#NewMusicFriday: October 18th 2024

Another hectic #NewMusicFriday sees 30 releases being playlisted. Amongst them are new albums from High Vis and Skegss. Both are covered in detail below along with the celebratory ‘American Football’ covers album to mark its 25th anniversary.

Today also sees the release of the final album from Japandroids. ‘Fate & Alcohol’ sees the Canadian duo depart after seven years. Whereas Pinhead Gunpowder is returning with their first album in over twenty years. It sees Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, along with longtime touring guitarist Jason White, team up with founding members Aaron Cometbus (drums) and Bill Schneider (bass) to flex their Bay Area punk muscles on ‘Unt’.

The Armed complements last year’s ‘Perfect Saviors’ full-length with ‘Everlasting Gaze’. The six-track EP sees three new tracks (unless you saw the URL on the album’s sleeve spine) with three remixes coming from IDLES, Water From Your Eyes, and Model/Actriz. The ever-productive nothing,nowhere delivers his third album of the year with ‘miserymaker’. It sees Joseph Mulherin lean into his hard emo rock influences in a brisk 18 minutes. Grunge and hard rock enthusiasts are sure to be delighted with ‘I Want Blood’, the fourth full-length album from Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell. While Justin Vernon, better known as Bon Iver, returns to his indie folk origins with the short ‘Sable’ EP.

When it comes to today’s reissues and extended editions, the original ‘American Football’ record is given the remastered touch. HEALTH dropped the ‘Ultra Edition’ of last year’s ‘RAT WARS’ album yesterday, and Cloud Nothings have added some live tracks and remixes to mark the 10th anniversary of ‘Here and Nowhere Else’.

On the heavier side of things, you can hear new records from extreme metallers Escuela Grind, Swedish trio Grand Magus, melodic death metal band Swallow The Sun, and emerging deathcore mob Veiled.

High Vis – Guided Tour

In some circles, High Vis are classed as a hardcore band. However, throughout two albums, they’ve honed in on a sound that carries itself with a punk ethos, partly due to their socio-political commentary and partly their refusal to be pinned down. Album number three, ‘Guided Tour’, solidifies their sound, merging together elements of post-punk, Britpop, and shoegaze with the occasional glistening “Madchester” groove.

‘Guided Tour’s opening title track shimmers with jangly guitars as a neo-psychedelic swirl wraps around. While Graham Sayle’s North Western vocals offer a hint of optimism. It’s a breezy, blissful beginning that doesn’t quite give the album the kickstart it needs. Thankfully, ‘Drop Me Out’ soon arrives with a wall of feedback and distortion, injecting their punk spirit alongside some favourable revving Britpop guitar melodies. ‘Feeling Bless’ bottles that Britpop sound, pairing it with a simple but effective hook, serving as one of the album’s standout moments.

The use of washed-out guitars does, at times, become tiresome. For example, ‘Untethered’, drifts along with airy guitars and a sturdy bass line as Sayle barks through the melodic cloud produced by his bandmates. It’s countered by energetic moments such as ‘Fill The Gap’ and ‘Mob DLA’. The former drives forward with melancholy melody and Edward “Ski” Harper’s hardened, earthly drums. Whereas ‘Mob DLA’ brings Sayle’s angst to the forefront, taking at public service cuts and the mental health effects on the communities who suffer from them. He’s complemented by drawn-out, swirling, and grungy guitars.

‘Mind’s A Lie’ arrives as somewhat of a left turn with its house tempo, chopped vocal sample (from South London vocalist and DJ Ell Murphy) and ringing dream-pop guitars. It’s a jarring but interesting track, yet Graham’s shouts about class, isolation and loneliness, bring cohesiveness to the rest of ‘Guided Tour’.

‘Gone Forever’ provides one final diatribe as Sayle bites at those being  “villainised and despised” while living in a world of uncertainty. Ultimately aiming at those who live a privileged life, it’s aided by Jack Muncaster’s rumbling bass, and Martin Macnamara and Rob Hammaren’s mix of ethereal and sharp guitars.

Although ‘Guided Tour’ has a number of strong moments, it does lack a lasting impression. While undoubtedly Graham Sayle leads High Vis’ thought-provoking lyrical charge, he’s backed by a dynamic sound that perhaps too often looks to the past.

Skegss – Pacific Highway Music

A decade on from being formed by vocalist and guitarist Ben Reed, Skegss have carved out a reputation as a melodic luscious garage rock group. Alongside drummer Jonny Lani, Reed writes sunkissed, introspective songs and pairs them with slacker rock choruses. However, on their third album, ‘Pacific Highway Music’, his meditative songs are clouded in vulnerability (‘Spaceman’), and whimsical optimism straightforwardly delivered.

Skegss have never been ones to complicate things, at least musically. ‘Pacific Highway Music’ borders on the tried and tested garage rock, occasionally treading on the fine line of indie. ‘Tradewinds’ quickly sets the lyrical tone as Reed sings of one day of getting “out of his own way” against a fuzzy, rose-tinted musical backdrop. When paired up with ‘High Beaming’s carefree celebration of infectious positivity, it makes for a pleasing start.

As a storyteller, Reed prospers when optimistically ruminating. Whether that be on ‘I Think I Can Fly’ s youthful recollecting and jangly acoustics or the admittance of “It’s so hard to follow your dreams” on the Americana-soaked ‘Stuck In Cheyenne’. Likewise, ‘Brain On The Highway’ firmly sees Reed in an introspective mood. It threads together a thoughtful narrative that adds depth to Reed and Lani’s simple style. That’s not to say Skegss aren’t musically interesting. ‘Batten Down The Hatches’ contains a radiant chord progression, even if it is reminiscent of The Strokes. The same could be said for ‘Out Of My Head’ and its earworm drive. Whereas the penultimate track, ‘It Is’, hones in on the lyrical optimism through a soaring chorus of comfort.

If anything, they’re able to take you to coastal, sun-swept places through a mellow sound, with subtle diversions. Yet as ‘Kelly Heroes’ breezily drags itself across the finish line, you can’t help but feel that Skegss lack that impactful punch. Instead, they opt for a caring, self-reflecting tone that cruises along with ease, as ‘Pacific Highway Music‘ takes you on a serene, and at times psychological, journey.

Various – American Football (Covers)

Like many bands, American Football has gone in the anniversary route as their 1999 (first) self-titled album turns 25 years old. While “anniversary” releases have become a common trend, you can’t fault American Football for celebrating a record held in such high regard by indie, emo, and folk fans for a quarter of a century. Sure, there’s the usual remastered version of ‘American Football’, shined up with glistening results. Yet it’s complemented by what you could call a “tribute record”. ‘American Football (Covers)’ brings together nine acts that have, in some shape or form, been influenced by American Football‘s seminal debut album. While some tribute records simply aim to replicate the original material with little variation or regurgitate it in a completely disastrous new way,  ‘Covers’ allows its participants to mould its material with care, maintaining the comfortable essence of the original versions.

From the outset, Iron & Wine‘s plucky acoustics and harmonious vocals fit like a glove on ‘Never Meant’. It’s the first of several compelling contributions. For example, Welsh singer-songwriter Novo Amor and London-based multi-instrumentalist Lowswimmer come together for a rich and unravelling take of ‘Honesty?’. Its succulent instrumentation and Amor‘s vocal intimacy make for an alluring listen. Yvette Young, best known for her work with math rock Covet, combines her guitar virtuoso abilities with honeyed violin strings on ‘You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon’, serving as a layered interpretation.

Yet it’s Ethel Cain‘s take of ‘For Sure’ that is the album highlight. Stretched beyond the original version’s 3 minutes, Cain provides a tender and ethereal rendition that burns slowly, drawing you in with every swelling harmony and plucked guitar string. As it reaches the halfway point, it burrows itself in a blissful descent, clouded by a celestial shoegaze haze.

Manchester Orchestra are considerably the most familiar name here, especially in our circle. However, their take of ‘Stay Home’ doesn’t have the impact you’d hope for. Its steady build tinkers away with drifting guitars before Andy Hull’s distinctive vocals gently ride atop placid instrumentation. While Los Angeles-based indie singer-songwriter Blondshell harmoniously leans on American Football‘s version, momentarily releasing a wall of soaring guitars. Elsewhere, Mexican R&B artist GirlUltra puts a plucky, lo-fi atmospheric twist on ‘But the Regrets Are Killing Me’, before ‘I’ll See You When We’re Both Not So Emotional’  is transformed from a twiddly break-up song to a soulful tale of self-care by M.A.G.S. 

As I said earlier, the great trait of ‘Covers’ is each contributor’s ability to leave their stamp while hardly abandoning the emotional sentiment of its source material. However, John McEntire‘s concluding version of  ‘The One With the Wurlitzer’ could be the exception, utilising 4/4 electronic beats and krautrock synths.

What is out on #NewMusicFriday?

High Vis – Guided Tour
Pinhead Gunpowder – Unt
Skegss – Pacific Highway Music
Japandroids – Fate & Alcohol
American Football – American Football (25th Anniversary)
Various – American Football (Covers)
Pvris – F.I.L.T.H.
The Armed – Everlasting Gaze EP
Health – Rat Wars Ultra Edition
nothing,nowhere. – miserymaker
Jerry Cantrell – I Want Blood
Pure Noise Records – Dead Formats: Vol. 3
Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else (10th Anniversary Reissue)
Bon Iver – SABLE
Escuela Grind – Dreams on Algorithms
Grand Magus – Sunraven
Karate – Make It Fit
Swallow The Sun – Shining
Tungsten – The Grand Inferno
Starcrazy – Starcrazy
Deserts of Mars – Dead Planet Exodus
Nicolas Michaux – Vitalisme
Dawnwalker – The Unknowing
Prime Directive – The Fallout
Veiled – SE/CT
The Lookout – I Know The Future
Dead Posey – Are You In A Cult?
Stray View – Displace/Erase
Arrow Valley – Embodiment
Harvestman – Triptych Part Three
Seeds Of Mary – LOVE

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.