“I'm bitter. I'm twisted/James Joyce is fucking my sister/How can I remember 1690? I was born in 1965.” -Therapy?
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| Horns up |
New Horizons
Uniform – American Standard
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Cigarettes After Sex – X’s
Now on their third record, the Texan dream pop/shoegazers continue to tap into Gen Z’s fascination with ethereal, chilled out music on their new record. With lines such as “Saw you on the side of the road / I could see you were walking slow, drinking a Slurpee / In a peach baseball cap, falling in my lap / You were so thirsty”, it’s clear that main man Greg Gonzalez enjoys breaking the stereotype of such music being sexless. One that will be much better appreciated when the autumn rolls in.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
ShitNoise – I Cocked My Gun and Shot My Best Friend
Described in the press release as a record with “…themes of confronting the harsh realities of society and the lasting psychological impact of traumatic events…” through “…gritty soundscapes and stream-of-consciousness lyrics…” this trio from Monte Carlo (seriously) make noise rock that is unrepentant about its scuzziness, but still manages to throw in riffs that would make late period Sonic Youth fans cream themselves (‘Gum Opera’) and songs that Mudhoney would kick themselves for not writing (‘Pleasant Guff’).
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Downtime – Guts
Over a year since their well-received debut release, the dynamic duo of Dave Snedden and Mike Vest return for a two track, 40-minute psych rock/garage punk freak out that feels like its on the verge of collapsing at particular moments before the duo lock together and pull some heavy riffage out of the bag. If Sun Dial, The Heads and Skullflower were thrown together in a blender, ‘Guts’ is what would emerge. Invigorating stuff.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Golden Oldies
Ministry – The Land of Rape and Honey
Often overlooked in favour of 1989’s ‘The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste’ or 1992’s ‘Psalm 69’, this record was a turning point in Ministry’s sound thanks to the addition of Paul Barker and the combination of direct, hardcore influenced songwriting (Stigmata, The Missing) with trippier, psychedelic soundscapes (Golden Dawn, Hezbollah) that still packs a wallop in 2024.
Danzig – III: How the Gods Kill
Although the first four albums by Danzig are essential, this 1992 release deserves praise for not only having a menacing aura unmatched in the band’s back catalogue, but also having The Doors as an influence both musically and lyrically, with ‘Anything’ and ‘Bodies’ particular examples. The end result is a rich, vibrant and sinister record that has not aged a day.
John Foxx and the Belbury Circle - Empty Avenues
The pairing of hauntology’s two noted champions and a pioneering synth artist is a match made for Ghost Box fans, filled with half remembered dreams about the late 70’s and minimal synth work harking back to the use of the keyboard as an instrument of post-punk experimentation. ‘The Right Path’ is a gorgeous culmination of everything listed above.
Dusty Springfield – Dusty in Memphis
How this LP failed to chart on its initial release will remain one of the biggest mysteries in music, as it is utterly astonishing. Dusty, working with the heavyweights of Memphis soul music, effortlessly delivers sultry numbers like ‘Breakfast in Bed’ and resigned sadness in ‘Don’t Want to Hear it Anymore’ with the musicianship adding an extra layer of sophistication.
⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist.
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