SOUND BITES

  I'm not sure how it's possible that I've gone this long without giving an album by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard a proper review; my only other mentions of perhaps the most exciting, shape shifting and prolific bands of our time on this blog before this were a haiku review of Fishing for Fishies and a year-end write-up paragraph on Infest the Rats' Nest , both released in 2019. This is wild to me since I fully embraced the chaos of this band two years prior, when they were in the midst of rising to the challenge of releasing five disparate albums within the confines of the year 2017; I suppose it was all just a bit daunting to me based on the sheer volume of the material and the at least partially unexplainable nature of the band's music. Nevertheless, Omnium Gatherum is KGLW's twentieth album, a staggering achievement considering their debut celebrates its tenth anniversary this fall; the new album's origins are found in scraps, songs left off of t...

  It isn't normally noteworthy that a new Cancer Bats album sounds a lot like their previous releases. After all, the band's melodic, motivational hardcore has remained more or less their calling card since their inception, and they've been reliably peddling the same admittedly tasty meal (with an exploration level that's admirable but tempered) for nearly two decades now. With their seventh album, then, it's not surprising to hear them waving that same trusty flag; what is surprising is that they've mostly succeeded in picking up where they left off after losing founding guitarist Scott Middleton. On Psychic Jailbreak , guitars were provided by bassist Jaye R. Schwarzer in a dual role, whose riffage is a reasonable facsimile even though it isn't quite as wide-ranging in its finesse or brutality. So then, what else is there to discuss when the remaining components are basically the same and the resultant album is pretty much exactly what you would have expec...

  After steering away from the hard rock of their debut with more kaleidoscopic fare for an underwhelming sophomore effort, Dorothy return after four years with their third album. Gifts From the Holy Ghost marks a decisive retreat into the heavy blues of their debut, although the latter record does offer more variety than the former; take the soulful, gospel-adjacent overtones of Rest in Peace , the swaggering hair metal anthem Hurricane or the gothic piano balladry of Close To Me Always .  Dorothy hit their sweet spot on Black Sheep , splitting the difference between Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless while adding a little added production spice; ditto opener A Beautiful Life , which kicks things off with a dizzying array of hooks and riffs, and the sultry, fiery Top of the World . These songs all slot in nicely alongside their past hits even as they feel more fleshed out compared to the often stifling mixes heard on ROCKISDEAD . Gifts From the Holy Ghost addresses most of m...

  It's rare that such hype can come from such an unassuming place; Chaise Longue , released in June 2021 and still gaining traction in some sectors, took what could have been explained as a cheeky novelty single and generated heaps of anticipation for its new, intriguing artists. This hype was built upon by follow-up efforts Wet Dream and Too Late Now , two equally exciting singles that were also perhaps a bit less divisive when compared to the admittedly silly Chaise Longue . As the months passed and more pre-release singles found their way into the world (between streaming services and live shows, pretty much the entire thing was out there before release day), Wet Leg started being perceived less as a fun little group and more as a formidable new force in indie rock. Ultimately, this level of hype does the album no favours; even though the blend of power pop, indie snark and millennial anxiety is consistently listenable, there isn't really anything here to signal the duo (Rh...

  If there's one thing you can take to the bank when it comes to a new Father John Misty album, it's that you can never know for sure what you're getting into; through a six year, four album run that explored themes of self-discovery (2012's Fear Fun ), relationships (2015's I Love You, Honeybear ) and societal observation (2017's Pure Comedy ) before wiping the slate with 2018's God's Favorite Customer , which was succinct and chose to avoid staying on any wide ranging topics, focusing instead on the personal. With Chloe and the Next 20th Century , the conceptual tendencies are back, only this time the concept seems to revolve around mid 20th century Hollywood, from the showgirl on its black and white cover to the big band orchestration that acts as the main musical backdrop for the album. Of course, these cinematic sounds aren't completely alien to Josh Tillman's output as Father John Misty; however, it's never been the focus of the show li...

  If you thought Jack White's fourth album might find him dialing back the kid-with-new-toys attitude of Boarding House Reach , his first attempt at digital recording, you don't know Jack. Granted, two points: first, there is a second album coming this summer, one that apparently sees White recording with supplemental musicians in a more traditional sense. Second, Fear of the Dawn was largely constructed during the pandemic, while White was surrounded by all of his toys with all of the inspiration he could ask for and no one to play with. So as to say, further to the exercise in exploration Boarding House Reach was, Fear of the Dawn is truly the product of a singular, talented and creative mind left to its own devices for a prolonged period of time. This much is made clear by the buzz saw lead track (and first single) Taking Me Back , a fiery and relentless number that establishes much of the album's through lines, namely a focus on volume and a liberal use of different ...

  Stefan Babcock has always been very good at chronicling the worst of situations, addressing failures, dread and anguish while painting the blackest clouds in bright, broad strokes. It's as though acknowledging all the negativity surrounding us with a wink and a smirk might somehow lessen its impact, presenting the idea that it's possible to defiantly hold a light to the darkness even while admitting that it's probably all for naught. Over the course of their near decade of recorded history, this common thread has been woven through their songs and their aesthetic. Titling their fourth record The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND , then, implies that it's getting harder to keep it together, that the career PUP have forged is on the blink of collapse just like our entire world; it's brought up throughout the record, with the piano-led Four Chords interludes referencing the band as a "board of directors" and Babcock pondering switching professions in a couple of ye...

  When it comes to rock music in 2022, there are precious few bands remaining whose stature has the magnitude to deem a new album release an "event". It's not that rock is dead, although I've long ago taken that hard look in the mirror as a fan of rock and come to terms with its decline in overall popularity; it's just that the majority of rock bands these days have failed, through no fault of their own, to connect with the masses at the same level as The Weeknds and Taylor Swifts of the world. This leaves pretty much exclusively the aging bands of yesteryear as the ones capable of pulling headlines and big numbers with new releases. Enter Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band that's stayed popular for the majority of their near 40 year career; while their music isn't the gold standard for many, one can't deny the staying power of the Chili Peppers. With a long list of hits under their belts, it's a little bit incredible to feel the buzz surrounding their ...