May the 4th be with you. As Gandalf said: we hope you live long and prosper or whatever.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of May 4th, 2018. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
Frank Turner – Be More Kind
Genre: Folk Punk / Pop Rock
Label: Xtra Mile / Polydor / Interscope
As evidenced by the album art and title, the central theme of Frank Turner’s newest release is one of empathy and compassion in a time of ever-pervasive social and political turmoil. Be More Kind has several tracks that seem tailor-made for radio or your local Target – think more along the lines of “The Way I Tend to Be” from Tape Deck Heart, less anything pre-England Keep My Bones – with the hardest-hitting songs being “1933” and possibly album highlight “Brave Face”. Turner’s pop sensibilities are still strong, though, thanks to his backing band The Sleeping Souls sounding better than ever. In songs like “Little Changes”, “21st Century Survival Blues”, and even “Make America Great Again” (which might otherwise be a throwaway song without the humorous video – see 4:08 for an example), the warmer tones envelop like a blanket, and the Bastille-like electronics in songs like “Blackout” add another dimension to the record. While the bleeding-heart, rail-against-the-right ethos might turn more than a handful of listeners off, and the opinions expressed aren’t necessarily controversial, there’s nevertheless a valuable refrain throughout the record with plenty of well-crafted folk/pop hooks on display.
Belly – Dove
Genre: Alternative / Jangle Pop
Label: Belly Touring LLC
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Panic Blooms
Genre: Neo-Psychedelia / Experimental Pop
Label: Red Cult
Bong – Thought and Existence
Genre: Drone / Psychedelic
Label: Ritual
Dead Sea – Colorate EP
Genre: Chillwave / Post-Pop
Label: [PIAS] Recordings
Dimmu Borgir – Eonian
Genre: Symphonic / Melodic Black Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
DJ Koze – Knock Knock
Genre: Deep House
Label: Pampa
Brian Eno – Music for Installations
Genre: Ambient
Label: UMC
Eternal Summers – Every Day It Feels Like I’m Dying…
Genre: Dream Pop / Indie
Label: Nevado
Ben LaMar Gay – Downtown Castles Can Never Block the Sun
Genre: R&B / Soul / Eclectic
Label: International Anthem
Gaz Coombes – World’s Strongest Man
Genre: Indie
Label: Caroline International
The Glitch Mob – See Without Eyes
Genre: Glitch Hop / Electro House
Label: Glass Air
Jon Hopkins – Singularity
Genre: Microhouse / Tech House
Label: Domino
Iceage – Boundless
Genre: Post-Punk
Label: Matador
Ihsahn – Àmr
Genre: Progressive Metal / Synthwave
Label: Candlelight
Matt and Kim – Almost Everyday
Genre: Indietronica
Label: Fader
Parkway Drive – Reverence
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Epitaph
Peace – Kindness is the New Rock and Roll
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: Ignition
Plan B – Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose
Genre: UK Hip Hop / Pop Soul
Label: Atlantic
Royce da 5’9″ – Book of Ryan
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Entertainment One
Shakey Graves – Can’t Wake Up
Genre: Singer/Songwriter / Americana
Label: Dualtone
Shinedown – Attention Attention
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Atlantic
Thy Catafalque – Geometria
Genre: Progressive Metal / Avant-Garde
Label: Season of Mist
Trampled By Turtles – Life is Good on the Open Road
Genre: Bluegrass
Label: Banjodad
Tropical Fuck Storm – A Laughing Death in Meatspace
Genre: Punk Blues / Noise Rock
Label: Mistletone
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