SOUND BITES

  Dawes have covered a decent amount of sonic ground in the 11 years since their debut album, and have become a rather prolific band in the process. To wit: Good Luck With Whatever , already their seventh album (first with renowned roots-based indie label Rounder), which sees the group shifting their sound yet again. Not quite the radical departure their 2016 release We're All Gonna Die was and much livelier than their previous album (2018's Passwords ), Good Luck With Whatever plays as a much more straightforward rock offering when held up beside those last couple of records. The nine songs here are infused with the same earnestness and sincerity that is as close to a Dawes hallmark as you can get, and so fans who gravitate toward this aspect of the band no matter what music they wrap around it will be well pleased by this album. At this point, over a decade into their career, there's something to be said for a band that can continually tweak their sound while keeping th...

Now, for the continuation of my "catch-up" series of quick reviews; it's meant to bring me up to date and help me wade through the backlog of unfinished reviews from this year, so these should be considered more as passing nods of acknowledgment than fully fleshed out thoughts on the albums below. I've scored 'em anyway but, as you'll see, I didn't skip over any Album of the Year contenders here. MANIC STREET PREACHERS Resistance is Futile April 13, 2018 • Columbia Highlights  People Give In •  International Blue •  Liverpool Revisited This far along into their career, Manic Street Preachers don't exactly owe anyone reminders of why they're regarded as one of the UK's landmark bands of the last thirty years; and yet, they still manage to find ways to creep back into the collective consciousness (admittedly, much more so at home than abroad). On their thirteenth album, the trio remain committed to their rock roots while adding colourful k...

The fifth album by folk-rockers Dawes is a little different, to say the least; where there used to be earnest, Americana-tinged indie tunes there are now thick grooves, fuzzy riffs and overall darker hues. It takes some getting used to, as this is a substantial step away from even their previous album ( All Your Favorite Bands , released just over a year ago). That said, once the rhythms and choruses start to stick, we're reminded that at the heart of all of this is a deeply ingrained gift for songwriting that lends We're All Gonna Die a sense of familiarity, even in its most divergent moments. September 16, 2016 • HUB Highlights One of Us • Roll with the Punches • When the Tequila Runs Out

Usually, as spring gives way to summer album releases dry up. In 2015, however, it didn't really feel like the case. Sure, there were less albums released than in the spring but pretty much every week in June and July saw something worthwhile hit the shelves. Plus, there are a couple from July 10th, which is the date all new releases shifted from Tuesdays to Fridays. This batch of nominees also represents a nice cross section of new and emerging bands, established acts and long dormant bands breaking long silences. Our third set of Song of the Year Nominees are: