Better late than never! The days are long but the years are short, and thus it’s getting a bit harder for us to get these out on time. Time is flying by, but we’re thankful for all the great new tunes we have to get to decorate our time with. Here’s some of the best from quarter three of this year!
Australia Stops by C.O.F.F.I.N.
Imagine if you will a modern day AC/DC or Rolling Stones cut with enough speed and hardcore to level an entire city center. C.O.F.F.I.N are indeed that band, I don’t know what’s in the water over there in Australia but it appears to be a strong mixture of meth and gasoline. Australia Stops is easily one of my favorite rock n’ roll albums of the year as it pulls no punches and takes no prisoners. – Apache Slomo
https://music.apple.com/us/album/australia-stops/1690870846
I Inside The Old Year Dying by PJ Harvey
At this point it’s well known that PJ Harvey is one of the greatest and most polarizing songwriters, vocalists, and performers of her time, so it comes as no surprise to absolutely anyone that her return in this year 2023 is just as stellar and stands just as tall as everything else she’s ever done. She’s a wistful siren leading us to the most beautiful shipwreck and I feel lucky to be alive in the time that she has been creating music. – MCG
https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-inside-the-old-year-dying/1677578451
Brand New Soul by Angel Du$t
Dubbed as a hardcore Lemonheads, damn that just sounds like a band I would absolutely adore, what that really translates to is that Angel Du$t are catchy as fuck. They first caught my attention with Rock the Fuck On Forever in 2016 and the Faith No More referencing band name obviously. Since then, main man Justice Tripp has switched gears showing he knows his way around sugary hooks and heart on sleeve lyrics. On Brand New Soul which is the perfect amalgam of Rock the Fuck On and Pretty Buff, melting those hooks with muscle like only Angel Du$t can do. There is a big part of me that hopes there are groups of kids in high school who are skipping class and driving fast to this bad boy! – Apache Slomo
https://music.apple.com/us/album/brand-new-soul/1692592601
Agriculture by Agriculture
An incredible album by a band with an incredible amount of potential and promise. With their self-titled debut, Agriculture painted a journey that soars high and far. The feeling of catharsis that comes with so much black metal music is as strong here for me as it is anywhere else. This thing will have you screaming through tears of alleviating pain. Close your eyes and let it wash over you. – MCG
https://music.apple.com/us/album/agriculture/1680497006
Endling by Kvelertak
The Norwegian Vikings have returned to absolutely devastate your soul! Kvelertak were robbed of touring on their last, also great record Splid and now a mere 3 years later they bring forth the very fiery Endling. Personally, I don’t know how this band is not huge at this point as they bring riffs, passion and just fucking blood pumping songs that are catchy as fuck. Best comparison I could probably offer is imagine if Turbonegro and High On Fire had a baby born of hellfire and you’re just about there. – Apache Slomo
https://music.apple.com/us/album/endling/1678871869
everything is alive by Slowdive
For a band that has been apart of such cornerstone moments in music to continually push the envelope like Slowdive has and does really blows my mind. I just cannot fathom how a collective group of artists can make perfect album after perfect album, and have them all sound different but also somehow the same. Behold – greatness. – MCG
https://music.apple.com/us/album/everything-is-alive/1688456129
Low Desert Surf Club by Fire Down Below
What an absolute monster of a record and this thing came out of nowhere for me. I was aware of Fire Down Below, they were in my orbit but I was not ready for the onslaught of stoner fuzz that they would come with on Low Desert Surf Club. Take some dirty ass Kyuss/QOTSA melt it down with the classic Fu Manchu low end rumble and top it off with that fat fucking Dozer crunch and you have a good idea what Fire Down Below have conjured up. It’s like putting together the perfect desert rock muscle car only to drive it at full speed off a cliff and oh yeah, the album opens up with a total riff banger called Cocaine Hippo! – Apache Slomo
https://music.apple.com/us/album/low-desert-surf-club/1694704840
Perennial by Woods
The fact that one of my favorite indie bands released an album with instrumental tracks scattered throughout as tone setters, pacemakers, glue, etc. the same year I released an album of my own in the same fashion makes it clear to me that the universe is smiling down upon me. Woods have never missed and they will continue to never miss forever so don’t even think about trying to catch them missing at all. – MCG
https://music.apple.com/us/album/perennial/1687512075
Stone by Baroness
What else can we say about such an amazing band that has not been said before, Baroness are basically prog metal’s torchbearers at this point and with Stone they appear to be really basking in the acclaim and getting more creative and confident with each release. On Stone, they bring it all; the bangers, the prog shit, the folk intro then light it up approach and then some of the best melodies I’ve heard them bring to the table since Blue. The addition of Gina Gleason continues to allow the band to move in different directions and there is no question that this current lineup seems to be the most
fruitful. I’ve had the pleasure of catching these behemoths live a few times and must say that’s where this band really shines, so if you haven’t had the pleasure definitely get on that. – Apache Slomo
https://music.apple.com/us/album/stone-deluxe/1710244222
Laugh Track by The National
I had about 3-5 other metal albums I was thinking of putting in my last spot here, but I chose this because I felt like it has a lot that should be said about it. The first album The National released this year was by far and away my least favorite of theirs to the point that I was trying to come to terms with it perhaps being time to put one of the most important bands for me in the past 15 years out to pasture. Laugh Track halted that line of thinking for two main reasons; 1) the drums are back. The drums have always been an absolute essential part of their gravity to me and to hear Mr. Devendorf back doing his thing instantly pumped life and hope into this release. 2) the melodies, the cutting, slashing, soul crushing melodies are also back. Not as much meandering, not as much off beat picture painting in shallow water like the last two albums. For everyone who has heard the man sing in the past and felt it, this album has plenty for you to get your melancholy on with. I won’t go as far as to say this is them in their prime, but if you are a fan of their big five albums, you’re doing yourself a great disservice by letting this one slip by unheard. – MCG
https://music.apple.com/us/album/laugh-track/1704171991
**HONORABLE MENTIONS**:
Blackbraid II by Blackbraid
Bound by Naked Skies by Lathe of Heaven
Anches En Maat by Grails
Sonic Moons by Domkraft
Diharmonium – Nahab by Blut Aus Nord
Hellmode by Jeff Rosenstock
No Joy by Spanish Love Songs
Fiddleheads by Fiddlehead
Yes, and… by ’68
Sons of Froglord by Froglord
Find Out by Filth Is Eternal
Of Days Renewed… by Magnitude
The Circle of Fifths 