THE INTERNET- HIVE MIND

 

 

 

Second album by talented R&B/Soul outfit featuring lead vocalist and solo act, Syd, which offers are rock solid array of songs that vary from upbeat pop to slinky funk to sultry slow jams.  There are no obvious standout tracks here but no filler either and “Hive Mind” gets better with each listen.

 

 

 

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TOMBERLIN- AT WEDDINGS

 

 

 

 

 

Debut album from Kentucky-based singer songwriter Sarah Beth Tomberlin.  Raised in a suffocatingly strict southern Baptist home, Tomberlin grapples with the loss of her religious faith and “At Weddings” celebrates the beauty of every day mundanity resulting in intimate music which is devastatingly beautiful and heart wrenching.  Key tracks are “Any Other Way” and “I’m Not Scared”.

 

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HIGH ON FIRE- ELECTRIC MESSIAH

 

Though I have heard of “High On Fire” for years, “Electric Messiah” is the first time I actually got around to listening to them and boy had I been missing out.  Though I hear “Electric Messiah” is just another very good album in a long career marked by consistent output, to me this is new and therefore comes highly recommended.  High On Fire combine early thrash with proggy doom metal, taking from early Metallica, Sabbath and especially Motorhead.  “Electric Messiah” is a great listen all the way through with the Lemmy-saluting title track being my highlight.  If any of the aforementioned bands is your bag, you need to check these guys out.  Cool album cover, too!

 

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FUCKED UP- DOSE YOUR DREAMS

 

 

Surprisingly great double album and while only the band’s fifth full-length release, they are almost fifteen years into their recording career and had been left for dead by many.  “Dose Your Dreams” is the Canadian hardcore band’s most diverse and one of their best album’s yet.  Though its 82 minute running time is a ton to swallow in one sitting, it doesn’t really drag much until the last twenty minutes or so and even there they deliver one of the best tracks on the album “Came Down Wrong”, with J. Mascis on vocals.  Lead screamer Damian Abraham only appears as the vocalist on about 2/3’s of the tracks, deferring to guest singers on the remainder. That along with new musical elements alluding to dub, disco, prog, hair metal & alternative rock make “Dose Your Dreams” Fucked Up’s most varied album.

 

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ROBYN- HONEY

 

 

First album in eight years, the the beloved Swedish alternative pop chanteuse is a very welcome return and one of the better albums of the year.  No one does downbeat dance pop like Robyn, combining groove with heartfelt lyrics.  In the last eight years Robyn dealt with a breakup of her longtime boyfriend (they have since gotten back together) as well as the death of her longtime producer and friend Christian Falk and “Honey” reflects that.  “Honey” works as a whole, there are no weak tracks but especially the title track, “Missing U”, “Ever Again” and “Between The Lines” should go down as instant Robyn classics in her incredible discography.

 

 

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