With its new EP, Wax Fang offers four pop-rock tunes that draw from decade-spanning influences. Today’s premiere has a bit of a retro flavor mixed with post-punk simplicity — capped by a one-word vocal hook and a rock-‘n’-roll solo.
Cultura Tres: El Mal del Bien (Devouter, 3/5/11)
Bearing at least a passing resemblance to the crushing sludge of Sepultura and its brethren, Venezuela’s Cultura Tres works from the root of a proven musical commodity. But with harmonized high-string riffs, a few wailing psych-rock leads, and an ability to go quiet and eerie or soft and atmospheric, the “doom suramericano” quartet is very much its own band.
Ty Segall: Twins (Drag City, 10/9/12)
“The Hill”
On last year’s Goodbye Bread, garage-rock singer-songwriter Ty Segall displayed a newfound sense of maturity — most notably on “Comfortable Home (A True Story),” in which he announced the rather adult decision to invest in some real estate. Now the San Francisco wunderkind prematurely grapples with his own mortality on his newest solo release. “Took 22 years to die / 22 years to lose to my mind,” he laments amid the grinding guitars of “Ghost,” imagining himself as a specter who haunts the California coast. It’s heavy stuff — musically and lyrically — especially from a guy who used to sing about girlfriends and Coca-Cola.
Converge: All We Love We Leave Behind (Epitaph, 10/9/12)
“Aimless Arrow”
The eighth full-length album from Converge is every bit the frenetic, neck-snapping metalcore monster that two decades of precedent could have promised. Yet even when sticking to some of its shortest, most explosive hardcore throw-downs, the Salem-based quartet maintains a dedication to craft and perfection.
Massive Attack producer and co-writer Neil Davidge has debuted a single from the upcoming Halo 4 soundtrack, which accompanies one of the season’s most anticipated video games.
Comprised of Trent Reznor, wife Mariqueen Maandig, and collaborators Atticus Ross and Rob Sheridan, How to Destroy Angels has released the dark electronic number “Keep it Together” from its forthcoming An Omen EP.
Killer Mike: RAP Music (Williams Street, 5/15/12)
In May, Atlanta MC Killer Mike released one of the year’s best hip-hop albums — “rebellious African people’s music” — in collaboration with producer/rapper extraordinaire El-P.
“Reagan” is one of the album’s most fiery tracks, addressing the former president’s “war on drugs” and how it disproportionately targeted African Americans while actually making black neighborhoods more drug-infested. Mike ultimately proclaims, “I’m glad [that] Reagan[‘s] dead,” but he lumps all recent presidents together as serving the same unseen forces, launching overt and covert wars to make the rich richer.
Muse: The 2nd Law (Warner Bros., 10/2/12)
“Survival”
By working across a broad spectrum of styles, Britain’s Muse evokes a wide range of reactions. Indisputably, however, it’s one of the few remaining mainstream rock acts to pull off bombast with a real degree of success.
Flying Lotus: Until the Quiet Comes (Warp, 10/2/12)
“Putty Boy Strut”
Originally sharpening his teeth with bumper music for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, electronic producer Flying Lotus garnered notoriety that bolstered the success of his 2006 debut, 1983. Now with four full-length albums, seven EPs, and countless singles and collaborations, it’s clear that, in retrospect, Steven Ellison has skills that only can be inherited, not taught.
Menomena: Moms (Barsuk, 9/18/12)
As the opener on Menomena‘s Moms — possibly the best pop album of 2012 — “Plumage” is a stark announcement of a resurgent duo. Down a key component when multi-instrumentalist/co-singer Brent Knopf left the quirky former trio, Menomena has come out no worse for the wear — and, in fact, has delivered some of its finest material ever.
Enjoy the video as Danny Seim and Justin Harris escalate an ever-advancing four-minute showdown.