Weekly Roundup: November 15th
Featuring Drug Church, Failure, Rolo Tomassi, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
Gregor Barnett – “Don't Go Throwing Roses In My Grave”
Gregor Barnett, guitarist/co-vocalist for Philly punk rockers The Menzingers, is turning folk troubadour with the release of his debut solo album, Don’t Go Throwing Roses In My Grave, out February 18th through Epitaph Records. Recorded with longtime collaborator and producer Will Yip (Mannequin Pussy, Quicksand), the record offers up ten tracks of warm, heart-on-sleeve Americana in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Brian Fallon. Watch the video for the LP’s lead single and title track below:
Failure – Wild Type Droid
Space rock wayfarers Failure are back with their highly-anticipated sixth album, Wild Type Droid, out December 3rd on the band’s own Failure Music. Formed in early ‘90s Los Angeles, the legendary trio of Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards and Kellii Scott are purveyors of big riffs, dreamy atmospherics, and interstellar grooves, with LP#6 shaping up to be quite the trip. Stream the album’s pre-release single here (Spotify/YouTube).
PUP – “Waiting / Kill Something”
Following up 2020’s This Place Sucks Ass EP, tongue-in-cheek Toronto quartet PUP have dropped two new singles in the form of “Waiting” and “Kill Something.” The Side A cut rests on a chunky lead riff, with a fun feature from NOBRO’s Kathryn McCaughey alongside snarling vocals from frontman Stefan Babcock. The latter lands on a more subdued comedown through delicate string placements and a melancholic vocal progression. Listen to “Waiting / Kill Something” here.
Nyt Liv – Den Døde Sol
I’d never heard of Copenhagen alt-hardcore outfit Nyt Liv until earlier this week. This is a real shame because their upcoming sophomore album, Den Døde Sol, out November 19 through Indisciplinarian, is right up my alley: punchy melodic hardcore with urgent vocals and arresting performances in the vein of European peers like Kvelertak, Birds In Row, and Fjørt. Sometimes surprise emails yield the best results. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Tree River – “Thought Bubbles”
On their latest single, Brooklyn four-piece Tree River hit on the perfect blend of alternative, emo and power pop, with impeccable songwriting and catchy, self-deprecating lyricism. “Thought Bubbles,” out now through Big Scary Monsters, is the first track to follow 2019’s Garden EP and was produced by Kevin Dye at Two Worlds Recording Studio in Whitestone, NY. Here’s hoping there’s also a new album on the horizon. Listen to “Thought Bubbles” here.
Rolo Tomassi – Where Myth Becomes Memory
It’s hard to think of another band that seamlessly blend ambience and aggression like Sheffield quintet Rolo Tomassi. Their latest single, the ominous “Drip,” is a veritable masterclass in heavy music schizophrenia with scorching black metal fury, cracking snare hits and staccato breakdowns rubbing up against waves of hypnotic clean vocals, eerie synths and swirling atmospheric leads. Where Myth Becomes Memory, the group’s sixth LP and first in four years, will be out February 4th through MNRK. Stream the album’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Drug Church – “Million Miles of Fun / Detective Lieutenant”
Patrick Kindlon is one of my favourite lyricists and his penchant for withering social commentary is front and centre on the latest singles from New York post-hardcore outfit Drug Church. “Million Miles of Fun” features Kindlon roaring “News flash: I need news less” over a gigantic grunge crescendo. Meanwhile, the shoegaze adjacent “Detective Lieutenant” finds the frontman abstaining from separations of art and the artist, declaring in no uncertain terms that “We don’t toss away what we love.” I absolutely adored 2018’s Cheer, so the release of their forthcoming record, Hygiene (out March 11 through Pure Noise Records), has me all kinds of excited. Watch the video for “Million Miles of Fun” below:
Raw Sugar – You Mess With the Bull…
I’ll let you all in on a secret: Sometimes all it takes for me to listen to a record is a really kickass album cover. For San Jose quartet Raw Sugar (formerly known as Wrip, and featuring members of Scowl and SPY), all it took was one look at Marvin Velasco’s stunning artwork and my interest was immediately piqued. As for the music? Well, this shit rocks. The EP swings wildly from alt-grunge and surf rock to punk and everything in between. But it’s also fun and inventive with massive, top-notch production. Stream the You Mess With the Bull… in full here (Spotify).
Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2021 VIBING playlist, updated weekly.
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
Silk Sonic – An Evening With Silk Sonic
Over the last few years, I’ve had to create playlists for my 30th birthday and my wedding. Now, as you might imagine, there’s a certain amount of pressure involved in curating music for these types of events. You want just the right amount of vibes: plenty of good times, ample opportunity to dance (if need be) but also keeping things mellow enough to chill and hang out and actually enjoy yourself.
So, weirdly enough, one of the first things I turned to was the soundtrack for 2007’s Superbad, which features superb selections of ‘70s funk, R’n’B and soul, including legendary artists like The Bar-Kays, Rick James, KC and the Sunshine Band, along with originals from the iconic Bootsy Collins.
I mention all of this simply to say that An Evening With Silk Sonic, the debut collaborative album from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, hits that exact same sonic sweet spot. Tracks like “Skate,” “Leave The Door Open” and “Smokin’ Out The Window” are really just highly concentrated vibes—simultaneously chill, fun, sexy, and catchy. The whole album is quintessential easy listening material, perfect for any party soundtrack, make-out session, or generic good time.