Last Week in Music, 6/6/21 - 6/12/21

 Albums


AFI - Bodies (Rise Records)

AFI’s Rise Records debut has landed but only really with three new tracks as there were eight singles. I feel like I’ve been listening to this all year already with double singles left and right. The new tracks are fine though short at under three minutes each. It’s an AFI record, it has the natural progression they do on all their records. No two are ever truly going to sound the same and I think it’s a fine addition to the catalogue.



King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Butterfly 3000

They finally did it, they finally released a non-microtonal album and it’s good! The first half is a little slow and I’ll never understand the classic Gizz move on burying the vocals to the point that they’re nearly unintelligible but the second half immediately won me back.



MARINA - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land (Atlantic Recordings)
Obviously an artist that’s been big for years now. I’ve always appreciated a single here and there but this is the first album I think I’m digging all the way through. It has a concise approach to it with side A being a politically charged pop collection of tracks and side B being more intimate and piano based.



Wristmeetrazor - Replica of a Strange Love (Prosthetic Records)

There was a time where I longed for the MySpace days of hardcore and now they’re kind of here. Between this band, SeeYouSpaceCowboy… and If I Die First we basically have a scene of these bands brewing again in the modern age. The thing is, is that all of these have been listen worthy, none have blown me away however. It’s not a bad record but I’m not expecting it to be a top album of the year for me.


EPs



K.Flay - Inside Voices (BMG)

Was kind of back and forth on the singles to this release. (There were three from a five track EP) Now that I hear the whole thing I’m actually very into it. Travis Barker and Tom Morello features still feel phoned in though this is probably the least obnoxious Barker feature we’ve heard this year. It’s a collection of tracks clearly about a hard time where a relationship was failing but still is fun in that K.Flay way.



Poppy - EAT (Sumerian Records)
Want to just echo what I said a couple weeks ago with her Jack Off Jill cover. Poppy just keeps getting better. This EP was released as part of her ongoing collaboration with pro wrestling and even has the studio version of “EAT” from the GRAMMY performance. Heavier than she’s ever been, incorporating elements of metalcore more than most bands right now and she even does some screams here. This is an easy winner from this week.


Singles


Lorde - Solar Power (Universal Music Group)

Lorde is back! The internet has… mixed feelings on this one but it’s good! It isn’t a high key bangar or anything but I honestly think I like that as a return more. You can’t fake hype all the time. Looking forward to an album to come soon for sure has been far too long.


Neck Deep - Lowlife (acoustic, Hopeless Records)

Neck Deep having been releasing acoustic versions of tracks from their last record for a CD re-release and I’ve featured the others in previous “other tracks” sections but this is the first one that’s… kind of bad? The vocals sound lazy and like they weren’t finalized? I get the feeling this was a demo version of the song.


Other Tracks


Alice Gas - idontcareanymore (feat. Sawce)

Between You & Me - Supervillain (Hopeless Records)

Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - Gone Are the Good Days (Fearless Records)

cupcakKe - Huhhhhh

Hot Milk - I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I’M DEAD (Music for Nations)

illuminati hotties - Pool Hopping (Hopeless Records)

Olivia O'Brien - We're All Gonna Die (Island Records, from the Episodes: Season 1 EP)

Skrillex - Supersonic (My Existence) (feat. Noisia, josh pan & Dylan Brady, OWSLA, Atlantic Recordings)

WARGASM (UK) - PYRO PYRO

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