Weekly Roundup: March 22nd
Featuring Silk Sonic, Fiddlehead, Johnny Booth, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
Despite my relative indifference to the work of pop star Bruno Mars, I cannot deny the man his angelic pipes. Combined with the smooth-talking charisma and Malibu funk sensibilities of rapper Anderson .Paak, the vintage R’n’b duo of Silk Sonic is a match made in sticky hook heaven. Have a listen to their latest single “Leave The Door Open,” and see what I mean:
Fuckin Whatever – S/T EP
This one is a trip. Best I can figure, Fuckin Whatever is a loose psych supergroup featuring members of Circa Survive and Taking Back Sunday. Now I know what you’re thinking: ‘Yeah, that sounds straightforward enough.’ Well, here’s the weirdness: Apparently the tracks on their debut EP are instrument-less, in the sense that everything is just vocalised, acapella mouth-sounds with studio after effects. It’s certainly different and intriguing, I’ll give it that. Stream the EP’s pre-release single here (Bandcamp).
Johnny Booth – “Crowd Control”
In a recent news piece for New Noise, I described Long Island quintet, Johnny Booth, as “likely the best metalcore band you’ve never heard,” and I stand by that assessment. Their 2019 record, Firsthand Accounts, is an absolute monster, and one of the best metalcore albums of the last decade. The band has been hard at work on LP#3 in quarantine and their rowdy new single “Crowd Control” is the fruit of that labour. It’s heavy as shit, and you check it out here.
Dr. Colossus – I’m a Stupid Moron With an Ugly Face…
Melbourne-based “Springfieldian” outfit Dr. Colossus are aiming high with their latest LP, the dauntingly titled I’m a Stupid Moron With an Ugly Face and A Big Butt and my Butt Smells and I Like to Kiss My Own Butt. If esoteric stoner metal with a serious case of the Krusty’s is your kind of thing, then dive on in here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Fiddlehead – “Million Times”
With Have Heart frontman Pat Flynn on vocals, there’s no way I’m not going to be psyched on hearing new Fiddlehead. Taken from the post-hardcore group’s forthcoming sophomore record, Between The Richness (out May 21 via Run For Cover Records), lead single “Million Times” is the perfect blend of punk rock energy and undeniable melody. Listen to the track here.
Express – Demo 2021
Keeping the hardcore train running from Last Ride Records, this time it’s the three-track demo from Express. This is zero-bullshit, no-frills NYHC inspired hardcore that features members of Nerve Damage, Survival, Born Free, 50 Lions and more. Listen to the demo here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Wristmeetrazor – “Last Tango in Paris” Feat. Isaac Hale
Man, there’s so much going on here in this new Wristmeetrazor track that it’s kind of hard to keep track. Riffy, melodramatic metalcore with big mid-00s Atreyu and Bullet For My Valentine energy. Isaac Hale from Knocked Loose rocks up and absolutely crushes his savage guest feature. Oh, and vocalist Justin Fornof appears to be doing Gerard Way/Peter Steele cosplay for some reason. Watch the clip for “Last Tango in Paris” below:
VAR – Live at Orgelsmidjan
Post-rock is literally dime a dozen these days, but every now and again something really dazzles me. I had one of those ‘24 Hours of Studying Chill Music’ playlists on in the background while I was busy churning through deadlines, and then this beautiful rendition of “Moments” by Icelandic quartet VAR popped up and everything stopped. I sat and I listened and I was very present and all things were nice and still and perfect. So, if you need a little dose of inner peace, seek out Live at Orgelsmidjan and you will find it. Stream the EP here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
The Midnight – Horror Show
On their last LP, 2020’s Monsters, synthwave masters The Midnight offered up another dose of pure sonic escapism, combining their potent, hypnagogic dream pop with deep house build-ups, sexy saxophone-lead choruses, and singer, lyricist, and guitarist Tyler Lyle’s wistful, evocative lyricism. With Horror Show, the duo change course slightly and set their sights on another staple of 80s cultural ephemera: slasher film soundtracks. Of course, the spectre of the Godfather of Horror, John Carpenter, looms large over this EP release. But to their credit, the pair lean right into the sonic trappings of iconic horror classics and the results are mesmerizing.
“Devil Makes A Deal” sports an electrifying, dualling synth solo in the bridge. “Ghost In Your Stereo” pulses and sways with every rhythmic bump in the night. “Good In Red” has the makings of a retro 80s ballad, and longtime collaborator Nikki Flores pops up for a sneaky sax duet on “Because The Night.” But it’s “Neon Medusa” that really steals the show here, proving that The Midnight have always had a “Thriller”-esque pop juggernaut in them, just waiting, ready for the kill.
Stream here: Bandcamp | Spotify
Listen to all these tracks on the TPD March playlist, updated each week.
ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
Links to some of my other published work across the Web. Take a look, share if you feel like it, and help a brother out.
The eponymous fifth LP from metalcore stars ERRA came out this week, and my review of the album is up now over at New Noise. It’s a brilliant record, with some of the band’s most intricate and technically proficient songwriting in years. Highly recommended if you’re after something heavy, catchy, and occasionally beautiful.