New Releases - July 1, 2022
Weekly Album Reviews
By: Aviv Borenstein
Last week was exceptional for both the number and quality of new albums.
This week brings the opposite: one of the weakest weeks in terms of quantity, and especially quality.
Still, let us get started with the weekly review...
Guided by Voices - Tremblers and Goggles by Rank
This American indie band, formed in 1983 around songwriter Robert Pollard, has changed its lineup dozens of times over the years. Pollard is the only constant. What is even more remarkable is their output: 36 albums, despite a five-year break during the 2000s. That is an impressive total, and what strikes me even more is that none of those records has really left a mark. They remain an indie, alternative-rock band. This album is no different from the rest of their work, though I have not listened to all 35 others. It simply is not interesting enough.
Listen on: Spotify
Martin Courtney - Magic Sign
Martin Courtney, frontman of the indie band "Real Estate", returns with a solo album. This is indie, very soft rock, with plenty of acoustic guitar. It is a little below pleasant. It will not hurt your ears, but it probably will not stay with you for even a minute after you finish listening.
Listen on: Spotify
Imagine Dragons - Mercury – Act 2
This American pop-rock band is well known for several hits, including "Radioactive", which won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance in 2014. They were named breakthrough act of the year in 2013 and the biggest band of 2017, among various other titles. In 2021 they released the first part of this album, including the theme song from "Arcane", and this week the second part arrived.
To me, they sound more like Coldplay. Perhaps that is a compliment. This is very commercial, very pop-oriented rock. It is not bad, but this second half, and for that matter the first half released last year, are simply boring. It sounds like another Coldplay album, and their recent albums have hardly been outstanding either.
Listen on: Spotify
Momma - Household Name
So it is not all bad this week. Momma are Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten, two women from Los Angeles who met at school. This is indie rock with some really good guitar riffs. Their music is structured much like that of Eifo HaYeled: calm vocals, then the guitars come in. Sometimes they seem to struggle to sing over the heavier guitars, but it still works. This is a good, catchy album.
Listen on: Spotify
Paolo Nutini - Last Night in the Bittersweet
The Scottish singer's 2006 debut reached No. 3 on the UK albums chart. His second album went to No. 1, as did his third, which also went platinum.
After a break, he has now released his fourth album. This is pop-rock and should be judged as such. He does not get the publicity Harry Styles does, but the songs here are good. Overall, although this is not my favorite style, it is a pleasant album.
Listen on: Spotify
And I have saved the best of this week's bunch for last...
Shinedown - Planet Zero
The Florida rock band, formed in 2001 by singer Brent Smith, returns with its seventh album. This time it is a concept album centered on a character named Cyren. Cyren is a robot whose job is to welcome new arrivals to Planet Zero, a planet where nobody takes responsibility for their actions, nobody has a conscience, and there is no room for opinions that differ from those of social media and the mainstream media. If you do not know the band, it is worth noting that they lead the Billboard rock chart with 17 No. 1 singles. The album title has a meaning too. Bassist Eric Bass explains: "That was my nickname for the United States. It seemed there was zero intelligence, zero tolerance for other people's opinions, zero accountability. We looked at each other and said, let's write a song about what is happening on Planet Zero... It is a glimpse into the future if we keep treating one another this way. This album is a warning, in many ways, to everyone. It is not an album for the political right or left, for Black, white, Asian or Hispanic people. It is an album for all of us... It offers a glimpse of a possible future and a warning that, unless we start seeing everything in human terms, we are heading somewhere very bad." The album moves between guitar-driven rock and quieter songs. It is good, especially compared with this week's other releases, but it is a good rock album in its own right too, with some wonderful guitar parts.
Listen on: Spotify
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