Weekend Music Roundup

The weekend has arrived and it's really beginning to feel like Fall. It's probably no coincidence then this week's selections seem to match the weather. The tunes tend to get darker for me in the fall as I turn more inward. There's a nice mix here of wonderful surprises, featuring mostly bands that I hadn't encountered before. Definitely some that you should check out if you're feeling in the mood to explore. Enjoy.

Brika - Every Third Thought: This is the new EP from the singer songwriter and came out back in May. I can't find much information on her, but it looks like she had an album out five years ago, but it's hard to say if that is the same artist or not. Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed this psychedelic soul album that has a bit of a trip-hop feel to it. "Blinded," "Distracted," and "Karma" are my personal favorites.

Doctors of Madness - Doctors of Madness: This compilation, released in '78, compiles the London bands first two albums (both from '76) on one double record. This is the sound of where glam and prog begin to merge with the birth of punk. This is one of those lost bands that should be discovered by more. Anyone who likes Bowie from this era is sure to enjoy this album. It's dark, moody, and beautiful. "Suicide City," "Perfect Past," "Out," "Afterglow," "Mitzie's Cure," and "The Noises of the Evening" are fantastic songs on this incredible album.  

Band of Holy Joy - Neon Primitives: Somehow this London band has been around and released material for 35 years and this new album is the first I'm hearing of them. In a way, they remind me of Legendary Pink Dots with their minimal psychedelic sound, but they are angrier band. Certainly a solid album that makes me want to check out more of their work. "Lost in The Night," "The Devil Has a Hold on the Land," "Ecstasy Snowbirds," and "Urban Pagans" are standouts on this dark album.

Grand Funk Railroad - On Time: The 1969 debut from the heavy flint rock band, and the only one released with the "Railroad" on their name, though it's what they are still better known by. This set off a string of fantastic records in a prolific period of five years. On this album you can the band splitting away from the rock of the time and creating something heavier, paving the way for their self-titled masterpiece that would be released later the same year. "Anybody's Answer," "Time Machine," "Into the Sun," and "Call Yourself a Man" are my personal favorites. 

Sandstorm - Time to Strike: The debut album from the Vancouver metal band was released early this year. It's kind of by-the-book power metal, but it does incorporate enough stoner psychedelic elements to keep it from sounding out-dated. That said, it's not really anything I've never heard before, but that's not always the point with metal. As long as it sound good and loud, it's worthwhile. "Witchman, Sorcerer of Satan," "Denizen of Hell," and "Death is Near" are standouts for me.