#The Groovers band

[townpostin]

August Echoes Festival to Debut in Jamshedpur on August 31

Music, food, and shopping extravaganza at Beldih Club promises family-friendly entertainment Jamshedpur’s inaugural August Echoes Festival will blend live music, culinary delights, and shopping at Beldih Club on August 31. JAMSHEDPUR – The city’s first August Echoes Festival, featuring live music performances, food stalls, and shopping opportunities, is set to debut at Beldih Club in Bistupur on…

[marcbolanfan]

Marc gifs I made

[jjs-brainrot]

As I mentioned in my post going over what songs each episode of Girls Band Cry is referencing:

Episode 9 of Girls Band Cry is named Kaketa Tsuki ga Deteita (The Crescent Moon Rises) which seems to be a reference to the song 欠けた月が出ていた by THE GROOVERS.

*(flashing lights warning)

Translated lyrics below the cut (just a quick translation using Duckduckgo. If you find a better translation feel free to comment with it and I'll update the post)

It was like me, there was a missing moon.

I can't sleep, but I don't have a song I want to listen to.

I was looking at the stains on the ceiling like a map of a desert island

What will I put in the trunk and what will I leave behind?

Savage heroes fight for the lead,

Even the rivers of stars, in one leap without any hesitation

Beyond

Beyond

Ah, but more than that

Every time I want to see you

Far away, far away, far away

The orchestra adds exaggerated accompaniment.

The newscaster says, "The poor are starving."

Sometimes the truth is boring, and the lies are shining.

I'm deceived, but I'm not fooled by either of them.

Savage saints cut through the darkness

Even the rivers of time, floating ceramic vessels and setting sails,

Beyond

Beyond

Ah, but more than that

Every time I want to see you

Far away, far away, far away

Savage heroes fight for the lead,

Even the rivers of stars, in one leap without any hesitation

Beyond

Beyond

Beyond

Beyond

Ah, but more than that

Every time I want to see you

Far away, far away, far away

まるで俺みたいな　欠けた月が出ていた

眠れないというのに　聴きたい歌もない

無人島の地図のような天井のシミを眺めていた

俺はトランクに何を入れ　何を置いて行くだろう

野蛮な勇者達が　先を争い

星の河さえも　何のためらいもなくひとっ飛びで

越えてゆく

越えてゆく

ああ　でもそんなことよりも

君に会いたくなるたびに

気が遠く　遠く　遠くなる

オーケストラが　おおげさな伴奏をつけ

ニュースキャスターは云う　貧しい奴等が飢えている

真実は時々退屈で　嘘は光り輝いている

惑わされ　でも俺はどっちにも騙されない

野蛮な聖者達が　闇切り���く

時の河さえも　セラミックの船を浮かべ帆を張って

越えてゆく

越えてゆく

ああ　でもそんなことよりも

君に会いたくなるたびに

気が遠く　遠く　遠くなる

野蛮な勇者達が　先を争い

星の河さえも　何のためらいもなくひとっ飛びで

越えてゆく

越えてゆく

越えてゆく

越えてゆく

ああ　でもそんなことよりも

君に会いたくなるたびに

気が遠く　遠く　遠くなる

[queermarzipan]

@urlocalrockstar LISTEN TO THIS RIGHT NOW IMMEDIATELY

hey you. wanna feel the sheer unremitting joy of experiencing Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time again?

[cartermagazine]

Today We Honor Lee Morgen

Lee Morgan was one of hard bop’s greatest trumpeters, and indeed one of the finest players of the ‘60s. An all-around master of his instrument modeled after Clifford Brown, Morgan boasted an effortless, virtuosic technique and a full, supple, muscular tone that was just as powerful in the high register.

His playing was always emotionally charged, regardless of the specific mood: cocky and exuberant on uptempo groovers, blistering on bop-oriented technical showcases, sweet and sensitive on ballads.

In his early days as a teen prodigy, Morgan was a busy soloist with a taste for long, graceful lines, and honed his personal style while serving an apprenticeship in both Dizzy Gillespie’s big band and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

Due to the crossover success of “The Sidewinder” in a rapidly changing pop music market, Blue Note encouraged its other artists to emulate the tune’s “boogaloo” beat. Morgan himself repeated the formula several times with compositions such as “Cornbread” (from the eponymous album Cornbread) and “Yes I Can, No You Can’t” on The Gigolo.

CARTER™️ Magazine

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Prairiewolf -Deep Time

One more plug for Prairiewolf's new album — Deep Time! It's out today on digital, LP and CD (the latter edition with a mystery bonus disc 👻). Very proud of it, though it's really Jeremy and Stefan who make this shit sound so good. Also shout-outs to Matt Loewen for his insanely great clarinet solo on "Revisionist Mystery;" Sean Conrad for his expert mastering; our labels Centripetal Force (North America) and Worried Songs (UK/Euro). And thanks to anyone out there who listens! I'll shut up now, but after the jump, you can read what one of our favorite writers, Brent Sirota, had to say about the album:

Prairiewolf make easy listening music for an age of fracture. They almost do it in spite of themselves. No one can seriously question the head music bona fides of the members of this Colorado-based trio. Guitarist Stefan Beck has already assembled a formidable discography of jewel-toned guitar zone-outs under his Golden Brown moniker. And keyboardist and guitarist Jeremy Erwin and bassist Tyler Wilcox have both made their reputations as chroniclers of the vast world of out music. Erwin helms the indispensable Heat Warps blog, a performance-by-performance archive of Miles Davis’s labyrinthine electric period. And Wilcox has been covering the ragged edges of psychedelia and experimental rock at Aquarium Drunkard and other publications, not to mention his own virtual basement for heads, the great bootleg blog Doom and Gloom from the Tomb. These guys come by it honestly. And yet, given their backgrounds, Prairiewolf’s self-titled debut last spring was remarkably free of face-melters, brown acid blowouts, and ascendant spiritual jazz odysseys. Instead, they dropped a record of beautiful, elegant, low-key cosmic groovers that sounded like the piped-in background music to a resort hotel on Jupiter. It was an unlikely psychedelia, brocaded with mid-twentieth century sonic threading from the hi-fi era: vintage synthesizers, smears of spaghetti western, luxe tropical details, the faint schmaltz of space age pop. Imagine something like a Harmonia residency in the airport lounge. And yet somehow it all worked brilliantly. Prairiewolf became last summer’s cool-down standard.

After a year woodshedding around Colorado’s Front Range region, the Prairiewolf boys have fired up their trusty Korg SR-120 drum machine for another outstanding collection of suborbital exotica. The appropriately titled Deep Time operates in its own chronology, unspooling at its unhurried pace. All its incongruous period and stylistic references—the new age pulses, Hawaiian steel, shaggy hippie rambles, lysergic guitar spirals, and orchestral synthesizer flourishes—float atop the album’s own singular temporality. Deep Time makes its own time. From the moment Beck folds his slide guitar, origami-like, into a sound resembling the call of gulls on the tranquil album opener, “Peach Blossom Paradise,” there is a sense of departure from everyday life. The shimmering “Lighthouse” has a similar sunbaked nonchalance, like an afternoon passed day-drinking in a seaside bar. That they named their lush, kaleidoscopic downtempo track “The Meander” pretty much says it all. The ranging, propulsive “Saying Yes to Everything” seems like a nod in the direction of Rose City Band’s brand of wookie krautrock. And the motorik noir of “Demon Cicadas in the Night” also goes hard. Beck and Erwin’s intertwined guitar jam on the eerie album standout “The Cold Curve” evolves into something that sounds like primitive computer music. A genteel bassline from Wilcox on another album highlight, “Revisionist Mystery,” sets the stage for a loopy space jazz turn from guest clarinetist Matt Loewen of Rayonism. The title of post-rock cowboy tune “Another Tomorrow” might refer to the alternative future that so many critics heard in the music of Prairiewolf’s first album. Or it might simply refer to the persistence of time, however deep.

Either way, I’m thankful for the way Prairiewolf make each of their tunes a little oasis or sanctuary, each subsisting according to its own crystalline little logic for a few minutes. It is no simple task to filter out the omnipresent anger and anxiety of everyday life these days. But Prairiewolf are out here making it seem easy.

Brent S. Sirota

[smokeygrayrabbits]

wolfwood is a dancer. a dancey boy. a mover and a groover. he's always trying to get vash to dance with him. vash never does. wolfwoods tried everything under the sun's to get vash to dance with him.

he's tried getting them both on the right side of drunk in a happy bar in a safe town.

turned down.

rock music at an underground concert?

barely a head bob.

jazz in a classy place in July?

no dice.

ok, maybe he's self conscious. the car radio out in the desert while they're camping.

nope.

line dancing and social pressure?

well spikey ended up singing with the band, but no dancing.

well fuck.

it's even more frustrating when wolfwood learns just how much vash loves music, what it means to him. Nick gets to hear him sing and play the piano, spikey even shared his mixtapes [my friends HC which lives rent free in my brain at all times] and vash still won't dance with him!

after finally cornering the needlenoggined idiot for an explanation, wolfwood is even more determined to get this tragic little angel to dance with him. wolfwood cornered him in their hotel room and when he asked spiky what gives?, the asshole had the gall to make wolfwood tear up by giving that goddamn fake little smile and . . .rolling up his pantlegs to reveal more bottlegreen metal.

apparently it's not that the asshole doesn't know how to dance, quite the opposite apparently (some of the people he grew up with learned to dance professionally on earth and taught him when he was a kid, and wasn't that something?). no, vash could dance, or rather, he used to be able to dance. ever since loosing his legs, the self-sacrificing idiot has been to scared to dance with a partner. apparently he somehow got it into his head that hed step on their feet and break them or something. dumbass.

after a few choice words and a lot of exasperated sighs and frustrated noises, wolfwood grabs his the idiot and drags him downstairs, into the bar- which has turned into one big party since they saved the towns plant that afternoon. the radio is playing, the booze is flowing, people are smiling, and they start dancing.

vash steps, very lightly, on wolfwoods foot only once. the asshole is an incredible dancer. and wolfwood has never been more in love

[funkyfurymalissa]

HELLO THERE! ARE YOU READY FOR FUNKY TIMES?!

+. Welcome aboard this blog! which is dedicated to my project of a fan spin-off series of the Parappa The Rapper franchise, Funky Fury Malissa. Featuring a new protagonist with "Malissa Rappa" ,original characters, teachers, rivals and more..

+. I made this blog to share my process on working in the project and receive questions about the characters on the way! I won't make this series into a game though. not only because Sony are becoming the next Nintendo with Fan-games but, also going such thing will require experience and budget. which I got NEITHER. but, I can draw and write, which is what I shall use to tell the story of the series! in a visual novel type of style, dialogue of characters, actions and of course, LYRICS of the songs.

+.As stated before, this series is STILL a WIP, which means I've yet to finish/Finalize the designs of characters and elements of the story (mostly the teachers) so, I'll always pinpoint the stuff that are unfinished/finalized with a note with brackets. Also this Post will be updated manually, adding more references and information about the series.

Mission Statement?

+. Malissa Rappa, a funky gal from Origami city is trying to win the heart of her beloved crush, Berzack Bandicoot, however there are MANY obstacles in her way! starting from her rival in love, "Fuzzle Cuddle" to a Group of thugs fro hell.. to.. a giant polygon face that's trying to take over the City?! boy, those are lots of obstacles. but, not something that will keep this funky dog from moving forward, Keeping her head on and facing all the challenges with her funky gorgeous singing and HER fury metal rings! will she grant her dream? only one way to find out.

Characters (40% finished):

————————————★★★————————————

+.THE MAIN FOUR: (Finalized)

+.THE RIVAL: (Almost finalized, Missing the introduction card and thief-outfit display)

Fuzzle Cuddle is Italian poodle working as a secretary to the owner of the biggest Jewelry company in Origami City, she retails a very bubbly and narcissistic air-headed personality, she's also into the electric piano player, Berzack, whom she always tries to impress, whether by playing a heroic act in the sweet beard burger, or flashing showcasing her super limo 9000.. atleast, that's what she does in the day time.

In night, she goes by her alter ego name "Diamond Candle", a skilled thief that's always targeting the riches and robbing them from their precious and delicate jewelry for fun. accompanies by her partners in crime, Gaster and Groover, (they also have code names but I've yet to come up with them lol) who also have a foot in the world of thievery.

+.The Teachers/rivals (20% finished, No references, still conceptualizing most of them, some names are placeholder. all what you gotta know is that some of them will be like parallels to parappa's teacher with tweaks. )

King E Roo: A kangaroo that owns a private boxing Club

Krash Pitch: Karma's mother and a racer car instructor

Nicky Picky: a white-square headed cat who works as a barista in "sweet beard burger"

Narissa RaParra: Malissa's Monochrome copy and the leader of the retired band, "BornEye".

Grand Polygon: some giant Floaty face thing built of of instruments. it has the ability to hypnotize people.

+. Others (10% finished, once again missing introduction card, gallery and design for the other bg worker.)

(note: this character's importance will be FULLY explored in "funky fury malissa 2" o, I won't spoil anything about his story. though, I thought mentioning him because he's kinda like a BG character now.)

Miguel Nosso: the current heir of the MOST successful restaurants in ALL of Origami city, "sweet beard burger". He's the manager of the resturant and mostly found in the kitchen, baking cakes for costumers while his workers serve the desserts.

the branch was originally initiated by "beard burger" in order to expand his brand across the globe, taking Europe as the first stock to market it. the Resturant was Run by one of Miguel's other uncle "Sweet Nosou", and it did QUITE awful on it's first few decades of launch. Sweet Nosou negotiated with beard burger to change the Resturant's direction from burgers to dessert as an experiment. a decision that fruited with good results, thus "Beard Burger EU" was changed to "SWEET BEARD BURGER".

Tama AIpple: an anthro tomato headed girl who also works in sweet beard burger.

————————————★★★————————————

now that's all established, here's the the rules of sending eml- Oh, I'm sorry, "SHOUT!!"

While I do not mind suggestive question (the entire cast are adults), please keep them minimal.

absolutely NO NSFW or fetish-related questions, this also include major gore.

If you're asking a character, please refer to them by name so I know who's receiving the question

If I take long on answering your question, my apologies. I'm not ignroing you, I'm either busy with other stuff or burnt-out.

Finally, if you made it to this point, thank you so much for taking your time to read this mess I wrote. have fun!

[barn-dawg]

okie I made a post re: making a list of music I enjoyed this year so here it is because @rotmaxx and @m1stth3c4t were nice enough to say yes to that so the rest of you have to suffer

going to limit it to music released in 2024, everything is under readmore bc it's going to be link and word salad hell - this is in no particular order

got into screamo this year thanks to a brooklynvegan article covering their favourite screamo albums that had come out in 2024 at the time of the article's writing - I listened to everything At Least Once but two albums were on repeat for me

One of those was Frail Body's Artificial Boquet which is blistering front to back, starting with the blistering Scaffolding and never relenting in its 40 min runtime. It does have some more quiet moments (though they are still pretty crushing), which are an appreciated break from some of the tightest playing I've ever heard since Deafheaven's Sunbather.

The next was Respire's Hiraeth, a slower but more complex album with orchestal sections and quite a few medleys. They're self-described as "post-everything" on their spotify, which I can see since they remind me a lot of Godspeed! You Black Emperor. I appreciate that Respire isn't afraid to slow things down and just let you breathe for a minute - a lot more so than the Frail Body album. My favourite off the album has to be Home of Ash.

Another screamo album I was anticipating was Touché Amoré's Spiral In A Straight Line, an excellent addition to the screamo/post-hardocre band's discography filled almost front to back with bangers (save for Force of Habit, which is a dud imo), the opening track, Nobody's, feels like a song tailor-made to be screamed back to Jeremy Bolm at the beginning of every show the band will do for the rest of their career - I highly recommend this album if you want to get into the band.

In a similar vein, Agriculture released an EP this year called Living Is Easy. They're a breath of fresh air in the black metal scene, their music being far more hopeful and optimistic than their contemporaries. Agriculture is screaming in defiance of the void rather than embracing it, I think the title track shows that off really well.

There was also Bongripper's Empty. Extremely heavy stoner metal following in the footsteps of Sleep's Dopesmoker, a great instrumental album that would probably scare me a little bit if I got high to it.

For something even more oppressive, check out Civerous' Maze Envy if you want to be crushed to death by audio It speaks for itself really.

There was also Chat Pile's Cool World, imo it's a far groover, less uncomfortable experience compared to their previous album God's Country though arguably equally as crushing. My favourite off this album has to be Masc, an uncomfortable look into how toxic masculinity affects the relationship between a man and his partner and how the simple fact that he has needs as a human negatively impacts his self perception.

Taking a sudden left turn into hip-hop because a lot of good fucking rap albums came out this year!

Starting off strong with Doechii's mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, easily the most varied piece to release this year, Doechii flexes her muscles by hopping from sub-genre to sub-genre and does it really fucking well from back to front, and keeps doing it with jazz renditions of songs off that album - Doechii is definitely one to watch, I'm really excited to see what else she comes out with. My personal favourite off her mixtape is NISSAN ULTIMA.

Doechii also featured on a song on Tyler The Creator's new album, Chromakopia, which was announced without warning around the 21st of October before releasing a week later. Tyler has had an amazing run since Flower Boy and shows no signs of stopping. This album, to me, feels like a mix of Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost in terms of aesthetics and sound. Chromakopia has an explosive opening in St. Chroma, and goes on to explore Tyler's thoughts on aging and different aspects of sexual and romantic relationships, includin polyamory and a pregancy scare, it's an easy recommend from me.

Speaking of surprise releases, Kendrick Lamar silently released GNX on the 22nd of November. It's very different from his prior releases, not having an overarching story or idea, though that doesn't mean it's any less deserving of appreciation as a piece of art. GNX is a love letter to west-coast rap and RnB. The opening Wacced Out Murals, to me, feels like a manifesto for Kendrick's jaded view of the rap game and its current state - it managed to get responses from both Lil Wayne and Nas (who had opposite reactions). I think, overall, GNX is Kendrick is showing that he's capable of stooping down to the level of his peers and outdoing all of them (as if this year's beef didn't show that already).

Changing gears, we also have The Thief Next to Jesus by Ka - the final album released before his passing earlier this year. A lo-fi rap album with a heavy emphasis on religion.

There was also Memoirs In Armour by Navy Blue, a very mood rap album with an amazing mix on the piano seen in the opening of Take Heed.

VEENA by Heems was another album to release album, instrumetally I thought it was fantastic though it can be spiritual lyrical individual bar-wise, however I think it's well worth checking out. The album art is also very nice.

Another album with fantastic instrumentals to release this year was I Lay Down My Life For You by JPEGMAFIA, definitely the most unique release of this year. Peggy shows it's entirely possible to do a rap-rock fusion and do it very very good. It's intense from beginning to end and I really hope JPEGMAFIA continues making music in this style. Just linking the whole thing because asking me what my favourite song isoff of this album is like asking me what my favourite oxygen molecule I've breathed in recently is.

Capping things off, we also had Killer Mike release Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival, Songs For Sinners And Saints . This is a direct follow up to last year's MICHAEL, bringing back the gospel choir that did a lot to elevate that album. KM&TMMR is, to me, an elaboration and build-up of the musical ideas presented on MICHAEL, I'm pretty confused by SLUMMER 4 JUNKIES because a huge portion of that track is just SLUMMER from MICHAEL which I just don't understand personally.

Kneecap has a pretty intense year, releasing both a movie and an album, Fine Art, which lives up to its name. Fine Art is almost a concept album, covering the West Blefast trio's night out in the pub, doing drugs and avoidng the dealers they owe money to, and going to raves. The album has beats making use of traditional irish folk music, the gaeilge language, with adoration of club bangers that shine on songs like I'm Flush. They also hate british colonialism, and as a Fenian cunt I respect that to put it mildly.

The hatred of The UK contiunes because Bob Vylan, a grime/punk duo released Humble As The Sun which comes out swinging on the title track, advocating for a united Ireland and railing against the exploitation of black men for white profit within the music industry. Humble As The Sun is a staunch refusal to be submissive in the face of british systemic racism and austerity while celebrating black art.

While I've enjoyed rap for years, this year in particular I really branched out and found new artists to keep an eye on. My usual wheelhouse is punk, which also had a pretty profilic year for releases.

This is especially true for Fucked Up, who released three seperate albums within a pretty short time of each other - all of which had been written and recorded within 24 hours (one of them livestreamed too), those albums are Another Day, Who's The Time & A Half, and Someday. Who's Got The Time was only available for 24 hours on bandcamp, so I won't cover that one.

Another Day is Fucked Up's shortest album to date, clocking in at 37 minutes, and is the sequel album to 2023's One Day and it's definitely audible. It very much sounds like they immediately stopped recording One day and immedately went into Another Day. It's not as synth-forward as One day is, the synths take a backseat - however they still make songs like Stimming.

Someday, in constrast, is the most unique of the trilogy, most of the songs make use of aso many features that Damian Abraham's signature bark is a rarity on the record and none of the songs are what you would expect from a punk album, songs such as I Took My Mom To Sleep straying pretty far from the genre. The album mainly focuses on the hostility of Canada towards migrants and is incredibly blunt with its messaging, something I always appreciate from hardcore bands. Off of Somneday, Feed Me Your Feathers has been on repeat for me with its infectous melody.

Drug Chruch also released PRUDE, I don't have tons to say about it - for me, it's a continuation of their ideas from 2022's Hygiene which I enjoyed quite a bit.

Kill Lincoln released their No Normal, a ska-punk rager and follow up to 2020's Can't Complain. It's tighter, higher energy, everyone brings their A-game, it's fun - No Normal is everything ska-punk should be. The opener I'm Fine (I Lied) being a great example of this - if they ever put out a modern Tony Hawk's Pro Skater I expect Kill Lincoln on that soundtrack.

This last section is for albums I listened to that are in their own genre.

Starting with the metalcore heavy-hitter for this year, Knocked Loose's You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To, an album that feels like being punched in the face for 27 minutes straight. This album is unrelenting, vocally and instrumentally punishing from beginning to end - it's pissed at you for deciding to listen to it and you're going to feel that the entire time. My personal favourite track is Suffocate, which has a feature from Poppy on it.

In a completely opposite vein (mostly) is Mount Eerie's Night Palace! A lo-fi indie album, entirely recorded on analog equiment (just like Phil Elverum's magnum opus, The Glow Pt. 2), the album skips from fuzzier cuts like the title track to groovier cuts like the follow-up Huge Fire, alongside references to the prevoisly mentioned The Glow Pt. 2 and Mount Eerie's devastating A Crow Looked At Me. It's an album about colonisation and our society's deteriorating relationship with nature, Phil Elverum's muse, first and foremost though imo.

After the band went on hiatus, Black Midi's Geordie Greep released The New Sound, an album that pulls from many many different genres, from prog to jazz to latin to rock. It's an excellent display of technique and whatever pervert Greep was embodying in the lyrics.

Foxing released their self titled too, a vast depature from their prvious material that I was familiar with. I'm not even sure what to label it genre-wise, is it screamo? At some points, sure. Industrial? potentially! Regardless, it is easily their best worth without a doubt with Secret History and Greyhound being my personal favourites off the album. I'm not sure how you scream like that without fucking up your voice permenantly.

Vampire Weekend also released a new album, Only God Was Above Us, their first since 2019's Father of the Bride, and what an album it is from front to back, this is some of the most unique music I've heard ever, not just from this year. Connect has to be my personal favourite, the piano on this song is just beautiful.

There was also a personal favourite of mine, Trauma Ray's Chameleon. This album is a crushing wall of sound with dreamy vocals, excellent shoegaze that almost feels like that state you're on the cusp of falling into a really deep sleep - it's a suffocating embrace of an album from beingging to end, my personal favourites are Ember and the title track.

There's also Hiatus Kaiyote's Love Heart Cheat Code, an album that's hard to pin down with it bouncing between soul, funk, and psychedelic, it's definitely worth your time with it being beautiful from beginning to end.

A highly anticipated release this year for me was Godspeed! You, Black Emperor's "NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBURARY 2024, 28,340 DEAD" a direct reference to the death toll of the Gazan genocide, which most likely has doubled since the date mentioned in the title, though we don't know for sure.

This is an instumental album mainly, the only break being the reading of a poem by Michele Fiedler Fuentes on Raindrops Cast In Lead. To me, this album contains multitudes, having moments that are extremely bleak only to be contrasted later by moments of hope. There are highs and lows that alternate, there are green shoots sprouting from grey rubble. There's a lot to be said about this album and what it envokes, but all that there is really worth saying is

NO TITLE AS OF 25 DECEMBER 2024, 45,400 DEAD

NO TITLE AS OF 25 DECEMBER 2024, 45,400 DEAD

NO TITLE AS OF 25 DECEMBER 2024, 45,400 DEAD

NO TITLE AS OF 25 DECEMBER 2024, 45,400 DEAD

NO TITLE AS OF 25 DECEMBER 2024, 45,400 DEAD

[jhsharman]

The prehistory of the Archies

The Memorial Day Special -- a tad more involved than my Christmas and New Years Special.

So in 1963 Archie, Jughead, Moose, and Reggie had a whirlwind rise and fall as the band The Beetles. Though it was only a dream, it re-taught Archie the lesson on the high price of fame that he had learned some years' prior when he dreamt he was a Frankie Avalon clone, and the lesson Jughead learned before that when was Elvis.

Despite that harsh slide, the pull of music and the overwhelming power of Beatle-mania kept him enthralled -- so he was still trying his hands with the probably sue-able The Beets.

Reggie was headlining his own group in 1966 along with a shaggy bown haired boy and original Beetle Moose. Though Archie had been a part of Reggie's Rockers, Archie cut out once he was shown some overly aggressive female fan behavior.

But the three -- Reggie, Moose, and shaggy brown hair kid -- were still together as "Reggie's Rocking Rockers" in 1967.

At this point Archie had gotten Jughead and Dilton together to form their own not named competing band, a big hit at Harold's Teen Club, before inadvertently sabotaging their way to victory at the Battle of the Bands against Reggie's Rocking Rockers. To be sure I am not sure what a rock contest victory judged by Mr. Weatherbee is worth -- The Pinheads were never going to get a fair shake from the Hill Valley judges -- but they considered it something.

1968 and Archie is dabbling with a band with Jughead, but also taking up solo gigs -- not a good sign for nascent band dynamics.

Reggie's Rockers imploded, leaving him to a bitter anguish and jealousy --

Yet, Reggie ended up in the band -- replacing the rotating third and sometimes fourth anonymous members. They were not yet able to settle on a name, but Archie's Archers was the clear favorite. And even as they were always on the hunt for the big chance, working any available connections -- most obviously Mr. Lodge --

which was an exercise in desperate stubbornness --

They got themselves one record executive hearing at least, and one clear rejection --

and had to have been getting the sense of their greenness and limitations --

And pulling their way out of a bad Beatles imitation, Archie spearheaded an era of experiments -- experimental nature, bringing in unusual instruments for rock as they sought to find their own more industrial sound.

Indeed, even after finally settling on their permanent name of The Archies, and despite a lot of aural dead ends, Archie's musical experimentation continued.

Needing a fuller sound, perhaps with Reggie's familiarity from when be was a part of his bands, they brought Moose in for a couple tries in 1967 and 1968

But it did not last. And while initially showing a decided bias against female rock musicians --

-- with the Gallant Gals appearance in the Riverdale Music scene possibly inspiring Veronica to form her own group --

-- Veronica and The Groovers quickly evolving into the more stream-lined set The Veronicas -- made up of Veronica, Betty, and a never set third member --

-- and despite Reggie's snide comments on and low regard for The Veronicas, as too the opinions expressed by members of that group toward the music of The Archies --

The Archies soon found the need for a female vocalist, and so poached Betty out of the band -- spelling the end for The Veronicas.

The record is a little hazy on how Veronica ended up in the band. But once there it was set -- the three member Archies expanded to five members. Except for some instances where for plot purposes when they needed to jettison Jughead or Reggie. As too a hefty backlog of stories written when there were three members. Otherwise --

As with the dynamics of any band, Creative Differences and fights reared their head behind the scenes. But this too marks for creative energy.

After much struggle, and missing a shot to get on Johnny Carson -- the band was able to once more lean on Mr. Lodge's connections -- wearing him down through incessant pleading -- to get a hearing with Don Kirshner ...

And from there it went. To the top of the charts in 1969. Where Archie and his group would learn again the high price of fame, as sitting at the top of the Riverdale Music scene they found that rival musical acts would stop at nothing to elbow their way past them. Freek and Weirdo. B.G. and the Scurvys. The Three Tones. Joker's Wild. Cabaret singer Jezebel. Ruthless in their jostling against their prime competition.

Not to mention having their eyes open and naivete shattered when experiencing the deeds of their unscrupulous business associates.

As for the cast-aways of earlier formations of the band, Dilton and Moose and a shaggy haired kid had an unsuccessful band named The Diltons.

And though Moose was not able to deal with the rejection and quickly dropped out of the music business, Dillton kept at it -- through a couple failures

moved on through his scientific theory and approach in engineering music,

until after much fine-tuning, he finally hit gold, and was able to hire some musicians to fill out a successful prog rock project.

No clue on what became of the third member of the group, or of the various members of Archie, Reggie, and Veronica's earlier band attempts.

[thisworldisablackhole]

Top 25 Albums of 2023

These are not reviews, simply blurbs of my thoughts on each release. Some have more effort put into them than others. So without further ado...

25. Cursetheknife - There’s A Place I Can Rest

SOUNDS LIKE: HEAVY SOFT ALT ROCK FOR STARGAZING ENTHUSIASTS / LISTEN

Oklahoma rock group cursetheknife caught me by surprise with this release. This was one of those unplanned listens that I checked on a whim because I was intrigued by their 2000s emo "no spaces allowed" type band name paired with a black and white still life painting of an urn and some... cubes? I like it. This record is really great at being loud and quiet. Acoustic guitars and hushed, tired vocals are interrupted by a massive wall of crunchy guitars coloured by pretty harmonics and sustained tremolo bends. Reminds me of both the earth shattering gaze of Hum and the moody depressive folk of Pygmy Lush. A combo I never expected to hear but one that won me over without hesitation.

24. Militarie Gun - Life Under the Gun

SOUNDS LIKE: MELODIC POST-HARDCORE FOR GROOVERS / LISTEN

I wasn't a huge fan of the mix on Militarie Gun's earlier EP's. I liked what they were trying to do musically, but it sounded dry and flat, and vocalist Ian Shelton's strained pleas for love hardly changed their inflection enough to keep me waiting on stand by. My first impressions of this band were completely turned on their head and booted into outer space when I saw them live. Everything made sense. The mix from stage was loud and dynamic, with just enough room verb to slick up their sound. The songs were tight, catchy, and had enough punch to shake you to your core. Their performance that night left me awed, and I’m happy to say that version of the band I saw on the big stage is much better portrayed on this LP. What we get is 12 songs of 90s influenced, groove laden post hardcore that would make any fan of Fugazi, Lungfish or Self Defence Family happy.

23. PinkPantheress - Heaven Knows

SOUNDS LIKE: DRUM & BASS WITH SOUR KEY POP HOOKS / LISTEN

Where are you feat. WILLOW was the first song to draw me into the downtempo bubble gum world of PinkPantheress. Downtempo and bubble gum might sound like distant, thrice removed descriptions, but melancholic piano leads, ambient backing vocals and breakbeat drum samples are combined with PinkPantheress’ signature high pitched, sweet vocal delivery and highschool journal-esque lyrics in a way that hasn’t been done before. Things are generally more upbeat on this album, and it’s good that way. I actually think her style works better when the energy is high and the drums are quick. This album is almost flawless with the exception songs like Bury me, Internet baby and Feelings where the bass lines slow down into a warp, the drums become more sparse, and the lyrics become more repetitive. It’s these moments where the energy and charm are lacking and the result is just meh. Trim the fat, take out a few of these songs, and the album would be a 5/5.

22. Year of the Knife - No Love Lost

SOUNDS LIKE: HEAVY HARDCORE WITH LONG HAIR SENSIBILITIES / LISTEN

Woof, not only does this band have the grit and claws to survive and face real life tragedy, but their tough as nails resolve as individuals is fully apparent through the music they create as well. This album is punishing, frantically violent, but measured and controlled. This band absolutely smokes through powerviolence blast beats and nasty death metal riffage with a cool head, creating a record that teeters on the edge of deathcore at times without ever giving in to the cornball theatrics (which I love btw).

21. END - The Sin of Human Frailty

SOUNDS LIKE: CHAOS, PANIC, CAUSTIC BURNS, METALCORE / LISTEN

Face melting, pummeling madness, blah blah name your adjective, this band has it. Dissonant and chaotic metalcore that will make you feel like you’re being buried alive - face down in the dirt fighting for your life. The production on this thing is DENSE and begs to be played loudly. The layers of noise are packed together in a tight weave that really adds to the oppressive, suffocating nature of their music. Yet it all begins to break apart and show it’s intricate colours the more volume you pump into the speakers. If you’re not a fan by the time Hollow Urn hits you with that cinematic, theatre rumbling bass drop that sounds like a war horn from hell, then I don’t know what to tell you.

20. Panopticon - The Rime of Memory

SOUNDS LIKE: UR LAST MOMENTS BEFORE YOU DIE IN THE WOODS ALONE LOL, ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL / LISTEN

This is it, this is gonna be the album that finally reignites my love for black metal. Beautiful, atmospheric, sad. The opening two tracks are full of gothic folk passages packed with orchestral strings, acoustic guitars and even a softly blown flute. By the time the blasting drums, guitars and tortured howls kick in 8 minutes into Winter’s Ghost, it feels like you just got snapped thru a speed run flash back of someone’s personal grief simulation. Your heart will sink through the fucking floor, but from that pain will rise immense beauty and the courage to trudge thru the brutal, frozen wasteland soundscapes of The Rime of Memory.

19. Silent Planet - SUPERBLOOM

SOUNDS LIKE: THE SOFTWARE CHIP IN YOUR BRAIN IS MALFUNCTIONING, METALCORE / LISTEN

I’ve been watching Silent Planet from the sidelines for a couple years now, first being introduced to them through their 2021 effort Iridescent, and then dabbling in some of their older catalog which oddly made me think of an alternate timeline where La Dispute was a metalcore band. I wasn’t a huge fan of hearing melodramatic slam poetry before my breakdowns, but they had a knack for songwriting which made them hard to discredit. Their earlier work just seemed like something I would have had to be there for on release to fully appreciate. Now was my chance. When singles started dropping for SUPERBLOOM, I was excited to finally be on board the hype train for one of their records. This record ended up showcasing a heavier, more modern and electronic influenced side of the band than we’ve seen before. Anecdotally, when this was released I was in the midst of a Cyberpunk 2077 playthrough, and found it to be a very fitting soundtrack to the game. Colourful and archaic. There are a lot of fun and creative ideas on this LP, some of which aren’t given ample room to breathe, but are nonetheless present. I found some of the tracks a little unmemorable at first but it honestly sounds better the more time I give it between listens. Only time will tell how it continues to age.

18. Polaris - Fatalism

SOUNDS LIKE: THE BOUNCY CASTLE AT UR PARTY IS DEFLATING, METALCORE / LISTEN

Polaris are good at what they do. Maybe too good. They are at the pinnacle of modern progressive metalcore alongside bands like Erra and Northlane, but whereas Erra excels in technical proficiency, and Northlane excels in synth pop metal integration, Polaris just brings down the emotional hammer. This band excels in the art of mixing heavy progressive riffs with soaring, passionate, radio ready choruses that just tug at your heart strings. I think Fatalism is overall heavier than their 2020 album The Death of Me, but they have doubled down on all the parts of their formula which make their songwriting so effective at simultaneously jerking tears and making your fists swing in a rage.

17. Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color in the Valley of Night…

SOUNDS LIKE: SWIRLING, INTOXICATING INSTRUMENTAL PROG METAL / LISTEN

I was pretty adamantly opposed to instrumental music outside of electronic and ambient for a long time until I recently started reading books again. I wanted to see if I could get two birds stoned at once and listen to some tunes that I would usually avoid while I absorb words. I ended up enjoying this release so much that I started listening to it even when I wasn't reading books, but it does make every page you read play out like an intense action scene, so I'm inclined to continue listening in that fashion. Night Verses are an instrumental metal band, but don't go into this expecting full gas technical wankery. Night Verses are pro's at utilizing restraint and softer textures to weave a narrative with their instruments. Never have I encountered a band so skilled at telling a story without words.

16. Termina - Soul Elegy

SOUNDS LIKE: EMO ROBOTS FROM NEPTUNE DISCOVER TECHY DEATHCORE / LISTEN

I was first introduced to this outfit through their single Parasocial and was immediately sold. Sharp, twisting angular guitar leads over over deathcore inspired instruments and vocals. At one point the instruments drop out into an evil bass heavy hip hop beat with pitch shifted demon vocals before launching straight back into full auditory assault. It was just straight up one of the coolest switch ups I've heard in a metal song before and I was really hyped to hear what else they had in store. Ultimately I didn't enjoy the other singles on first listen as much as Parasocial, but the rest of the album really delivered upon release. There are points during this record where I feel like it was written by an AI; algorithmically engineered to release the right amounts of dopamine in my brain at specific intervals to keep me engaged. I don't mean that as an insult, as the result is a highly addicting LP that hits all the hallmarks of modern metal while still feeling innovative and fun.

15. Dying Wish - Symptoms of Survival

SOUNDS LIKE: THAT SHIT UR 40 YEAR OLD METALHEAD HOMIE PUTS ON THE AUX, TURN OF THE CENTURY MELODIC METALCORE / LISTEN

I was exposed to this band when they were on tour with Counterparts. The bill that night was supposed to be Counterparts, Dying Wish, Foreign Hands and SeeYouSpaceCowboy, but unfortunately Foreign Hands had their vehicle broken into in Washington and couldn't cross the border. I was still treated to a ménage à trois of metalcore excellence that night, but was especially blown away by Dying Wish as they were the only band on the bill I wasn't familiar with. My expectations were low and they spin kicked me in the teeth with their oldschool melodeath inspired riffs. From that moment on I was eagerly awaiting this album. The singles they drip fed us showed a marked improvement in their songwriting and especially in Emma's performance as a vocalist. The full album proved to be a worthy contender, bringing back a solid nostalgic sound to an arena packed to the brim of tiresome modernity. I still can't get the sound of those crash laden breakdowns out of my head.

14. fromjoy - fromjoy

SOUNDS LIKE: CHAOTIC GRINDIN MATHCORE MADE BY DEPRESSED ZOOMERS WHO PROBS GREW UP ON 4CHAN / LISTEN

This is a very recent addition to this list, but one that has swiftly earned it's place. There have been plenty of bands this year that have done this kind of chaotic, math influenced metalcore, but none that have blended the sound with electronic breakbeats and haunting choruses the same way fromjoy has. I can get kind of tired of albums that are just 100% speed and brutality front to back, but fromjoy have injected enough elements of other genres here to offer moments of respite from their brain melting, hellish soundscapes. Songs like of the shapes of hearts and humans, or the saxophone vaporwave of Helios, are much like a bench atop a canyon vista. A moment to regroup and recover before you continue pushing that boulder up hill.

13. Invent Animate - Heavener

SOUNDS LIKE: U JUST PISSED OFF SOME ANGELS BRUH, METALCORE / LISTEN

Invent Animate are a progressive, atmospheric metalcore band. Sounds pretty fuckin cool to me, but I have a strange relationship with this album. It's an album that I've always liked, but have really struggled to connect with on an individual track basis. It took months of casual listening before I could really differentiate one track from another. It all sort of blurred together, which is on one hand a testament to the atmosphere they have created with this record, but on the other hand it created a challenge to find specific moments to draw me back in. Despite that I still really enjoyed the general sound of what I was hearing; heavy polyrhythmic riffs backed by icy reverberated synthesizers which melted into breakdown ASMR in my headphones. It wasn't really a hard decision to continue giving it a chance to grow on me, and I'm glad I did.

12. TesseracT - War of Being

SOUNDS LIKE: IF DREAM THEATER WAS GOOD LOL, PROGRESSIVE METAL / LISTEN

I was a huge fan of TesseracT's album One back in the early 2010's. I decided to revisit that album earlier this year just out of curiosity to see if I would still enjoy that kind of music, and I was pleased to find that the album still sounded just as good to my 28 year old brain as it did to my 16 year old brain. It's always a nice feeling to realize that your younger self didn't have terrible taste in music. During this time of re-listening to One I had no idea that they were on the verge of releasing a new album. When the single War of Being dropped in July I was absolutely floored to find out that not only did their old material still hold up, but their newest material was absolutely on par with it. The groove, the heaviness, the atmosphere, Daniel Tompkins sultry sweet vocals and crushing screams. It was clear to me that TesseracT hadn't missed a single step in their newest endeavor. It was a full package that made the 16 year old in me gleam from ear to ear.

11. Mental Cruelty - Zwielicht

SOUNDS LIKE: LEGOLAS FUCKED UP AND TOSSED GIMLI STRAIGHT INTO THE ORCS, SYMPHONIC DEATHCORE / LISTEN

I didn't even really know what deathcore was until I saw Lorna Shore's Pain Remains plastered all over the front page of sputnikmusic and the users top albums of 2022 lists. I decided to give it a try out of morbid curiosity and discovered that I actually really loved the combination of heavy as fuck instrumentation, twisted pig squeal vocals and symphonic, fantasy soundtrack-esque passages. It was like nothing I had ever heard before and I loved the total absurdity of it. Discovering Mental Cruelty just cemented my newfound love for this genre. Zwielicht is epic, grandoise, brutal, disgusting and beautiful all at the same time. The symphonic breakdown on Pest makes me feel like I'm listening to a metal record while witnessing firsthand the battle of Helm's Deep in Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkein's The Two Towers. Dark and dramatic, this album perfectly conjoins my love for both extreme metal and fantasy.

10. The Republic of Wolves - Why Would Anyone Want To Live This Long?

SOUNDS LIKE: YOU JUST GAVE THE INDIE KID A NOOGIE, LOUD ALT ROCK / LISTEN

The Republic of Wolves completely blindsided us with a surprise EP in December, just two weeks before Christmas. I had listened to this band very briefly back in 2011 when they released The Cartographer, but it wouldn't be until discovering Shrine a couple years ago that I really fell head over heels for them. Their moody, dim lit and introspective brand of post hardcore tinged indie rock felt like it was tailor made for my tastes. To put it simply, this new EP is fantastic, but it comes with a caveat; the mix. It is raw and unpolished. Maybe a little thin and tinny sounding when compared to Shrine. This release is kind of like a haphazard demo tape thrown together just to remind the world that they still have the chops, and boy do they ever. Hidden below the rough edges of this recording is some of their most adventurous and rewarding song writing. Beautiful moments reveal themselves like treasure chests on the high seas, and the closer you get the more they glisten.

9. Koyo - Would You Miss It?

SOUNDS LIKE: I DONT HAVE ANYTHING FUNNY FOR THIS ONE, SAD POP PUNK IS ALREADY A JOKE / LISTEN

Pop punk! A genre that I always thought was kinda corny and lame until I started listening to The Story So Far and realized that it can actually be incredibly potent, emotionally charged and energetic form of catharsis. Koyo really fit the bill when I was searching for more bands that would satisfy my TSSF cravings. Although I'm not a huge fan of "gruff bearded IPA guy" vocals in punk music, Koyo's songs were so catchy and impactful that even the singer eventually won me over, and this record found itself in constant rotation.

8. Maruja - Knocknarea

SOUNDS LIKE: HARDCORE KIDS STARTED LISTENING TO JAZZ AND NICK CAVE, POST PUNK / LISTEN

My friend randomly sent me a song from this, saying that it auto played for him on spotify and he thought I would like it. I was enthralled by it immediately and it ended up being the best thing he has ever recommended to me. I am a huuge sucker for saxophone and firmly stand behind the opinion that horns can improve almost any genre of music, especially when that genre is moody post punk blasting straight out of the smoky stairwell exit of an underground english club. Maruja's use of the saxophone is much more than just a garnish though, it is woven into the structure of each song the same way a guitar would be. When paired with the anguished croons of vocalist Harry Wilkinson, the result is an atmosphere almost oppressive with it's heavy yet deeply moving temperament. This will undoubtedly be a band to pay close close attention to in the coming years.

7. Johnny Booth - Moments Elsewhere

SOUNDS LIKE: BOTCH TAPE IS IN THE STEREO AND UR BRAKES JUST STOPPED WORKING, METALCORE / LISTEN

I had never heard of this band before this album dropped, and I only checked it out because their name sounded weird as hell to me. I thought we left name-names like Billy Talent in the dust years ago. What I wasn't prepared for was the scourge of angry-fun math infused metalcore behind it's surreal cover art. One thing that made this album stand out to me was the pure variety of sounds and influences available. Everything from Botch worship, dreamy alt rock reminiscent of the softer cuts on Loathe's 2020 mammoth ILIIAITE, and Blood Brothers inspired "four on the floor" dance punk. This album portrays itself like a psych-ward colouring book, and the result is an album that never feels boring or out of touch.

6. Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear

SOUNDS LIKE: NEW AGE, EASY LISTENING, ALTERNATIVE METALCORE / LISTEN

Spiritbox have been a controversial band in the metal community, mainly criticized for their streamlined, "sterile" (not my words) take on pop infused metalcore. I for one love the fact that they are creating heavy music that is still accessible, smooth, and packs enough heart to caress the unwrinkled surface of my brain. This EP is extremely succinct, all killer no filler, and just a really great example of all the strong suits this band has to offer. Songs like Cellar Door and Angel Eyes are just heavy and intense, purely utilizing harsh vocals to convey the feeling of anxiety that comes with grappling your sense of self. Nothing has resonated with me this year more than Courtney screaming "I can't live in this world while I breathe in another one" right before the heaviest fucking breakdown. Too Close / Too Late, The Void, and Ultraviolet are all shimmering and beautiful alt-metal tracks with no harsh vocals present at all. Jaded sits firmly in between, open arms firmly grasping from all corners of Spiritbox's repertoire to create a perfect balance of screaming, frost bitten metallic riffs and a chorus so catchy it could rival some of the biggest pop R&B artists on the radio today.

5. Nothing,nowhere. - Void Eternal

SOUNDS LIKE: THE PICTURES IN YOUR HIGHSCHOOL LOCKER, NU METAL, METALCORE / LISTEN

Given the fact that this album features Pete Wentz, Shane Told, Buddy Nielsen, Underoath vocalists Spencer and Aaron, as well as some more contemporary artists such as Will Ramos, Connie Sgarbossa and Olli Appleyard, it confuses me to see how little it is talked about. I don't know if this album completely flew under the radar of post hardcore and metalcore fans, or if it was just written off as over produced studio nostalgia bait. Naysayers be damned as there are some seriously catchy, well written songs here. Even when the album ventures into Linkin Park nu-metal rap territory, Joe Mulherin is just such a talented vocalist and song writer that he always brings the songs back to earth with a bangin chorus or death defying breakdown.

4. Wednesday - Rat Saw God

SOUNDS LIKE: IF MBV WAS A COUNTRY BAND, TWANGY ALT ROCK / LISTEN

Kind of the oddball addition to this list, but god damn I love this album so much. Even though I come off as a metalcore fan first, a lot of my favourite artists are actually 90s indie rock bands of the slacker variety, and adjacent americana influenced singer songwriters. Wedneday checks all the boxes that I love about 90s alternative music. Rough around the edges but infectious with it's melody. Reminiscent of both the untuned honesty of David Berman and the super charged, off kilter charm of Swirlies.

3. Hail The Sun - Divine Inner Tension

SOUNDS LIKE: AN EDGIER, COOLER MARS VOLTA, PROGRESSIVE POST-HARDCORE / LISTEN

This was my most anticipated album of the year, and one that I made the unfortunate mistake of burning myself the fuck out on it's singles. I listened to Maladapted, Under the Floor, Chunker, and Mind Reader so many times in a row that when the full album was released, it just sounded WEIRD to me. Obviously I didn't let that get in the way of my enjoyment, but my brain had been wired to expect certain songs to be preceded by and followed by certain songs. Ya know what I mean. It threw me through a loop and it took a long time for the other songs to really click into place. Divine Inner Tension is one of Hail the Sun's strongest and most fun albums to date. These tracks are smart and witty, dazzling with it's technicality and playfulness. Math rock guitar harmonies, funky bass lines and spastic drum fills phase in and out of battle stances before breaking free into powerful choruses and descending back down their stairwell of madness. Vocalist Donovan Melero can be a bit of an acquired taste, but fans of The Mars Volta will feel right at home listening to the dramatic flair in the ceiling shattering range of his voice. Despite the fact that he can sometimes hold me back from recommending this band to people in my inner circle, I couldn't imagine a more perfect vocalist for the band. He knows how to command a room, and sometimes (if you close your eyes) the instruments feel like an extension of his voice, spreading from his open mouth like tendrils to do his bidding. Admittedly I still feel a stronger emotional connection to New Age Filth and Wake, but this band doesn't miss and I'm sure my emotional attachment to Divine Inner Tension will grow the more it marinates and the singles that I burnt myself on begin to simmer down into a stew on low boil.

2. Aviations - Luminara

SOUNDS LIKE: BEING EMBRACED BY THE SWEET WARMTH OF THE COSMOS, PROGRESSIVE ROCK, METAL / LISTEN

Beautiful melodies, progressive signatures, intricate harmonies, bright pianos and sweet, soaring vocals. This album engulfed me in it's gorgeous fiery glow and there was no looking back. Despite technically being a metal band, pure heaviness is merely a fork in the road on Aviations journey, a stormy mountain passage per se. In fact, I think one of the most impressive aspects of this band is their ability to utilize downtuned guitars and hard hitting polyrhythms in the softest way possible. Screams are sprinkled here and there on different tracks for emotional emphasis, but fourth track Legend is the only song on the album where the band goes all in on the heavy. They offer us a brief, deafening glimpse into their realm of madness before switching gears with La Jolla back into a band that sounds suspiciously like a modern church worship group, almost as if Legend was just an accidental slip of the mask that you were definitely not supposed to see. Watch your back. It doesn't matter which mask this band wears though, as everything they do is just beautiful and unique in it's ability to sound like a sunrise in motion. Adam Benjamin's vocals are just icing on top of an already sickingly sweet cake. His ability to dance between delicate falsetto and smooth, passionate wails makes me believe he has cherry blossoms and bleeding hearts in place of vocal chords. Luminara is a testament to what can be achieved when six technically proficient musicians come together with a central vision to create a a metal album that moves mountains with it's tenderness. The artistically explorative and emotionally impactful music they have laid down here make it an easy pick for second place.

1. Currents - The Death We Seek

SOUNDS LIKE: JUMPING IN THE BATH WITH A TOASTER OVEN, STICKING A FORK IN AN OUTLET, METALCORE / LISTEN

See below or click here for my full thoughts on the undisputed AOTY of 2023.

[aquariumdrunkard]

The Aquarium Drunkard Show: SIRIUS/XMU (7pm PDT, Channel 35)

Funky crudités. Via satellite, transmitting from northeast Los Angeles — the Aquarium Drunkard Show on SIRIUS/XMU, channel 35. 7pm California time, Wednesdays.

Intro ++ Larry Ellis – Funky Thing, Pt. 1 ++ Jake Wade & The Soul Searchers – Searching For Soul, Pt. 1 ++ Little Beaver – Funkadelic Sound ++ Chicago Gangsters – Why Did You Do it? ++ Wayne Carter & Organ Twisters – Wahoo, Wahoo, Wahoo ++ Carleen & The Groovers – The Thing ++ J.D.S. – Funky Party Time ++ Elmer & Brenda Parker – Got To Get Back To Louisiana ++ Apple & The Three Oranges – Curse Upon The World ++ Shelley Fisher – I’ll Leave You Girl ++ Michael Liggins & The Super Souls – Loaded Back ++ Detroit Sex Machines – Rap It Together ++ Soap – I Just Want To Celebrate ++ Bad Medicine – Trespasser ++ Odetta – Hit Or Miss ++ The Soul Lifters – Hot, Funky And Sweaty ++ Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham – Lover And A Friend ++ Essence – Fever (Instrumental) ++ Nina Simone – Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter ++ Eugene Blacknell – Gettin’ Down ++ The Mighty Imperials – Jody’s Walk ++ Mickey & The Soul Generation – Get Down Brother ++ Tony Owens – I Got Soul ++ Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm – Getting Nasty ++ Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – Do Your Thing ++ The Monterreys – Get Down ++ Nina Simone – Be My Husband (Live, 1987) ++ Terry Callier – You Goin’ Miss Your Candyman ++ Whitefield Brothers – Rampage ++ Karl Hector & The Malcouns – Mystical Brotherhood++ Merle Saunders & Jerry Garcia – Keepers ++ Joel Vandroogenbroeck – Rocks ++ Howard Wales – Karnaval ++ Funkadelic – Biological Speculation | art formless forming

[jjs-brainrot]

Alright, we've finally gotten the full Girls Band Cry Episode Title Mixtape!

Tōkyō Wasshoi (Tokyo Hype) by Kenji Endo (1989)

3-Biki no Yakō-Sei no Ikimono (3 Night Owls) by Yura Yura Teikoku (2003)

Zukkoke Mondō (Stumbling Conversation) by Eastern Youth (2001)

Kansha（Odoroki) (Gratitude (Surprise!) by Fishmans (1994)

Utagoe Yō Kore (Raise Your Voice) by Sambomaster (2005)

Haguremono Sanka (A Tribute to the Outcasts) by FLOWER COMPANYZ (2007)

Namae wo Tsukete Yaru (Giving It a Name) by Spitz (1991)

Moshimo Kimi ga Naku Naraba (If You Were to Cry) by Gingnangboyz (2005)

Kaketa Tsuki ga Deteita (The Crescent Moon Rises) by The Groovers (1997)

Wandervogel by Quruli (2000)

Sekai no Mannaka (In the Middle of the World) by The Blue Hearts (1989)

Sora ga Mata Kuraku Naru (The Skies Darken Once More) by RC Succession (1990)

Rokku n Rōru wa Nariyamanai (Rock 'n' Roll Never Ends) by Shinsei Kamattechan (2010)

Bonus tracks (songs that got referenced somewhere in the episodes)

Sekainoowari (The End of the World) by THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT (1996) (found by @mahoushoujotechsupport here)

Genuinely a pretty fire mixtape of classic 90s/2000s J-Rock. I highly recommend giving all of these bands a listen alongside togetoge's songs. Yura Yura Teikoku is quickly rising as one of my favorite bands and I've been thinking about that Gingnagboyz song nonstop for the last few weeks...

[burlveneer-music]

Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band - Sonbonbela

Sublime Frequencies is honored to release the third LP from Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band. Sonbonbela was recorded in the beginning of 2022 in the Republic of Burkina Faso. The group continue to hone their trademark fusion of Mandingue and afro-beat styles. The Mandingo Band are a hit machine, sculpting seven new tracks of near Beefheart/Magic Band dynamics, Fela inspired groovers dusted out in the Sahel zone, rather than the humidity and sweat of Lagos, creating one of the most original and propulsive musical statements to come from the contemporary West African cultural juggernaut. As with previous releases, the band features the legendary guitar pyrotechnics of Issouf Diabate, truly one of the greatest West African (or Earth for that matter) guitarists of the last forty years. The band is completed by a near bottomless barrel of artistry from the Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso musical talent pool. On bass guitar, Wendeyida Ouedraogo, on drums Abbas Kabore, and on percussion and balafon, Nickie Dembele. Leading the charge again is the captain himself, Mamdou Sanou on the Doso Ngoni featuring one of the most distinctive voices of the modern era. The opposite of the banal trends of auto-tune that have pervaded most of West African popular music, Baba’s voice still impresses with its gravel and grit, showcasing a range that is ancient and defiant in equal measure. This LP is a non-stop hit parade of afro-beat bangers destined to light dance floors and living rooms ablaze!!! This album is dedicated to the memory of Massimbo Taragna, the bass player extraordinaire who was an integral part of the Mandingo Band’s trance stun musical power who passed away in early 2022. Auteur compositeur BABA COMMANDANT (Mamadou SANOU) Co-composition Issouf Diabaté Sauf Sere Jugu de Victor DEME Guitar: Issouf DIABATE, Simon CHENET sur "sonbanbela" Bass : Wendeya Jessie Josias OUEDRAOGO Drums, Choeurs : Cheick Abbas KABORE Percussion, Balafon : Nickie DEMBELE

[cartermagazine]

Today We Honor Lee Morgen

Lee Morgan was one of hard bop’s greatest trumpeters, and indeed one of the finest players of the ‘60s. An all-around master of his instrument modeled after Clifford Brown, Morgan boasted an effortless, virtuosic technique and a full, supple, muscular tone that was just as powerful in the high register.

His playing was always emotionally charged, regardless of the specific mood: cocky and exuberant on uptempo groovers, blistering on bop-oriented technical showcases, sweet and sensitive on ballads.

In his early days as a teen prodigy, Morgan was a busy soloist with a taste for long, graceful lines, and honed his personal style while serving an apprenticeship in both Dizzy Gillespie’s big band and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

Due to the crossover success of “The Sidewinder” in a rapidly changing pop music market, Blue Note encouraged its other artists to emulate the tune’s “boogaloo” beat. Morgan himself repeated the formula several times with compositions such as “Cornbread” (from the eponymous album Cornbread) and “Yes I Can, No You Can’t” on The Gigolo.

CARTER™️ Magazine carter-mag.com #wherehistoryandhiphopmeet #historyandhiphop365 #cartermagazine #carter #leemorgan #jazz #blackhistorymonth #blackhistory #staywoke

[doomedandstoned]

MARGARITA WITCH CULT Summon Chills with “The Witchfinder Comes”

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Bursting on the scene from Birmingham, England, we welcome to the pages of Doomed & Stoned MARGARITA WITCH CULT. Today the doom rock trio are sharing a new single and music video from their upcoming self-titled debut.

"The Witchfinder Comes" is a menacing number that likely alludes to the Puritan zealots Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne, who hung hundreds of suspected witches during the English Civil War. The song's chorus is as irresistible as its rollicking, Sabbath-style riff-making (and a bit chilling): "Oh son, what you done wrong? All I know is you'd better be gone. Oh son, you'd better run, run. Don't be around when The Witchfinder comes."

In the band's own words, the track is "a macabre tale of an impending witch hunt, climaxing with the subject running in fear over the spiraling coda. The slab of bludgeoning '70s style proto-metal is a stadium sized version of the song which first appeared on the band’s demo cassette that brought the Margarita Witch Cult to the public eye in 2022.”

Margarita Witch Cult is a vibrant, rollicking old-school doomer from edge to center. On April 21st, Heavy Psych Sounds will issue the album in a stunning array of media (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Black Sabbath, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Warlung, Orchid, and Bang.

Give ear...

WATCH & LISTEN: Margarita Witch Cult - "The Witchfinder Comes"

SOME BUZZ

Born from the murky industrial depths of Birmingham, UK, Margarita Witch Cult’s self-titled debut studio album is a tour-de-force in classic metal, hard rock, doom, and mind-melting psych.

A thunderous drum fill propels you into opener "Diabolical Influence" -- a lurching behemoth of a tune that makes easy bedfellows of crushing stoner riffs, Latin incantations, and a simply humongous chorus. The pace quickens with the frantic "Death Lurks at Every Turn" -- a hair-raising thrasher of breakneck snare rolls and unruly guitar solos. "The Witchfinder Comes" only furthers the sense of foreboding, as tales of torture and pleas for exile fall on the ever-deafening ears of the listener. "Be My Witch" comes in hot and heavy as a grungy ode to the forbidden, and the blistering "Annihilation" concludes side A with speed-freak ferocity.

The more adventurous and immersive side B is kick-started with "Theme From Cyclops" –- the deft chops of all three members being undeniable as we gallop into the ambitious, face-melting journey that is "Lord Of The Flies" -- a belting doom groover that culminates in a classic guitar & bass dual to rival even the most virtuosic of axe-wielders. As we near the end of our perilous sonic expedition, "Aradia" serves up an instrumental serving of pure downtuned filth, with sleazy swagger and tasteful shredding that give extra provenance to its author's deep bag of tricks.

MARGARITA WITCH CULT - Margarita Witch Cult by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

The killer blow comes in the shape of the simply savage "Sacrifice" -- an unholy exhibition of undeniable force. The duality of the track makes for an experience that leaves our sweet listener reeling- the bludgeoning weight of its monstrous main-riff giving way to razor-sharp verses and a tripped-out, mind-bending psych jam- only to come crashing back to crushing reality as the final, fatal notes ring out.

With their debut LP, Margarita Witch Cult have crafted a timeless, merciless beast; one that will chew you up and spit you out, yet somehow keep you crawling back for more. The Sabbath City power trio is serving a heavy handed measure of '80s thrash precision mutated with '90s stoner groove. Infatuated with themes of the occult and proto-metal aesthetics, Margarita Witch Cult tell tales of the village witchfinder, omniscient death, archaic blood rituals.

Follow The Band

Get Their Music