Freshest New Albums 2015

Spotify have been up to some serious snakery in the latest update to their desktop client, getting rid of all internal applications (yep that's about as technical as it gets) which disastrously includes the beloved Last FM and it's similar track playlist maker. The loss of this means that music fans worldwide will now actually have to search for new music THEMSELVES to add that extra wing to their music library or diversify those cringe-inducing playlists entitled 'Summer Vibes' or 'Phat Tunes'.
     Let's face it, we're all far too busy to be dealing with that  and other media like radio, to most people, seem so much a foreign concept, it's almost laughable. As I write this I'm becoming increasingly aware that perhaps I am indeed the only one that still searches for music in this way. On my voyage to indie-music enlightenment I've traversed cliffs of disappointment, and waves of unparalleled elation all to find that single artist or album which allows me to bask smugly in the warm knowledge that no one else I know listens to them. It's also fair to say I have trawled through far more than my fair share of sh**t, searching bleary eyed through the darkest reaches of the musical world in search of Spotify's hidden artists. There was also a couple of familiar names along the way too.
     These are the newest, freshest albums the musical world has to offer:

Plain White T's - American Nights

Yes...Hey There Delilah to cut that head scratching short. No one else knows any of their other songs so why should you? Well let's put an end to that with the fourth and latest release from America's soft-singing, girl-loving, Nickelodeon-appearing sweethearts. The sort of band who were always regarded as 'nice boys' throughout childhood by cooing friends' mums and I bet they never refuse an autograph, Previously a more easily defined alternative rock band, the Plain White T's have moved steadily away from mainstream pop-punk over the course of their nearly 10 year career. Since the last album Wonders Of The Younger, they have favoured a more acoustic, I would even dare to say country and folk influenced style which in my opinion is a welcomed change. The impeccable harmonies remain, but now are used in a folk-like way (evident in Heavy Rotation) while still maintaining their teenage heart throb status and soppy, wounded lyrics. Rejoicing and heartbroken are the only types of song they're comfortable doing. I also like to see more singing from Tim Lopez whose voice compliments that of the natural front man Tom Higgenson. My favourite songs are Pause, Heavy Rotation and Here Come That Sunrise which are really testament to the versatile band they've become.

The Sonics - This Is The Sonics

From a modern branch of punk to the genre's predecessors with a brand new album from The Sonics: founding fathers of garage rock and pioneers of punk. The self-titled record is the first in 40 years bringing the spirit of the '60s to the grim today. Actually, you know what, I'm pretty sure the 60s was just as bleak as it is today, just without the internet and marijuana which "wasn't half as strong as the stuff you kids smoke these days". Oh, and some pretty horrific hairstyles.
     Honestly, if someone were to have asked me some six years previously I would have been as likely to listen to it with an open mind as I would trade my phone for a packet of Quavers but it's more about the appreciation than the cleanliness of the sound itself.
     Before, and if you can muster up enough effort to give it a try, have a listen to Have Love, Will Travel, who knows, you may even recognise it. I'm glad to see that on this record there seems to be barely any deviation from their classic style; that style being some loud heavy vocals and a lot of blues guitar chords. This, I must say grows repetitive after a while but if you find any you like, you can arm any playlist with some classic early garage rock. Essentially, while this may be a band for your dad and, if you're willing to appreciate it for what it is, then it could be for you as well. Well... that was rather deep wasn't it.

The Sonics here releasing their new album after an unsuccessful inbetweeners spin-off 

We Are Harlot - We are harlot

It's never good news to hear a band breaking up. Just ask Blink 182 fans who had the experience for about the 17th time during the latter stages of last year. Most of the time you can expect to see arguments on twitter sporting various bitter hash tags as well as several snooty solo albums from the contemptuous front man who believes that he's 'expressing himself'' in a way he never could do before and whose 'found himself ' as a musician. We may as well name names now: Brandon Flowers and Tom Delonge. Usually (and of course gratefully), these albums tend to be awful and the artist promptly realises he's not bigger than said mother group and comes crawling back. Now that's if it goes badly and of course we forget the number of people who defy this model like your man Charlie Simpson.
     And also brand new English outfit We Are Harlot who consist of band members from multiple previous bands including Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria. While I was never keen on the latter, this brand new hard rock amalgamation brings out the best in them all with a much more traditional, retro sound than any of the previous groups. We Are Harlot in their self-titled record released last month see a return to their roots (aware of the cliché) with a lot of elements from more classic metal bands such as AC/DC and Kiss as well as influences of proper old school rock and roll. This is apparent especially in Dancing On Nails, Denial and The One which are easily my favourite songs since they bring out a new side of Worsnop's vocals which far exceeds the more hardcore nature of Asking Alexandria. The album is almost split in half in terms of the metal sounding and classic sounding tracks, the latter of which are far more enjoyable and original while the others become repetitive at times.

Ludacris - Ludaversal

I originally listened to this album as a joke. Ludacris?! Come on, the guy surely lost any artistic credibility when he collaborated with Justin Bieber, let alone the Fast And Furious films. A choice between a collaboration with Ludacris or a desecrated corpse? It's safe to say I would have gone with the corpse because he'd have had a less dead career. Way too excessive an example. Anyway, the fact of the matter is I didn't take this guy seriously.

     So you can imagine my surprise when I clicked play on Ludaversal Intro, a smirk plastered across my face, and the first thing I hear was, what I think, a fantastic song. He has flow, dumbed down instrumentals with a real focus on the words, all you can ask for. Unfortunately, we still have plenty, probably too much, of the posturing and boasting of pimpin', 'whips' and 'bitches' which really detracts from any lyrical meaning apart from in Good Lovin and Ocean Skies which are actually very deep. The former is what spurned my disillusion with rap as a genre, however if you take a step back and perhaps ignore the meaning of the words themselves, the albums is a very enjoyable experience. Never thought I'd say that.

Hit the lights - Summer Bones

With all this neo, retro and experimental genre merging it's a relief that this band are about as straight forwards a pop punk band as you'll ever see. In essence, yes, they are a boy band of sorts and you may get called a 12 year old girl for listening by those self-righteous, integrity obsessed, too cool for such safe music metaphorical bullies in the playground. However, I think it can be a welcome change not choosing your music based on its edginess and throw in a few of those safe, easy listening harmonies and rough electric guitar chords. In any case, Hit The Lights are about as edgy a pop punk boy band as you'll find even to those who see the word pop as some kind of vile infection on a genre. The band themselves certainly seem to be aware of this with an album defying the chronology of their career in that it is almost a carbon copy of its predecessors. One dimensional indeed yet enjoyable all the same with particular attention to Fucked Up Kids and Blasphemy, myself and I. I have to say it is very difficult to distinguish any of the others in the album but there you go, that's pop punk for you.

To hear these songs, albums from the other posts and other music which I find, follow my blog on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/user/w-avery/playlist/4CAps4jqmlBK7LPOPFgi3T

You may know the artist, but have you heard these songs?

Without the risk of sounding like a nostalgic old bloke or an out of touch grandparent, nowadays it is almost seamlessly easy to listen to music. Whether it's iTunes, Spotify or YouTube, there is an endless library of songs available from your most well-known artists to stuff which has below 10,000 plays (the calling card of the indie music fan) meaning places like HMV are now something of an alien concept. Gone are the days of trawling through CDs to find that one track you like or putting on albums in the car, we live in the age of the playlist where the only things you listen to are those you actually want to hear. This is a marvellous system no doubt but unfortunately I feel it is to the detriment of the whole experience of listening to music owing to the the development of what I call 'Greatest Hits Syndrome' which obviously I have made up presently. This is basically the idea that people end up only listening to the most famous songs or the singles when an album comes out without even considering anything with popularity bars below halfway. What a terrifying prospect... Don't get me wrong, a lot of time the syndrome allows you to skip, to put it in the nicest way possible, a load of s**t, but you often pass up the opportunity to find that song which distinguishes you from the rest and making you a true fan of that artist.
     This is why I have compiled this short list of some of the worlds most famous bands naming that song which you along with millions of others have missed out. Let's make you a little less mainstream shall we.

Blink 182- Anthem Part 2

Up first are the 90s emblem that is Blink 182. High school, toilet humour and swear words: the recipe for the Californian trio's punk-rock domination which began nearly two decades ago. It is the nature of the genre as well as the artist that anthems are commonplace since if we're being honest they made pretty easy for themselves to relate to their teenage audience. Any teenager can relate to lyrics where the main focus is "Yeah, who hates school, and the government and rules yeeeaaah" or "Yeah I've found this really cool girlfriend man, she's so rad, yeaaaah"; a pretty safe bet if you ask me. Either way, with so many anthems released, its almost easy for you to miss what I think is perhaps the best song of the lot despite its blindingly obvious name: Anthem Part Two. One of my favourite intros to any song, the rest of it sustains an equally high level. It is a typically blink song complete with its anti-establishment, high school fuelled tone and easy-listening harmonies. The clue is in the name with this one.

Sum 41- Walking Disaster

Moving from the band beloved by the 90s to one who just seemed to miss out on that millennium deadline. Its astonishing to consider that Sum 41's début album actually came to our ears in the year 2000 making them something of an interim between two decades of very contrasting styles. Nineties leftovers if you will. Yes their hair may be spiky, their songs angry and their t-shirts baggy, but they are something of an 'in between' generation from the giants of pop-punk like our aforementioned Blink 182 to the hair gel and plastic of Busted. While this song itself is beloved among the band's more avid listeners, most people rarely seem to look past the two big boys: In Too Deep and Fat Lip. Walking Disaster is a song which has all of the anthemic quality in the lyrics but also those classic catchy melodies from which Sum 41 have made their name. It's going to be a comeback year for this band so if you're a fan, watch out for an album.

Green Day- Viva La Gloria  (Little Girl)

Green Day aren't exactly a group known for their adaptability and musical dynamism. I mean, why would you change a formula if that formula is churning you out hits year on year with just three simple chords. Seems like a pretty solid deal to me. They had often been criticised for this until the release of the ground breaking American Idiot which in many ways broke the punk-shaped mould created from previous albums. Therefore, it is something of a treat to hear off-beat piano and an almost jazzy start to the song... before it all kicks off. Some great harmonies and nice layering make this a track to remember even if the title is a bit of a mouthful.

Mumford And Sons- Holland Road

Yes, this song does follow that classic Mumford And Sons format. It starts quietly, with whispered vocals, the tempo picks up until the second chorus before getting stuck in with the banjos and shouting. This post has perhaps revealed that the key to musical success is to get yourself a nice little formula and it appears the quartet have done just that. However, this song has much more integrity in my opinion while unfortunately others sometimes have the tendency to become parodies of themselves.

Take these songs and make yourselves more interesting music listeners.

To hear these songs, albums from the other posts and other music which I find, follow my blog on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/user/w-avery/playlist/4CAps4jqmlBK7LPOPFgi3T