SOUND BITES

DEAD SARA Weatherman From: Dead Sara Released: April 10 I made a pretty big deal out of Dead Sara early this year, commenting that they were poised to own the year; that it didn't happen is enough to make me reconsider any shred of trust I may have inadvertently placed in the public. Regardless, their time will come; there is simply too much raw talent on display, especially during their live shows. As long as they can avoid the temptation to Paramore it up, they'll have a rabid supporter in me. If they do Paramore it up, don't be surprised if I shut this place down for good.

THE MARS VOLTA Aegis From: Noctourniquet Released: March 27 By now, when there's a new Mars Volta record coming out, you know to expect the unexpected. With Noctourniquet , the Volta steps further away from their free-flowing freakjazzrock days, incorporating a more modern sheen and putting some of their electronic influences a little closer to the forefront. It's most evident on the album's lead track The Whip Hand , a dizzyingly alien left hook that knocked even some of the more seasoned fans on our asses. Aegis is a better representation of the album; it's not as difficult and self-serving as their early work, nor is it a reflection of the Billboard charts. It's deceptively accessible, the audio equivalent of a PG-13 thriller. It's not overtly aggressive or offensive, but there are most definitely some ghosts and/or evil spirits offscreen.

Stream Soundgarden's first album in 16 years here courtesy iTunes. In an increasingly impatient society that's rife with leaks when it comes to high profile albums, that Soundgarden's hotly anticipated return effort King Animal escaped the leak is nothing short of a miracle. Today, patience has been rewarded via an official stream one week ahead of the album's release. So, the burning question is how does it all sound? Well, that's not for me to say right now; outside of posting that link, I'm making no effort to listen to King Animal until I've got a CD in my hand and headphones on my dome next week. I figure I've waited this long while only hearing two (really good) songs in full, why not put myself through another seven days of anticipation and reap a sweet payoff when I'm hearing most of it for the first time and flipping through liner notes? King Animal is out November 13 on Universal.

I MOTHER EARTH We Got The Love From: We Got The Love (single) Released: March 21 A labour of love if there ever was one, I Mother Earth recorded and released We Got The Love this spring for fans who had been desperately craving new music from IME for the better part of a decade since the well-received but poorly sold Quicksilver Meat Dream . The idea was basic; here's a song, throw a couple bucks if you like it, and we'll go from there. No string of business meetings, no label pressures, no plan at all. And yet, its simple brilliance connected; a fan-helmed grassroots campaign got the tune its much deserved spins at radio, making We Got The Love I Mother Earth's biggest hit since the Edwin days. On their own terms, and with the fans top of mind. Take that, mainstream hit machine!

EVERY TIME I DIE Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space From: Ex-Lives Released: March 6 A clear cut single on an album full of explosively schizophrenic, frighteningly violent rawk, Revival Mode might not be radio ready, but its songcraft and delivery definitely make it stick out. Especially on Ex-Lives ; I can't stress enough how far removed Revival Mode is from the rest of the album. Which is why, even though I love that song, I couldn't post it as a fair representation of Ex-Lives . So, enjoy Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space . Then, check out Revival Mode , because it's got a beastly groove.

CEREMONY Adult From: Zoo Released: March 6 My motto may as well be, “bring me your discarded punk bands, and I shall give them a home”. It seems every year there's at least one band that releases a record i completely dig, only to find out that all of their fans hate them because they're not hardcore enough anymore. Ceremony released a hell of a record this year in Zoo , and it got pissed on by their “true” fans on account of it having actual songs on it rather than minute-long bursts of blistering punk with no sense of songwriting or execution. Don't get me wrong, I liked unhinged and loud as much as the next fellow; but if a band writes a primal howler as satisfying as Adult , why dismiss it for being a little slower and more organized?  

BIG WRECK Control From: Albatross Released: March 6 If absence makes the heart grow fonder, imagine what the combination of absence and stubbornly underwhelming side projects does. When Ian Thornley's post-Big Wreck outfit dumbed it all down, I shook my head in disbelief and mourned his former band (even if their second album was a bloated and joyless mess); I coudn't fathom that the same guy who blew my mind with The Oaf in 1997 was trying to get in with the Nickelbackian jock-rock crowd. Even if Thornley never stooped quite that low, it was a letdown to see such a talented musician stifle his own abilities. Well, it seems as though he'd finally seen the error of his ways by 2012; Big Wreck lives again. Albatross may not be a seamless return to form (although, after a dozen years or so between albums, what does one expect?), but when it shines, it shines incredibly bright. Check out the Knopflerian flourishes that colour the last two and half minutes of Cont...