The good news: It’s official summer. The band news: The days will now start getting shorter. Best immerse yourself into New Music Friday for some tunes that will help you forget that the next stop is fall, then winter.
Singles
1. Featurette, Xanax (Division 11)
Featurette, a trio from Toronto, has been apparently been recently immersed in trip-hop, resulting in a new track that’s all about anxiety and numbness. Oh, there was also a trip to the emergency room that included a Xanax prescription following what vocalist Lexie Jay calls “a stress-induced cardiac event.” Given what’s going on the world today, I hear you, sister.
2. Hollerado, Keep on Moving (Royal Mountain)
Hollerado’s not-retirement continues with another single from their Start a Band EP. They’re also back on tour (Europe with Billy Talent, Hillside Festival, an RBC Amphitheatre Show on July 18). It looks like this non-retirement will continue for a while.
3. Lazarettes, Undertow (Independent)
Here’s a happy-sounding song from a Toronto band that features lyrics that are pretty dire when it comes to commenting on existing in today’s messed up word. Gotta love the Farfisa organ, which gives everything a cool New Wave feel. The line-up includes Chris Tait (Chalk Circle), Bryce Thomas, Richard Peirce, Chris Monster and Adam Warner. Some of their collaborations have been with Jill Barber, Royal Wood, and Ron Sexsmith
4. Marilyn Manson, Exit Wound (Nuclear Blast)
Perennial #MeToo problem child Marilyn Manson continues to record and tour, most recently with Rob Zombie with the “Freaks on Parade” tour. A new album, One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2 (the follow-up to 2024’s Chapter 1) will arrive on August 14. Once again, the producer is Tyler Bates, who scores horror films and gory video games. Sounds like a perfect match, don’t it?
5. Valley, Vending Machine (Universal)
More Canada. Valley is a trio who have been nominated for multiple Junos. This song begins with a very simple question, the answer to which is “Yes. Most definitely.”
Eddie Vedder and Guitars Over Funs, Better Believe (Independent)
If you saw the entertainment surrounding the opening of the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago yesterday (June 18), you will have seen Eddie perform this song. The Obama Foundation helped organize this project, bringing in Audio Arts students from Columbia College Chicago. All royalties will go to Guitars Over Guns, an arts-based youth development group that uses music and mentorship to help empower young people.
Albums
1. Belvedere, Seven Years of Bad Luck (Thousand Island Records)
Our list of the week’s new albums begins with the seventh full-length record from Calgary punks Belvedere. These guys have been at it for more than 30 years, Respect.
2. Haircut One Hundred, Boxing the Compass (October is Orange Ltd.)
Yes, this is the Haircut One Hundred that had hits like Fantastic Day, Love Plus One, and Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) back in the early 80s. Original vocalist Nick Heyward is back with the crew (he left in 1982) for the group’s first album since–wait for it–1984. Forty-two years is a long time between records, innit? This track sounds like it’s 1983 all over again.
3. Pond, Terrestrials (Mangovision/Secretly Distribution)
From the white boy funkiness of Haircut One Hundred, we move to some Australian psych featuring Pond, originally from Perth. (I’ve been to Perth; I found that they really like their psych and shoegaze.) This is their 11th studio record, with which they say they tried to capture a “goths at the pub” sound.
4. Stupidity, Beyond Stupidity (Wicked Cool)
I had to include this Swedish garage band just because of their name. This is their eighth album and will no doubt get some love from Little Steven and his Underground Garage channel on SiriusXM.
5. Tired of Fighting, And Then It Suddenly Hits You (Punkerton)
We end with some English emo featuring Tired of Fighting, a trio from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (est. 2019) who mine the angst of the early 2000s via bands like Taking Back Sunday and crossing it with a little Gaslight Anthem, followed by a dash of Paramore. This is their debut album.
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