SOUND BITES

7 GOOD It's better than nothing at all, but having two new songs from Brand New in as many years while we wait for the full-length follow-up to 2009's Daisy is kind of a cruel tease. That said, I Am a Nightmare takes on a completely different flavour from last year's hard and spiky Mene ; it has an almost pop-punk lean that sounds kind of like the band's early material (although sprinkled with a little Interpolesque indie spice). It sounds good, though, and feels good too. If this ends up being the only music we get from Brand New this year, I suppose it'll tide me over until that long gestating fifth LP finally sees light of day.

5 MEDIOCRE Well, this might be the most indifferent I've ever felt about a comeback single. After 22 years, one of Britain's most lauded bands finally returns with... a song? A song with a chorus, and all the musical instruments playing notes in proper places, and a beginning and end. Yes, this is most definitely a song. A song that I would never in 22,000 years rank over the singles from their two studio albums, but All for One is 100% certifiably a song. What am I supposed to say? After two decades plus away it's nice they're back but the tune is lazy, uninspired and doesn't accomplish anything in terms of the Stone Roses' legacy positive or negative? That it's just kind of there? Okay, so I said it; in summary, All for One is a song that is there.

8  GREAT Afraid of Heights , title track from Billy Talent's forthcoming fifth LP, is a typical lead single on the surface; a snappy, subdued version of their familiar guitar attack, the kind of song that gives off heavy "we need a single" vibes. However, upon further inspection, it's more than that; it's a natural maturation of their core sound and the paydirt unearthed from the exploratory impulses heard on Dead Silence . More to the point (and unlike a few past singles), it's an incredibly accessible Billy Talent song that doesn't sound forced or neutered. Afraid of Heights comes out July 29. Pre-order options can be found here .

7  GOOD It doesn't appear as though much has changed for Chevelle as they ramp up to the release of their eighth album; that said, Joyride makes good on earlier promises that the trio would bring the heavy. It's not particularly melodic or nuanced, but that hasn't really been Chevelle's M.O. for some time; Joyride prefers to get the job done with brute force, and get the job done it most certainly does. The North Corridor is coming out sometime in July.

The sophomore record from Philly shoegazers Nothing charges out of the gate with a cacophony of cymbal crashes, a warmup before slowing down and settling in to one of the group's more typical dreamy melodies. Perhaps it's a fake out for newcomers expecting something more extreme, as they are signed to noted metal label Relapse, perhaps not. What is clear is that the group's vision is refined, which may not be great news for fans of the rawer sound found on the group's 2014 debut but is a fair trade for better songs. It may not be all that groundbreaking (I can draw comparisons to bands like My Bloody Valentine, Hum and Failure consistently throughout the tracklist) but, given the rash of bands digging into the '90s nostalgia well, Nothing is doing it better than most. May 13, 2016 • Relapse Highlights  Vertigo Flowers • Curse of the Sun • Eaten By Worms

It may seem a little crass to sum up such a nuanced, complex piece of art in a short paragraph, but chances are good that if you're reading this you pretty much know what you're getting from Radiohead by this point. The big takeaway from A Moon Shaped Pool is its orchestration; Jonny Greenwood's recent scoring work carries over to this record, infusing a massive, cinematic scope to the songs that's only been present intermittently previously. This may mean less rock, but the flow of the album makes for a chill, often emotional listening experience that doesn't need high tempos or guitars to get the job done. Considering many of the songs here have been circulating on live bootlegs for years, the album holds together surprisingly well as a whole. It's a lush, vibrant album with a high replay value and higher dividends with each listen. Not only is it worth the wait and makes up for the cold and listless King of Limbs , it's the most substantial artistic st...

5 MEDIOCRE Like Radiohead, the Chili Peppers worked with Nigel Godrich on their new album (mixing here rather than producing though; that's left to Danger Mouse). Also like Radiohead, the Chili Peppers released their first new single in five years this week. ALSO like Radiohead, the Chili Peppers' new tune has a noted increase in orchestral flavour. That's where the similarities end, though, because Radiohead's new single gives me hope for a vibrant, interesting and challenging record whereas Dark Necessities is like a corpse: bloated and lifeless. Oh sure, it's passable and might even grow on me; but, if the goal was to build excitement for the June 17th release of The Getaway (complete with that horrendous cover you see to the left), this song misses by a country mile.

8  GREAT If the first official taste of Radiohead's imminent ninth album is any indication, we're in for a more orchestral take on their hallmark sound. Burn the Witch isn't necessarily a rousing single, but its theatrical and sinister sonic backdrop most certainly make it an interesting listen (especially after several listens reveal more and more tension and nuance); and, coming five years after the rather dull and coolly received The King of Limbs , it definitely does its part to sate the hunger of rabid fans, who have grown delirious with anticipation for whatever is coming next.

At just a shade over 28 minutes, White Lung's fourth record is epic in scope compared to their first three (which clocked in at 24, 19 and 22 minutes respectively). This expanded run time is a reflection of their expanding sonic attack. The relentless punk crunch of previous outings is augmented on Paradise with some indie/new wave influences and, while it's not night and day, it sure is noticeable. Some purists may run screaming from the uptick in keyboards and angular guitars, but there's no denying that White Lung use these tools as a means by which to grow. When they strike the perfect balance (as on standout single Below ), their standard brutality is replaced by a transcendent, ragged beauty. May 6, 2016 • Domino Highlights  Below • Dead Weight • Hungry

On his sixth solo record (and second with his current supporting player lineup), Zombie's continuing down the path he took on previous record Venemous Rat Regeneration Vendor , working in classic rock and psychedelic influences into his trademark shlock n' roll. All his calling cards are in play here, from the massive chugging guitars, movie samples and campy imagery. But the real difference here is the fun factor; after so many years in the game Zombie knows how ridiculous his shtick is and embraces it, if the titles on this thing didn't give it away. It's also hammered home in a compact 31 minutes, ensuring a quick and easy listen that rarely sounds stale or too serious. April 29, 2016 • T-Boy/UMe Highlights Well, Everybody's Fucking in a UFO • In the Age of the Consecrated Vampire We All Get High • The Hideous Exhibitions of a Dedicated Gore Whore

Oh, hi. If you're a regular visitor of Sound Bites, you've probably noticed content trickling out at a slower rate lately. Aside from the retweets on the Twitter account, this place has slowed to a crawl as of late. Trust me, I've sure as hell noticed, because I'm the one responsible for staying up to date with all of it. The thing is, I've found it harder and harder to come up with things to say as the year has dragged on. I've frequently found myself shrugging off writing reviews of records I'd normally review, and when I do review something I'm not putting my all into it because it's happening over the course of an hour of my free time or sporadically during the slow moments at work. This is mostly on me, because I can't seem to find the ambition to create content as easily as I have previously. Case in point: I was going to review Rob Zombie's new record on the weekend; I wrote the first paragraph, looked over it, and deleted it. My...