This feature aims to draw some attention to notable album releases over the past month that you may have missed, covering a variety of genres and artists.
Guided by Voices – Tremblers and Goggles by Rank (1st July)
Genres – Indie rock
Prolific indie rockers Guided by Voices have made their mark on 2022 in a reliably entertaining fashion. While Tremblers and Goggles by Rank doesn’t hit the heights of their fantastic hattrick of releases from the mid-90s (Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes and Under the Bushes Under the Stars), their melodies are still catchy, and lyrics are still sweet and at times funny. Having made their name with huge track lists of sub-2-minute songs, this album features more regular song lengths with mixed results. The song ‘Alex Bell,’ for instance, sounds like two songs in one, which would’ve been separated on an earlier album, and suffers for being one track. The following track, ‘Unproductive Funk,’ feels far more cohesive and natural. Meanwhile, others switch between different styles and paces to much greater effect. However, despite these issues, the band are in good form. The power-pop tunes are uplifting, and the instrumentation is tight. While this album misses some of the authenticity of their under-produced earlier albums, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable listen. A particular highlight of the album is ‘Roosevelt’s Marching Band,’ which falls somewhere between David Bowie and Interpol. They are at their best when they play to their pop-based strengths and luckily this album doesn’t deviate much from this winning formula.
Moor Mother – Jazz Codes (1st July)
Genres – Abstract Hip-hop, Jazz Rap
Having been involved in eight projects in the last three years, Moor Mother’s releases aren’t always easy to keep track of. However, all of her albums bring something unique and worthwhile to the table, Jazz Codes being no exception. While often described as a hip-hop artist (partly due to collaborations with the likes of Billy Woods), it would be more accurate to see Moor Mother as part of the modern jazz movement, aligned with figures like Flying Lotus. Combining elements of spoken word poetry, Afrofuturism, free jazz and hip-hop, Jazz Codes boasts an eclectic mix of influences, resulting in an immersive, relaxing and thoughtful collection of tracks. The album constitutes such a vibe and atmosphere that picking apart individual tracks is difficult. But this is one of the strongest releases of the year and on a par with any offering from names like Thundercat, Flying Lotus or Terrace Martin.
Viagra Boys – Cave World (8th July)
Genres – Dance-punk, Post-punk
Post-punk hellraisers Viagra Boys are back on form after the marginally disappointing Welfare Jazz which, despite having highlights, didn’t hit the same weird, funny and angry heights of explosive debut Street Worms. Cave World’s satire is close enough to the bone to be prevalent (aiming at anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists), but out there enough to stay light. ‘Troglodyte’ shows the band at their danceable, exciting best, in a song that rivals concert staples ‘Shrimp Shack’ and ‘Ain’t Nice'. ‘Punk Rock Loser,’ meanwhile, is a great swipe at scenester culture, reminiscent of some of Queens of the Stone Age’s more humorous songs.
Black Midi – Hellfire (15th July)
Genres – Post-punk, Prog
After receiving well-deserved critical acclaim for their first two albums, Schlagenheim (2019) and Cavalcade (2021), London-based oddballs Black Midi have returned with another adventurous and exciting project. Drawing from a wider pool of influences than ever, Hellfire, across its 10 tracks, is a compelling portrait of a society in crisis. From the psychedelic horror story told in ‘Eat Men Eat,’ to the gentle beauty of ‘Still,’ to the frantic, rapped vocals of ‘The Race is About to Begin,’ the album is a hell of a ride. Well-placed slower tracks keep the listener guessing and offer respite from the musical carnage of the more chaotic offerings on the album. While Geordie Greep’s freakish and ever-changing vocal and lyrical style will draw much attention, the album is held together by the whole band’s unbelievable musicianship. Their uncanny ability to maintain absolute instrumental precision across constantly changing styles and time signatures is on show throughout the album. Morgan Simpson is imperious as his drumming keeps time on tracks where it seems as if it would be impossible to do so. Cameron Picton, meanwhile, lends his own vocal abilities to a number of tracks creating a smooth, considered contrast to Greep’s voice, which really defies any description. While the sheer chaos and irregularity of the band will put off some listeners, everyone should try them once. Their work is challenging yet engaging, and Hellfire marks a fitting follow-up to their already outstanding previous work. Potentially their best album to date.
Interpol – The Other Side of Make-Believe (15th July)
Genres – Indie Rock
Interpol’s reputation as indie rock stalwarts has mainly been built off the back of their first two albums. Turn on the Bright Lights came out around the same time as The Strokes’ Is This It and The National’s Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers. A case could be made for it being the best album of the bunch, has aged very well. However, after the follow-up album, Antics (2004), the band struggled to recapture the old magic. The strange thing about The Other Side of Make-Believe is that we hear the same guitar tones and vocal delivery that we recognise from some of the greatest indie tracks of the 2000s, the band just don’t have the same punch or originality or emotion that they used to. However, I would contend that this album isn’t bad at all. Some of the riffs, such as those on ‘Fables,’ are seriously good. Also, the opening track, ‘Toni,’ is touching and worth a listen. This is not a late return to form like on the Strokes’ recent album but may serve to satisfy a need for some kind of early 2000s indie nostalgia. Just don’t expect anything ground-breaking, and if you haven’t heard any Interpol, do yourself a favour and check out the first two releases.
Rico Nasty – Las Ruinas (22nd July)
Genres – Hip-hop
Rico Nasty is back at her savage best in Las Ruinas. She is also at her frustrating worst. Her brand of aggressive hip hop survives as she also diversifies her style. The opening track ‘Intrusive,’ sonically, is just that. A full-frontal assault on the eardrums, Rico Nasty delivers shouted verses over an abrasive, industrial beat a la Kanye’s Yeezus. She then shifts gears into a bass-heavy trap beat over which she is able to showcase her varied skill behind the mic. She then channels Denzel Curry on ‘Black Punk,’ continuing to prove that she has many strings to her bow. Although this album is markedly more experimental than ‘Anger Management,’ it is still an inconsistent project. The line ‘Kick your shit, yeah, like Messi,’ on ‘Messy,’ is terrible, as is the lacklustre hook. The rest of the album canters along at a similar rate, at times thrilling, at times underwhelming. There are great moments on this album but enter with caution.
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