonderfully executed third album and thought, "maybe not".
NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS: S.O.B.
From: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (Released August 21)
Kids, take note: if you're going to write a surprise smash hit about struggling with alcoholism, it's wise to mix that bitter message with the sugary soda of '50s greaser rock. Works every time.
THE SWORD: High Country
From: High Country (Released August 21)
On their fifth record, The Sword are in a state of transition, looking back for a passing glance at their stoner metal past while gazing hopefully toward a hazy, classic rock future. It makes for a bit of an uneven listening experience, but the title track strikes the balance better than anything else on the record.
FOALS: What Went Down
From: What Went Down (Released August 28)
While a baby step back in terms of overall quality, Foals' fourth album houses some of the most majestic rock payoffs in the band's catalogue to date. Some of it feels a bit too workmanlike, but the title track starts the record off in massive fashion.
FIDLAR: 40 Oz. on Repeat
From: Too (Released September 4)
The band I considered immature rock fun with nothing of substance to say turned out to be more interesting than I thought; second album Too branches out their sound and their source material. There's still plenty of room for improvement, but a knack for developing catchy tunes is developing quickly.
CHRIS CORNELL: Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart
From: Higher Truth (Released September 18)
Drawing inspiration from within rather than the pop charts proved a smart move for Chris Cornell, as Higher Truth made fans nearly forget Scream; still, the record overall feels a bit dull, especially when its jumping off point is a song as expertly crafted and thrilling as this.
THE FRONT BOTTOMS: Help
From: Back On Top (Released September 18)
A new artist in my mind, Back On Top is in actuality The Front Bottoms' fifth record (25 bonus street cred points if you own any of the first four). I guess that's my bad, because lead single Help is exactly the kind of endorphin releasing, cheerful ditty (which also just so happens to feature multiple uses of the word "motherfucker") that makes me think I should have been paying attention years ago.
Our fifth and final batch of nominees will be posted next Monday.
The fourth collection of Song of the Year nominees are:
LAMB OF GOD: Overlord
From: VII: Sturm Und Drang (Released July 24)
Few fans knew quite what to expect from Lamb of God's first album since frontman Randy Blythe's ordeal in a Czech prison facing manslaughter charges. I don't think any of them predicted a swerve into Alice in Chains territory, or that it would work this well.
TITUS ANDRONICUS: Dimed Out
From: The Most Lamentable Tragedy (Released July 28)
When your album requires as much attention as Titus Andronicus' fourth, there are bound to be detractors trying to cut them down for their ambition. Sure, a five-act rock opera stretched out over an hour and a half with a story that's bolstered by wordy annotations on Genius might be a tough sell on folks who claim the band's concepts are getting a bit bloated. Thing is, by turning the record into a bloated, messy, grand tale, they've created an album that satisfies dorks like me with the big picture but can also be enjoyed a piece at a time by people who just want to rock out. In the end, The Most Lamantable Tragedy's concept is only as large as you want it to be.
FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES: Juggernaut
From: Blossom (Released August 14)
The former Gallows lead voice took a swing at rock grandeur with his first post-Gallows project, Pure Love. They made a really good record, but fans were a little appalled by the sudden turn toward normalcy. Never fear, Carter's got a new band now and is back to the menacing, snarling beast you all knew and loved before (and not a moment too soon; his former band released their most accessible record this year, which left some fans a little appalled).
GHOST: Cirice
From: Meliora (Released August 21)
I had written Ghost off as harmless fun, failing to quite see why those who followed them did so with such vigor. Maybe I was getting too old to understand what the kids were getting into. Maybe I had grown up with metal bands who worked the old Satan angle more effectively. Maybe I was beyond hope of seeing what others saw in them. Then I heard their monstrous, bombastic and wonderfully executed third album and thought, "maybe not".
NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS: S.O.B.
From: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (Released August 21)
Kids, take note: if you're going to write a surprise smash hit about struggling with alcoholism, it's wise to mix that bitter message with the sugary soda of '50s greaser rock. Works every time.
THE SWORD: High Country
From: High Country (Released August 21)
On their fifth record, The Sword are in a state of transition, looking back for a passing glance at their stoner metal past while gazing hopefully toward a hazy, classic rock future. It makes for a bit of an uneven listening experience, but the title track strikes the balance better than anything else on the record.
FOALS: What Went Down
From: What Went Down (Released August 28)
While a baby step back in terms of overall quality, Foals' fourth album houses some of the most majestic rock payoffs in the band's catalogue to date. Some of it feels a bit too workmanlike, but the title track starts the record off in massive fashion.
FIDLAR: 40 Oz. on Repeat
From: Too (Released September 4)
The band I considered immature rock fun with nothing of substance to say turned out to be more interesting than I thought; second album Too branches out their sound and their source material. There's still plenty of room for improvement, but a knack for developing catchy tunes is developing quickly.
CHRIS CORNELL: Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart
From: Higher Truth (Released September 18)
Drawing inspiration from within rather than the pop charts proved a smart move for Chris Cornell, as Higher Truth made fans nearly forget Scream; still, the record overall feels a bit dull, especially when its jumping off point is a song as expertly crafted and thrilling as this.
THE FRONT BOTTOMS: Help
From: Back On Top (Released September 18)
A new artist in my mind, Back On Top is in actuality The Front Bottoms' fifth record (25 bonus street cred points if you own any of the first four). I guess that's my bad, because lead single Help is exactly the kind of endorphin releasing, cheerful ditty (which also just so happens to feature multiple uses of the word "motherfucker") that makes me think I should have been paying attention years ago.
Our fifth and final batch of nominees will be posted next Monday.
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