It has been one of those days when nothing works right. Not my fingers; not my brain; not my laptop; not the Internet. So screw it; I give up. But somehow, despite all the roadblocks and setbacks and dumbassery, I have still managed to put together this list of worthwhile music. Here are your plays of the week:
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis
Deface The Currency
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Messthetics And James Brandon Lewis deliver their second collaborative album Deface The Currency — an LP that preserves the tightness and variety of their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, but reveals new levels of confidence and risk over seven tracks. Deface The Currency — a statement of vigor, sensitivity and spontaneity — is a result of the band playing 150 shows together in one year. For the uninitiated, The Messthetics were formed in D.C., drawn together by mutual admiration: Anthony Pirog had grown up listening to Fugazi, the era-defining post-hardcore band anchored by the rhythm section of now-bandmates Joe Lally and Brendan Canty, while the bassist and drummer heard the genre-spanning guitar visionary play around town and took note of his unusually inclusive aesthetic. Pirog had played and bonded with the brilliant saxophonist Lewis before The Messthetics formed, and in 2019, he invited the saxophonist — whose massive, soulful sound has made him a star of the contemporary jazz scene — to sit in with the group live. The collaboration blossomed and eventually led to the quartet’s self-titled 2024 LP.”
Mod Lang
Borrowed Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Motor City’s fabbest new foursome have finally squeezed a year and a half of late-night drives, in-person blow-outs, busted A/Cs, and grass roots-fueled rock ’n’ roll onto a new slab of wax that will really turn your head. After dominating the Midwest circuit with nothing but word-of-mouth, a couple of demos, and harmonies bright enough to make mods and rockers make peace, Mod Lang deliver a debut LP that proves they weren’t another hype band that some old geezer told you about. Tracked mostly live and bounced down to reel-to-reel, Borrowed Time is a direct and concise attempt at a pure pop album. Across the 10 tracks, you’ll hear messages about hopeless romanticism, disillusionment of everyday life, urban alienation, and rock ‘n’ roll mythology. Simple, direct, and unpretentious. Better than TV.”
Michael Monroe
Outerstellar
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Monroe’s upcoming album Outerstellar promises to be a spectacular experience that goes far beyond just a collection of great songs. It is described as a sweet smelling, leathery, glitter shimmered, sweat soaked mix of raunch and punch, delivered through one of the best voices in rock and roll. The harmonies and vibes roll effortlessly, bringing to mind lounging in leather pants and silk scarves with a confident, carefree attitude that embodies the pure joy of playing real rock ’n’ roll. Michael simply says, “I am who I am, and I’m not going to edit myself for your benefit.” This record promises an instant, exhilarating escape from worries and fears, with everything from loud crashing guitars and harmonicas to gorgeous acoustic moments that will make you sing, dance, shiver, and shake.”
MX Lonely
All Monsters
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In MX Lonely’s world, monsters are multifaceted things. They’re the creatures we used to imagine lurking in the shadows as children; the all-too-real evildoers who abuse their power or line their pockets with suffering; the vices and flaws that we grapple with throughout our lives, and what we can become while under their grip. Even the band’s name comes from synthesist/vocalist Rae Haas’ nickname for a shadowy figure that would haunt them during sleep paralysis. On their debut album All Monsters, the Brooklyn band search dark corners, force open doors and exhume these monsters, via a heavy, murky alt-rock sound that’s equally streaked with beauty. “Most of the lyrics center around shadow work; internal and external monsters,” Haas says. “I think a lot about the neurodivergencies and the mental illnesses that make you feel like you’re a bad person at times. All Monsters is about, instead of killing yourself, killing your monsters. Destroying each and every one of these ideas about yourself by bringing it to light.”
The Overjoyed
The Overjoyed
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Blending a Bay Area punk aesthetic with an anthemic pop sensibility, Greek punks The Overjoyed channel melody through grit, capturing the restless energy of disenfranchised European youth with a sound that is as confrontational as it is infectious. This self-titled, self-produced album marks a clear evolution in the band’s sound. Moving away from the cleaner, ’90s-punk influence of Aced Out, the record leans into dirtier, mid-tempo power-pop territory, with heavier use of reverb, rawer vocals, fast drumbeats, and a more pronounced rock ’n’ roll edge. This is also the most collaborative release in the band’s history, with all members contributing equally to songwriting and arrangements. The album features Vangelis Dimos on drums, Thanos Manolopoulos on bass and backing vocals, Stef Moysidis on guitars and backing vocals and Leo Overjoyed on vocals and guitars.”
Peaches
No Lube So Rude
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A brash, unapologetic blend of electronic, dance, punk, industrial, and pop music, No Lube So Rude exists at the intersection of the personal and the political, where the body serves not only as a sexual and spiritual vessel, but also as the front line in a battle for basic human rights. Peaches’ lyrics are bawdy and explicit here, laced with biting sarcasm and clever wordplay, but they’re also surprisingly vulnerable, offering up a candid look in the mirror from a post-menopausal queer icon reckoning with a society that’s come to expect silence, if not outright erasure. The result is a deliberately provocative exploration of identity, sexuality, and bodily autonomy from a trailblazer, a singular work of emotional and sonic alchemy that balances the poetic and the profane in equal measure as it transforms all the friction and frustration of modern life into joy and transcendence.”
Elvis Presley
EPIC: Elvis Presley In Concert Soundtrack
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert is a collection of 27 recordings heard in the upcoming film, featuring updated mixes of iconic live performances alongside new remixes and medleys of classic Elvis recordings. While making his 2022 film Elvis, Luhrmann and his team uncovered a treasure trove of long-hidden film negatives and footage in the Warner Brothers vaults, originally captured for the documentary films Elvis: The Way It Is (chronicling his August 1970 residency in Las Vegas) and Elvis On Tour (shot throughout his 1972 concerts across the U.S.), as well as never-before-seen 8mm footage and never before heard audio of Elvis speaking about his life. Luhrmann and his team spent years restoring this material, collaborating with Academy Award nominee Jonathan Redmond, Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production as well as many others. What was revealed apart from Presley’s iconic, one of a kind performance energy was the man behind the myth “totally at ease on stage, able to feel the true love of his fans and communicate himself with an intimacy and humanity, unlike any other artist,” as Luhrmann describes. Coupled with remixes and medleys that blend, reimagine and interpret Presley in bold new directions, the resulting film and soundtrack are a testament to Elvis’ 1970s performances.”
Snake Eyes
Cash Rich
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brighton gritpop duo Snake Eyes’ debut album Cash Rich was self-produced by bandmembers Jim Heffy and Thomas Coe-Brooker, mixed by Tom Hill (Soot Sprite) and mastered by Dan Coutant (Wonder Years, Fiddlehead, Drug Church). “We saw our debut album as an opportunity to step in directions we’ve not stepped before,” they say. “There’s a comical self-reflection on the past and the present, but eco-anxiety and the future of our planet are lyrically at the centre of the record. It marries tongue-in-cheek observation with feelings of helplessness and existentialism, juxtaposed with a couple scoops of hopefulness and a sprinkle of self-belief. In short, Cash Rich is a collection of doomsday foot-tappers for the fellow tree hugger.”
Suplecs
Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New Orleans stoner-rock vets Suplecs return with their first studio album in over a decade, Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky. The album’s genesis took place in a hallowed rehearsal space; the same warehouse that incubated the foundational New Orleans sludge of Crowbar or Graveyard Rodeo and echoed with the grooves of The Meters. Drawing inspiration from this legacy, Suplecs started crafting new material before being forced out by complaints of noise — an ironic fate for a room once dedicated to forging the city’s sound. They proceeded to track the album at High Tower Studios with esteemed engineer James Whitten (High On Fire, Thou), resulting in a mature, sonically diverse and emotionally charged collection. Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky is a gut-wrenching ride through the New Orleans trio’s world. It ranges from relentless, Maiden-meets-Sabbath rock to haunting, brass-backed NOLA jazz funeral dirges. The album fearlessly tackles themes of death, divorce, suicide and addiction. It weaves in diverse influences, from Black Flag swagger to prog-jazz intricacy.”
Toys That Kill
Triple Sabotage
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “San Pedro punk legends Toys That Kill are officially returning with Triple Sabotage, their first full-length album in 10 years. Born from the ashes of the seminal hardcore outfit F.Y.P., the band — featuring Todd Congelliere, Sean Cole, Chachi Ferrara and Jimmy Felix — continue to master the “TTK thump,” a heavy, heart-stopping rhythm that grounds their signature blend of melodic pop-punk. The 12-track collection includes two-minute “boppers” that prove the quartet haven’t lost the raw energy or pitch-dark humor that defined their previous efforts like Sentimental Ward. Drawing from a rich lineage of influences ranging from The Replacements to The Buzzcocks, Triple Sabotage finds the band deconstructing rock ’n’ roll pretension into its simplest, most vital elements: energy, guitar, and heart.”
Young Charlatans
1978
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This legendary Melbourne post-punk band who only existed for a number of months in 1978, but cast an important light in Australian (and global!) music, with the group’s membership and its diaspora reading like a who’s-who of crucial Australian music of the past 50 years. In the band was a young Rowland S. Howard, who would soon go on to join the BND / Birthday Party; Ollie Olsen (Whirlywirld, No, Max Q, Dogs In Space soundtrack and so much more); Janine Hall (The Saints, Weddings, Parties, Anything) and Jeffrey Wegener (drummer extraordinaire for Laughing Clowns and The Saints, among others). The Young Charlatans left behind one studio demo and a live recording. With help from band manager Bruce Milne, this LP combines those two recordings, mixing the best of the both to document 45 minutes of inspired music as young players were still grappling with the fallout of punk rock, and wishing to push the music further into more experimental and adventurous directions.”