Content Breakdown
The first #NewMusicFriday of the month has plenty of potential with a handful of notable releases. For starters, alt-rockers The Smashing Pumpkins have quickly followed up last year’s three-act ‘Atum’ album with ‘Aghori Mhori Mei’. It’s been described by frontman Billy Corgan as a “rock and roll guitar record”.
Today other noteworthy names include the return of blues rocker Jack White, along with music from DIY punk outfit Millie Manders and the Shutup, and Aussie surf-punk trio Dune Rats. It also sees the release of ‘Vega’ by Anberlin which combines their ‘Silverline’ and ‘Convinced’ EPs with new material featuring Memphis May Fire‘s Matty Mullins. Rising Chicago band, Footballhead make a swift return with ‘Before I Die’. You can read my thoughts on this below. While earlier this week, Counterparts surprised fans with ‘Live In Toronto’.
Elsewhere, Swedish emo outfit I Love Your Lifestyle take us on a trip to ‘Summerland’. Epic hard rockers Black Smoke Trigger launch their debut album, ‘Horizons’. While Blind Guardian and A Light Within revisit past releases with ‘Somewhere Far Beyond’ and ‘re:preface’ respectively. Philly punks Poison Ruīn return with the ‘Confrere’ EP. Meanwhile, metalcore newcomers Lost to Light from Derby release their debut EP – ‘Conceal’.
Footballhead – Before I Die
However, one release I want to shed some light on is ‘Before I Die’ by Footballhead. The Chicago-based group only reissued their debut full-length, ‘Overthinking Everything’, this past spring, giving it a wider release via Tiny Engines. Yet they’ve quickly followed it up with a mini-album of seven new songs.
It maintains the 90’s emo/alt-rock hooks of its predecessor yet it’s given ruminative rose-tinted glasses on this outing. Tracks such as ‘Stupefied’ and ‘Before I Die’ subtly thrive on nostalgic tones with deeply reflective lyricism.
Throughout frontman Ryan Nolen is pensive. On the opener, ‘My Direction’, he provides a sense of uncertainty, looking for a purpose. Musically, it leans into Footballhead‘s punk side, utilising a booming hook effectively. ‘All For What’s repetitive lines of “Can you hear me now?/Why so weary now?” and hypnotic guitar are interrupted by an ‘Around the Fur’ era Deftones-eque blast. ‘In Motion’ dwells in sharp grungy guitars as Nolen’s contemplative tone is maintained with lines such as “I’m all lost within in its meaning”.
As a collective, Footballhead has once again delivered a set of songs with plenty of longevity. Stylistically, they toe the line between the past and the present, weaving in elements of 90’s alt-rock and 2000’s emo lyrics amongst favourable melodies, driving guitars, and impactful drums. For example, ‘Crushing Me’ is tonally reminiscent of Rival Schools’ classic ‘Used For Glue’.
When it comes to discussing the best new bands to appear on my radar over the past 12 months, Footballhead are one of the first names that spring to mind. Both ‘Before I Die’ and ‘Overthinking Everything’ deliver with plenty of replay value. While this outing sees Nolen and company border on an existential crisis, they should be more than satisfied with the music they’re producing.
What is out on #NewMusicFriday?
The Smashing Pumpkins – Aghori Mhori Mei
Counterparts – Live In Toronto
Anberlin – Vega
Dune Rats – If It Sucks, Turn It Up
Footballhead – Before I Die
Jack White – No Name
Orville Peck – Stampede
Millie Manders and The Shutup – Wake Up, Shut Up, Work
Brontide – Artery (10th anniversary Re-issue – vinyl only)
Blind Guardian – Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited
Poison Ruīn – Confrere
I Love Your Lifestyle – Summerland
Black Smoke Trigger – Horizons
Lost to Light – Conceal
A Light Within – re:preface
Convictions – The Fear Of God
Bad/Love – Mono No Aware
Layers In Lairs – Layers In Lairs
Marigold – Fade Away
Mister Misery – Mister Misery
Sonagi – Everything Is Longing
Tyraels Ascension – Hell Walker
Uncertainty – Creation Of A New Normal
Barbarian Hermit – Mean Sugar
Savings – How Do You Feel?
Her Leather Jacket – The House That Chaos Built
Capital Theatre – Major Arcana
Los Lonely Boys – Resurrection
Blue Pills – Birthday
If you think I’ve missed something or have a new album/EP/song to tell us about, tell us about it here.
If you’re looking for the latest tracks focusing on rock, punk, hardcore, metal, emo, and everything in between, then check out our ‘Newish Music’ playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.
