Sleater-Kinney – The Center Won't Hold
The Pacific Northwest trio return with their first since 2015's Cities To Love, without longtime drummer Janet Weiss, but now produced by Annie Clark AKA St Vincent. The result is a dark, guitars sounding like synth mix of indie and new wave, a swirl of foreboding that takes inspiration from another dark time, and WB Yeats's 1919 line, “things fall apart, the centre cannot hold”. From Ruins to Hurry On Home, this album is full of cracking, post-apocalyptic material, uncompromising about crashing of the world around is. Other things won't hold, but the music certainly will. Out on Mom + Pop Records.
Sleater-Kinney – The Center Won't Hold
The Murder Capital – When I Have Fears
Excellently raw, postpunk debut sound from the Dublin five-piece, clearly inspired by Joy Division in sound, and even the physical movement of Ian Curtis, but they've really got something of their own with standout tracks including a grief-stricken Don't Cling to Life (after a mother's death), Green & Blue, the beautiful On Twisted Ground, and Love, Love, Love. Out on Human Season Records.
The Murder Capital – Green & Blue
Shura – Forevher
The artist with the name Alexandra Lilah Denton, who hails from Manchester with a Russian mother, returns for a second album of synth funk pop. It's all smooth grooves, and at its best in first half, this is crisply made 80s stuff that certainly owes a lot to Prince. Standout tracks include Religion, Side Effects, and Skyline, Be Mine. Out on Secretly Canadian.
Shura - Religion (u can lay your hands on me)
Blanck Mass – Animated Violence Mild
A side project of Benjamin John Power of Fuck Buttons, this may very well take over as the main dish, with a mixture of his other work of full-on techno here merging with a darker, metal flavour. It's Power's fourth solo album now, and standout tracks include Love Is A Parasite, filled with rotting good humour, as well as the low-key Creature/West Fuqua. Juicy, but beware what you bite into. Out on Sacred Bones.
Blanck Mass – Love Is A Parasite
The Rails – Cancel The Sun
Folk, rock and indie combine in a third vibrant, fresh sounding album from partners Kami Thompson and James Walbourne from the heavier guitar sound of Call Me When It All Goes Wrong to the more acoustic Save The Planet. While the music is uplifting, of course the lyrics stare into the darkness. A fine pedigree is already present of course, with Kami being the daughter of Richard and Linda Thompson. Out on Psychonaut Sounds.
The Rails – Save The Planet
Friendly Fires – Inflorescent
The third album from the St Albans trio is the first for eight years, which followed their 2008 debut. It's neatly retro, 80s, dancey, funky, and definitely apes something between Wham!'s Club Tropicana and Scritti Politti. All very upbeat, tight, sometimes crooning, and cleverly plastic, this is a party summer sound, one for the good times, when drinks were free. But, really, when was that? Out on Casablanca Records/Polydor.
Friendly Fires – Silhouette
Oh Sees – Face Stabber
The relentless energy of John Dwyer and co rolls on with yet another album, their 22nd studio release, with various name variants, the last three dropping the 'Thee' before Oh Sees. This one sees a proggier, more experimental mix of odd sounds that just the heavy duty guitar, bass and and double drums, from a sonic whirlwind of keyboard sounds to oddities such as squeaky dog toys on opener The Daily Heavy, and a mixture of stops and starts with short tracks and then epic sprawling jam lengths on Scutum and Scorpius and Henchlock. Out on Castle Face.
Oh Sees – The Daily Heavy
Ride – This Is Not A Safe Place
Second album from the 90s indie stalwarts since they finally reformed and brought out 2017’s Weather Diaries. This again has producer Erol Alkan and mixer Alan Moulder in the fold, and there's a distinct Byrds sound here, especially on Future love with lush harmonies. The song Repetition also echoes early Magazine. Out on Wichita Recordings.
Ride – Repetition
Kurt Vile – God Is Saying This To You
Recorded between 2003 and 2008 on a CD-R, this is scrapbook of scratchy blues and rusty bedroom balladeering and hollaring from the American singer, but some lovely items to be picked off the tree here. Out on Mexican Summer.
Kurt Vile – Red Apples
The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru The Passion
Back to the Springsteen and E Street band formula of blue-collar stories that gave some success on their previous six albums, apart from 2010's Heaven Is Whatever, Craig Finn and co return to something reaching, but not quite the 90s heights of Separation Sunday and Boys and Girls in America, but standout songs include Blackout Sam, with a Randy Newman style piano feel, while Denver Haircut typifies the energetic Brooklyn bar storytelling that identifies them best. Out on Frenchkiss Records.
The Hold Steady – Denver Haircut
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard – Infest The Rats' Nest
Just six months after the metal thrashiness of Fishing For Fishes, the prolific Australians return with one that contains more sonic and psychedelic freakouts. The apocalypse is coming, or already here, but KG and TLW make it head-bangingly entertaining at least. Out on Flightless Records.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard – Infest The Rats' Nest
This week's selection is by The Landlord.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
This is only a selection of recommended listens not a catalogue of releases nor full reviews. Feel free to recommend more and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.