Welcome back to this irregular music blog, where I have a gush about some of the new music that has hit my face recently. Don’t forget, there’s a Spotify playlist that is updated alot more than this here blog, go subscribe to that to keep up with all the cool shit I find on a weekly basis.
Napalm Death – Logic Ravaged By Brute Force
One of the finest purveyors of extreme music, an absolute stalwart and pioneering band, it’s hard to have enough plaudits for the career of West Midlands’ Napalm Death. There’s no clue about this appearing on their upcoming 16th record, but that doesn’t really bother me. If they can keep messing with their sound as successfully as they do here, I’m all on board. Logic Ravaged By Brute Force features some wonderful Killing Joke-esque guitar work, with Barney Greenway taking the vocals in a slightly less destructive direction as he does usually. The chorus is a catchy as fuck guitar line and a chant of the title, in a much more punk and post hardcore style than usual. They’re pivoting on this little EP, which also features a cover of Sonic Youth’s White Kross. Keep spinning, guys, I want more.
This double A side is out now on Century Media.
Disq – Daily Routine
I feel selfish and old for sometimes lamenting a the lack of nineties-esque tunefulness in my rock music. Big catchy vocal hooks over chunky barre chord riffs. Maybe it hasn’t been gone as far as I think, the ‘grunge’ revival of the middle of last decade definitely had plenty of that, and bands in Australia like Violent Soho, DZ Deathrays, and further abroad like PUP, Pile and Idles bring a much more contemporary to the sometimes very naive and simple alternative rock sound of the nineties. This single drips with the slacker themes us old folk come to recognize, a catchy as fuck pre-chorus and some honky tonk piano. I’m singing loud, hard, and happily along with this.
Their debut album Collector is out 3/6 via Saddle Creek.
Cable Ties – Sandcastles
One of the best bands in Australia right now, hands down. Jenny McKechnie sings with such a visceral punk energy that she owns every word she sings and sells everything this lead single from their new record, Far Enough, has to offer. The song is about the gate-keeping of progressive groups and the behaviour that goes along with being in a grass roots community and feeling like you have power of others when you’re supposed to be on a level playing field. It’s a fascinating look inside tight-knit groups, be they of whatever political belief. Go see this band if you have to opportunity.
Far Enough is out on March 27th and can be gawked at and preordered on their Bandcamp right now.
C.O.F.F.I.N. – Drug Baby
This tracks goes to show how behind I am, this track Drug Baby was released on an EP back in August last year. C.O.F.F.I.N. absolutely tore my face off when Amyl & The Sniffers hosted Rage at the back end of last year. Amy Taylor, the singer for the group, played a 4 song blast from C.O.F.F.I.N., and made me sit up and wonder why I hadn’t come across them yet. This EP, Be Gone, was recorded by the one and only Jason Whalley of Frenzal Rhomb in the Pet Food Factory, and was mixed right here in Canberra by Clem Bennett at Black Mountain Studio. C.O.F.F.I.N. bring a real classic Australian feel to their punk rock, channeling 80’s pub rock and 90’s pop punk, while their previous work throws in a bit of crusty metal into the mix, while addressing some socially conscious themes in their lyrics. Witnessing Ben Portnoy on the drums is an absolute must as well.
They’re touring the US and Canada in April & May, and hopefully delivering some new music later this year.
Baby Val & Paco Pack – Bloody Skies
This is an absolutely out of left field drop that appeared on the Independent Music Podcast, a show I edit on a weekly basis, back at the end of last year. It’s released on the German label FTP, and if you can find any more info about the label, or indeed the acts featured on this song, I’d like to know more. This is a fucking fabulous slice of footwork with some acid synth leanings, some fabulously repeatable samples and a killer beat. Please enjoy voraciously.
Hayley Williams – Simmer
I could put almost all 5 tracks from this Part 1 of an album release from Paramore lead vocalist Hayley Williams on this list (the last track, Sudden Desire, doesn’t quite hit the spot). However, let’s lead with track 1, and the first single from Petals For Armor. I’ve never been a Paramore fan, they were a little too polished for me as pop-punk act, and not scuzzy enough for me as an emo act. But Hayley is barely recognizable on this track as she mines some very St Vincent-esque territory, but channels a lot of so-called ‘art pop’, working with slightly off kilter arrangements and delivering some unbelievably strong vocal performances. I watched a few videos of her playing these songs live on the radio, and she’s almost note perfect from the recordings, which finally drilled into me what a wonderful performer and vocalist she is. The songs are just so catchy, angular and wistful, and I’m really in love an eagerly anticipating the second half of this record. Thanks Hayley.
The full album is out May 8, through Atlantic Records.