Weekly Roundup: November 14th
Featuring Narrow Head, Obituary, Lambrini Girls, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
Narrow Head – “Moments of Clarity”
Houston neo-grunge rockers Narrow Head have built a steady amount of hype over the last few years, and that’s set to continue with the release of their highly anticipated third LP, Moments of Clarity (out February 10th through Run For Cover Records). According to vocalist/guitarist Jacob Duarte, the record is informed by a series of personal losses and spiritual trials, resulting in several moments of clarity (hence the name). Watch the video for the LP’s lead single and title track below:
SCALP – Black Tar
Not sure about you, but naming your new record after street slang for a variety of heroin that’s dark, sticky and coal-like is pretty damn hard, in my opinion. Black Tar is the forthcoming record from West Coast “death violence” outfit SCALP, dropping on January 20th through Closed Casket Activities. If an infernal mix of powerviolence, death metal, sludge and hardcore sounds like a good time to you, then this one should be right up your alley. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Lambrini Girls – “Help Me, I’m Gay”
Roaring out of Brighton’s queer punk scene come riot-grrrl all-stars Lambrini Girls. Fuelled by cheap booze, daddy issues, and horned-up nods to sexual proclivities, the latest single from the recent Big Scary Monsters signees is a proud affirmation of loving who you love—no matter the gender stripe. As the trio says: “This song is about the trivialisation of queer people. Shag whoever you want, don’t let anyone put you in a box and if you do ever find yourself in one, then know you can shag your way out of it.” Hell yeah, you tell ‘em, ladies. Listen to “Help Me, I’m Gay” here.
Seed Toss – Love Business
I came across this release off the back of a random tweet, and man, this thing rules so hard. If Elon succeeds in finally tanking the bird site, I’ll miss having these types of discoveries light up my music library. Seed Toss hail from Montreal, and they’re purveyors of “non-complex music” with a desire to “bring it back to just having fun playing sugar-coated songs.” What does that mean, you ask? Well, kind of like all the best bits of Weezer but not for cowards. It’s dope—trust me. Stream their Love Business EP in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Manchester Orchestra – “No Rule”
Last year, I talked about how I digested Manchester Orchestra’s 2021 album, The Million Masks of God, in “assemblage snapshots.” A lot of that had to do with vocalist Andy Hull’s approach to existential musings that featured a host of characters, including hangmen, butchers, and angels of death. This narrative style continues on the B-side track “No Rule,” which was recorded in the Million Miles album sessions but needed “a little longer to cook than the rest.” It’s a delicate and restrained indie-folk tune with a gorgeous, layered sense of atmosphere. Listen to “No Rule” here.
David Knudson – Undo / Redo
I’m not sure how I missed Botch/Minus The Bear guitarist David Knudson putting out his debut solo record, The Only Thing You Have to Change is Everything, earlier this year, but you best believe I rectified that shit immediately. (Of course, it’s great.) Last week, Knudson dropped the Undo / Redo EP with a few album off-cuts and remixes featuring collaborations with Tim Kasher (Cursive), Bayonne, and Jake Snider (Minus the Bear). So, if you’ve enjoyed any of Knudson’s previous outfits and you’re in the mood for some fun and inventive, guitar-centric dance punk, please seek this one out. Stream the EP in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Riot Stares – “Relief Technique”
Newcomers Riot Stares are fusing hardcore with shades of alternative and nu-metal, citing influences such as Helmet, Snapcase, and Refused. On “Relief Technique,” the Charleston outfit’s latest single for DAZE, I also hear furious rhythms and pit-starter grooves that’ll get fans of contemporary acts like Excide, Regulate, and stadium seat-fillers Turnstile bopping in all the right ways. Additionally, stay tuned for some album news for early 2023. Watch the video for “Relief Technique” below:
Obituary – Dying of Everything
Who doesn’t love some good ol’ fashioned, meat-and-potatoes death metal? I know I certainly do. Florida veterans Obituary are some of the best ever to do it, and they’re back with a brand new studio album for 2023. Dying of Everything is out on January 13th through Relapse Records and features striking artwork from Polish painter Mariusz Lewandowski, who passed away unexpectedly this year and whose work has appeared on albums by Bell Witch, Psycroptic and Abigail Williams. RIP. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
Anxious Arms – Crimes of Despair
When I featured Anxious Arms in the newsletter back in October, I said something to the effect of: “If you’re after a record that can successfully pivot from hardcore bite to earnest noise rock, lingering doom, and beyond, then this is for you.” And boy, was I right. The band’s debut LP, Crimes of Despair, out now through the good folks over at Sunday Drive Records, is both a mystifying listening and a deeply satisfying one.
I listen to a lot of music each week, and to my mind, there isn’t anyone else working today that sounds quite like these Sacramento heavy hitters. Tracks like the single “Wasted Days, Wasted Years” seamlessly blend grungy, alternative passages with crunchy, down-tuned fight riffs and scream-fuelled breakdowns. Vocalist Kyle Bolla also puts his impressive dynamic range on display across the record, running through restrained and muted clean passages before flipping a switch and unfurling burly screams and hardcore barks. It’s diverse and exciting in all the ways that heavy music should be, fearlessly jumping genre boundaries like they don’t exist. Highly recommended.
Stream here: Bandcamp | Spotify
Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2022 TUNES playlist, updated weekly.
ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
Did you know that The Pitch is now an exclusive Spotify ‘music + talk’ podcast? New episodes go up every Monday and Friday with some cool things planned for 2023. Check out the show and let me know what you think!