First New Album from U2 in Five Years is FREE!!

So it seems that secret albums are all the rage nowadays after Beyonce dropped her self titled new album nearly a year ago.  This week U2 surprised the world with the announcement of a new album now available online and on iTunes which is FREE to download.  This isn't an EP or a single but a full length album, their 13th to date.  Titled "Songs of Innocence" the album has received very positive reviews and lets be honest, it's free music so who cares what it sounds like?

Tacocat Issue Incredible Debut LP

Tacocat’s debut full length “NVM” is some spectacular alterna-pop.  The albums thirteen songs sound like a cross between the upbeat new wave of the Go-Go’s, the powerful indie rock of the Breeders, and the soft lighthearted 60’s surf rock of the Beach Boys.  The Seattle based four-piece is starting to burst out of the underground and garner some mainstream attention which is both a good and bad thing.    The members, in true DIY spirit, are all involved in side projects which are not only just as good as Tacocat, but contribute to a scene which has for decades now produced some of the best alternative music the world as ever seen.  Notable tracks include “Bridge to Hawaii” about escaping the dreariness of the northwest by building a bridge to the tropical paradise.  Poppy drums and simple alt riffs contribute to the catchiness of all of Tacocat’s songs, particularly on the 50’s style “Party Trap”  which sounds like something from the Grease soundtrack and is followed punk charged  “F.U. #8”.  The band gives its own take on the popular subject of anarchy in “This is Anarchy” which tackles millennial angst and frustration with the economy.  The riot grrrl charged “Hey Girl” is about the objectification of women and is the heaviest song on the record both in sound and subject matter.  Fans of bands like Dum Dum Girls, or Bleached will LOVE this album though the songs have something for every musical taste.  From start to finish, each and every song is just fun and catchy with great lyrics that make you want to dance around the room and smile.  Plus, their band name is fantastic.

Cloud Nothings Deliver Powerful Follow Up to 2012's Attack on Memory

Cloud Nothings new LP Here and Nowhere Else is a sophisticated and logical follow up to 2012’s Attack on Memory.  Employing the same influences and sounds cultivated on their 2012 breakout, lead singer Dylan Baldi has proven that his band has not only done a 180 from where they began, but has carved out a nitch in the current indie-rock landscape which is sure to see continued success.  Much like Attack, Here and Nowhere Else’s eight tracks combine the forceful, gut punching drums of heavy metal with the blistering guitar riffs of punk.  Combined with Baldi’s uniquely shrill howl, the album is some truly fantastic modern rock and roll.  Lead in track “Now Here In” is reminiscent of The Men and has great tempo changes combined with a loud/quiet/loud song structure alongside some softer vocals from Baldi.  “Quieter Today” has heart stopping pauses which erupt into mind numbing explosions of lightning drums and a much shriller howl from Baldi.  “Psychic Trauma” starts out slower but transforms halfway through as Baldi shrieks into the mic as if it were his last time on stage.  By the end, his sincerity oozes from the speakers and finishes out the punkiest song on the album.  The poppier “Just See Fear” is the most radio friendly on the album and is followed by the rock heavy “Give Into Seeing” which has a forceful chorus that builds and builds and finishes with an echo-y verse that gains momentum with its repetition even as the song comes to a close.  “No Thoughts” is very reminiscent of the songs from Attack on Memory with a central guitar riff which is accentuated by several pauses of the rhythm section all leading up to Baldi’s loudest finish on the album which sees his voice so raspy and ready to break that you’d think he had laryngitis.  The 7 minute “Pattern Walks” shows that the band has not only settled in to their new sound extremely well, but that they are also not afraid to push the boundary.  Combining the best elements of every song on the album, the song is a powerhouse of modern indie-rock and sets Cloud Nothings apart from other bands.  The album closes with the chunky “I’m Not Part of Me” which has a catchy chorus and is a stand out stadium rock song that definitely sounds the most “mainstream” out of any other song on the album.  Overall, Cloud Nothings has put out a phenomenal release which follows up the incredible songs on Attack on Memory and shows that this is a band which is not only capable of making a dramatic change in their sound, but capable of evolving that sound and continuing to develop it on subsequent releases, something many bands struggle with.  One thing is certain, Cloud Nothings are here to stay and have proven that they are band whose genre bending rock and roll is a force to be reckoned with in the modern music landscape.

Angel Olsen's Debut LP Is Some Truly Captivating Indie-Folk Music

The soft, indie folk of Angel Olsen’s debut LP Burn Your Fire for No Witness is as diverse and eclectic as it is powerful.  Each of the albums eleven tracks are incredibly unique and yet the album feels very cohesive from start to finish.  Tracks like “Forgiven/Forgotten” incorporate some alternative influences using lo-fi guitar mixed with slow and steady folk drumming.  Still there is plenty of that modern, indie sound mixed in which is reminiscent of Silversun Pickups to a degree (albeit substantially toned down).  A wide array of instruments are used as well, including piano on several tracks like “High and Wild” which maintains the alternative sound of “Forgiven/Forgotten”.  Still, the albums strengths are in its slower songs which really capture Olsen’s exceptionally distinctive voice.  She channels Johnny Cash on the electronic acoustic “Hi-Five” which incorporates a distinct feel of the 1940’s.  Florence Welch comes through on songs like “Stars” and closing track “Windows” which both offer up Olsen’s voice as the focal point.  This is especially the case on “Enemy” an extremely soft, acoustic ballad with barely any backing track.  “Lights Out” exemplifies Angel Olsen’s style.  The vocals evoke some of the best singer-songwriters in the modern indie landscape and the alterna-folk sound subtly present on the whole album comes through heaviest on this song.  My favorite track on the album may be “White Fire” whose dark, melodic sound is unlike anything I’ve heard in a while.  The enchanting echo of the steady guitar and drums in the background drive Olsen’s poetic lyrics in a haunting and mesmerizing way.  The track is the longest on the album clocking in at nearly seven minutes long but that works to the songs advantage as you feel yourself getting sucked further and further into Olsen’s captivating lyrics.  This entire album blew me away with its many influences, instruments, and techniques.  Incorporating so many genres including folk, indie, lo-fi, alternative, singer/songwriter (the list goes on) the album has a little something for everyone.  While the tracks all have a slower, I hate to say depressing feel similar to Lana Del Ray, they invoke a wonderfully pleasing calmness which at the end leaves you feeling more serene than depressed.  Definitely an album EVERYONE should check out.

Plague Vendor - "Free to Eat" is an Interesting and Diverse Debut

Plague Vendor’s debut LP “Free to Eat” is a 10 song burst of howling vocals and wiry guitar riffs which contrast some intensely groovy bass lines.  The California based four piece recently signed to the great Epitaph Records for the release of their first album and overall, I’m pretty impressed.  Lead in track “Black Sap Scriptures” is my favorite on the album.  The bass in the background establishes a phenomenal sliding beat which helps define sharp tempo changes and haunting vocals by lead singer Brandon Blaine.  After the lead in track, the band shifts dramatically which was shocking at first but ended up making a lot of sense.  Second track “Cursed Love Hexed Lust” sees Blaine’s vocals elevating to a shrill howl akin to Jack White on some of the early White Stripes records.  Jay Rogers guitar speeds up throughout the song and gets the blood pumping after the more melodic opener.  “Breakdance on Broken Glass” has a unique back and forth between the vocals and the pounding drums of Luke Perine who erupts with intense ferocity after each break in Blaine’s singing.  “My Tongue is So Treacherous” opens with a riff reminiscent of Dick Dale overlaid with a piercing howl which goes on for longer than I thought humanly possible, but works against the surf rock style guitar.  Self-titled track “Plague Vendor” sees the band spelling out its name as the chorus which gets a little annoying but works with the songs chunky, broken rhythm.  Other songs like “Seek the Ruby Scarab” bring Jack White back to the table in a big way with a chorus that could literally be a White Stripes or Dead Weather B-Side.  Interestingly enough, the album closes with “Neophron Percnopterus”, a song which sees Blaine returning to vocals similar to “Black Sap Scripture” allowing the album to come full circle.  In this way the open and closer act more as warm up and cool down tracks for the explosions of intensity that is the eight middle songs.  The band maintains the punk rock speed and aesthetic throughout most of the album with some definite Lo-fi influences and ample amounts of garage rock glory.  This young band is currently touring with the Vans Warped Tour which is stopping at its usual spot in Mansfield this summer.  If you have tickets I would HIGHLY recommend checking these guys out as their live show is supposed to be off the charts.  If not, at least give the record a listen because it’s some marvelously gritty rock and roll.

Eagulls Make Some Fantastic 80's English Post-Punk

Eagulls have put out the best British post-punk I’ve heard since Echo and the Bunnymen which is saying a lot considering the latter is considered one of the best bands to play the genre and the former just put out their debut less than a year ago.  The five piece rock band from Leeds, England released their debut eponymous album and its 10 tracks ooze with hardcore guitar riffs, exquisitely deep and haunting base lines and vocals which sound straight out of the 1980’s New Wave/Post-Punk English scene with an extra gritty sincerity all their own.  Lead in track “Nerve Endings” has singer George Mitchel melodically shrieking the chorus in a way that is reminiscent of Mark E. Smith with a hoarser, "punkier" squeal which reveals Eagulls history in the hardcore scene .  The following track "Hollow Visions" is a veritable punk explosion of energy.  Tracks like "Amber Veins" and "Fester/Blister" have great speed and 80's guitar riffs that recall early Joy Division with a faster, heavier tempo.  The group clearly has an ear for history while bringing their own style and feel to each and every song.  The tempo changes brought to the table by drummer Henry Ruddel are perfect and not only drive the songs forward but keep them interesting as the sound of each starts to blend slightly by the end of the album.  While almost all songs maintain the punk aesthetic like "Footsteps" which channels 70's bands like The Damned or closing track "Soulless Youth" (one of the best on the album) some like "Possessed" and "Tough Luck" are reminiscent of the more pop oriented 80's sound of bands like Gang of Four (also from Leeds) or The Cure while still maintaining that hardcore influence alongside drumming that sounds straight out of Mission of Burma's entire catalog.  The band, which formed in 2010 is setting itself up for a successful run.  Their live show is supposed to be out of this world and they're slated to play Great Scott in Allston two weeks from today.  I have tickets and am so excited to see these guys rip through some songs which you would swear were straight out of 1984.  If you grew up in the 80's or are a fan of underground music from the era, you will not be disappointed with this album.