The weekend is here, and as I promised last weekend, there are a ton of new releases from some of my favorite artists that have recently come out. This past week, I started to work my way through the albums that will become the soundtrack for this autumn. All of them lived up to expectations, which is a rare treat. This is all rock this week, but as it's a varied genre, there's lots of different sounds to check out. Enjoy.
Liam Gallagher - As You Were: I recently read an interview with the former Oasis and Beady Eye singer that said "Liam Gallagher is very good at being Liam Gallagher" and that is a great statement. As a fan, I believe that statement to be true. It's hard to put your finger exactly on what it is about Liam that is so entertaining. Yes, he's an amazing singer. Yes, he's become a great songwriter. But there is an aurora about him that comes through in everything he does, that indefinable "it" factor. On his first solo album, that factor is all over it. It doesn't stray far from his work in his previous bands, and that's exactly what I wanted. It's full of new classic Liam tracks that I will happily play over and over and over again just as I have with the old classic Liam tracks.
Neil Young - Hitchhiker: 40 years after it was originally slated for release, they long-shelved album has finally seen the light of day thanks to Neil's continual archival project. Though this album was set for release in '76-'77 and never saw the light of day, all but two of the tracks were eventually released on other albums. This falls in the center of a transitional period in Neil's career, a more pessimistic and reflective attitude toward the world than his early '70s catalog. This is just him and an acoustic guitar and that's what makes it so brilliant. Many great songs on here, and though they may be known, it's still nice to hear them arranged in an album form as they were intended.
Marilyn Manson - Heaven Upside Down: The rocker returns with his 10th album, and first in two years following the wonderful The Pale Emperor. This album sees a return to the industrial glam sound of his Antichrist Superstar, Holy Wood and Golden Age of the Grotesque era. It's heavier than anything he's done in a decade, and for that it's a welcome return to form for most fans, even though I loved that last record, probably more than any of his other records. Definitely worth a listen for fans as it falls into the top half of his work in my opinion.
L.A. Guns - The Missing Peace: It's been 5 years since the L.A. glam rock band's last record, and 30 years since their fantastic debut. With the resurgence of interest in this style of music, this is a welcomed return of one of the best. While it lacks the raw energy of their debut, this is as enjoyable as any of their other album and doesn't feel at all like a band simply trying to stick around and cash in.
The Districts - Popular Manipulations: The indie band from Pennsylvania's fourth album is a pleasant listen that reminds me slightly of bands like The Microphones and Sunset Rubdown, but without the level of experimentation that those two bands deliver. It's more straight forward indie rock, but vocally, it takes chances which makes it more enjoyable and less generic than a lot of others. The fantastic "Rattling My Heart" is a real standout on this record.
No comments:
Post a Comment