Weekend Music Roundup

 The weekend is here and you all know what that means....more ramblings about music that I've been grooving to lately. This week features all new, and newish releases, from bands that are both new to me, as well as some old favorites. There's a wide range of tastes on here, from dance rock to hip-hop, to stoner metal and garage punk. You know what that means...it means there is definitely something on here that would be worth your time to check out. Enjoy.

The Kooks - Let's Go Sunshine: The first album in four years from the UK indie rock band is another solid effort. Their fifth studio album, this maintains the dance-rock sound they've worked hard to cultivate during their nearly ten years of production. Though not quite as unique or gripping as their last album was, this is still another quality record. "Kids," "Believe," "Chicken Bone," "Swing Low," and "Weight of the World" are standouts for me on this one. 

Armand Hammer - Paraffin: The third album from the Queens hip-hop duo is my first introduction to them and it's pretty amazing. It's roots are clearly in 90's NYC hardcore hip-hop, but they revolutionize that sound with dark beats, muffled vocals, and the inclusion of jazz beats used sparingly, but expertly. This is an album that shouldn't be missed. "Sweet Mickey," "Rehearse with Ornette," "Hunter," "Vindaloo," and "Bob Barker" are standouts on the best hip hop album of the year for me.  

Mac Bolan - Home Demos Volume 2: Tramp King of the City: This is part of an upcoming archival release of home recordings from the T.Rex frontman. Over the past two years, Bolan has become on of my favorite performers. Though I'd been listening to T.Rex for over 20 years, it wasn't until recently that I fully realized Bolan's genius and have been infatuated with his work ever since. These recordings are the kind that I've really been into, these scaled back demos that highlight his talent. Every song on here is fantastic, but some standouts for me are "Slider Blues," "Sunken Rags," "Telegram Sam," "Is It True What They Say," and "Take Me Down to Birmingham."

Chastity - Death Lust: The debut album from the one-man band out of Canada is a churning ocean of fuzz. Parts shoegaze, parts noise rock, and parts post-hardcore, this is a record that's hard to define but appealing in its chaos. Though it's lack of any real melody is sometimes frustrating, it didn't take away from my enjoyment so much that I wouldn't recommend it. "Scary," "Heaven Hell Anywhere Else," "Chains," and "Come" are my personal favorites. 

Motorowl - Atlas: This is the second album by the German stoner rock band and after last years surprise awesomeness of the band Motorgun, I had to take a chance on this one. The riffs on this record are pretty great and everything comes together in all the right ways. Fast and heavy, but it does seem to lack that intangible 'something' that would make me love it, but I certainly like it. "To Give," "To Take," "Infinite Logbook" and "Norma Jean" are my personal favorites.