We’re a little over half way into 2021 … so it’s that time again to recap the year in music. Below, you will find both our combined staff top 30, as well as individual lists from our contributors and moderators. Here’s hoping you find something new to love.
Note: You can share your own list in our music forum.
Read More “The Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)”
When Modest Mouse’s The Moon & Antarctica turned 20 last year, I was so excited to learn that many contributors here loved the band as much as I do. Now that we all assemble like The Avengers from time to time to take on new releases like Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR, it only made sense for us to put our heads together for Modest Mouse’s new album The Golden Casket. I was lucky to be joined by Aaron Mook and Mary Varvaris as we dove headfirst into the band’s first new full length since 2015. Here we broke down all that we enjoyed, any potential hiccups and took a big picture look at the band as whole.
Read More “The Golden Casket is Good News For People Who Love Modest Mouse”
Tyler, the Creator has the number one album in the country this week.
Tyler, the Creator scores his second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200chart as his latest studio effort, Call Me If You Get Lost, debuts atop the tally. The set was announced on June 17, released on June 25 via Columbia Records and earned 169,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending July 1, according to MRC Data.
Mark Hoppus has wished everyone a happy Fourth of July, and has a new fundraising page for Cedars-Sinai.
Read More “Mark Hoppus Fundraiser for Cedars-Sinai”
William Ryan Key will be doing a live listen through of Yellowcard’s Lights & Sounds on July 6th via Twitch.
Read More “William Ryan Key ‘Lights & Sounds’ Listen Through”
Ten songs is a weekly playlist from Jason Tate featuring songs enjoyed over the previous week. It is included in every edition of the Liner Notes newsletter and is free to sign up for via email.
This playlist is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Read more This week’s newsletter has some thoughts and concerns about Apple Music’s “Spatial Audio.” There’s also thoughts on music I listened to this week, some movies I watched, and a playlist of ten songs I enjoyed. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (July 3rd, 2021)”
The latest record from the now 21-year old artist known as Beabadoobee, is her fifth overall EP, and follows the massive success she experienced on her debut LP Fake It Flowers. A lot of this record, called Our Extended Play, was co-written with members of The 1975, including front-man Matty Healy and George Daniel. Her collaboration with the veteran hit-makers pays major dividends as she has released four of her most immediately gripping and urgent songs to date.
Our Extended Play opens on the right foot with the brilliantly constructed “Last Day on Earth” that features some faint backing vocals from Healy to bring depth to Beabadoobee’s tender voice. The song is largely constructed around a looped electric guitar riff that doesn’t stray too far from its original composition. She sings passionately on the second verse, “You made it along / You got a problem with Peter, you got a problem with John / You can’t go on / All this follow me shit / I want to get fucked up at home / Be naked alone / And turn up my phone / Because this song I wrote is just so fucking sick, it goes…” The song has a lot of the same vibes of The 1975’s “Me and You Together Song,” but Beabadoobee’s trademark vocal delivery allows the song to really feel fresh.
Read More “Beabadoobee – Our Extended Play”
Give Me a Reason has shared the new song “Sad (Reimagined).”
Read More “Give Me A Reason – “Sad (Reimagined)””
Catbite have released a video for “Call Your Bluff.”
Read More “Catbite – “Call Your Bluff” Video”
Settle Your Scores have shared the new song “The Way Things Used To Be.”
Read More “Settle Your Scores – “The Way Things Used To Be””
The new JXDN album is out today. It was produced by Travis Barker and the chorus to “A Wasted Year” has a nice little Blink-182’s “Feeling This” callback in it.
Read More “JXDN – “A Wasted Year””
Big Red Machine has shared the new Taylor Swift collaboration “Renegade.”
Read More “Big Red Machine – “Renegade””
One OK Rock have shared an acoustic version of “Broken Heart of Gold.”
Read More “One OK Rock Shares Acoustic “Broken Heart of Gold””
Janelle Monáe has released the new song “Stronger.”
Read More “Janelle Monáe – “Stronger””