MUSIC/VIDEO: Radiohead Finally Release New Single!

After months of teasing and hype, Radiohead have finally released their newest song, titled "Burn The Witch", after erasing their social media presence yesterday. The amazing string-heavy song is backed by an eerie stop-motion video. Check it out above and I will update you when Radiohead makes an album announcement.

REVIEW: Eraser Stargazer by Guerilla Toss

What if David Byrne had been obsessively listening to The Contortions while writing Remain in Light? On Eraser Stargazer, Guerilla Toss try to answer that question. To some, no-wave and dance-punk might not seem like things that should be mixed, but their tendencies towards irregular time signatures and grooves make them an interesting match. Guerilla Toss definitely succeed in combining the styles, but the question is that combination any good? For the most part, that answer is yes, but sometimes there are moments of identity crisis where the band can't decide between the two genres and the result is unfocused and muddy.

The album is precariously balanced between grating and groovy and it’s honestly sometimes hard to tell which is being achieved at any given moment. “Multibeast TV” avoids this dichotomy by sounding like a Death Grips track through a booming and slick bass, but they quickly abandon this sound for the rest of the album. The next track “Diamond Girls” was chosen as the single and for good reason; it is one of the most accessible songs on the album with a fantastic groove. “Grass Shack” shows off some of the less likeable aspects of this album with a bizarre synth that sounds like it’s from a forgotten Gamecube game. This track is also just too long for it’s own good, clocking in at almost seven minutes. Luckily, all of the other tracks are two minutes shorter than “Grass Shack” and they’re better for it. All of the tracks after the somewhat repetitive and underwhelming “Color Picture” are a return to form for the band. The intro to the song “Perfume” is much more restrained than the rest of the album and it makes  it much easier to appreciate the crazy parts more. The spoken word vocals on “Doll Face On The Calico Highway” don’t really work, but they are quickly forgotten under the beautiful barrage of other sounds.

Eraser Stargazer’s album cover is very emblematic of the sound; it is colorful, weird, twisted, funny in an odd sort of way, and kind of gross. The band has some very good ideas up it’s sleeve, but they sometimes get lost in just how much is going on during each song. If Guerilla Toss were to consolidate and focus their sound just a bit more, they could explore these chaotic soundscapes with much more grace and ease, but in the meantime, they’re a hell of a lot of fun to listen to.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

NEWS/MUSIC: John Congleton Announces Solo Record, Releases Single

John Congleton, the producer of many, many great albums and also the frontman of the great Paper Chase, has announced a solo album as John Congleton and the Nighty Nite. The album will called Until The Horror Goes and is being released March 4th on Fat Possum. Check out the electric new single below, called "Until It Goes".

NEWS: David Bowie Has Died

One of the great musicians and singer-songwriters of all time passed away today. He had been battling cancer for eighteen months. His fantastic new album, Blackstar, was released on his 69th birthday Friday. David Bowie is one of my personal favorite musicians, so this news is especially hard to hear. I kind of expected David Bowie to live forever, but that was not mean to happen. I have very strong and emotional connection to him as a fan, so I can only imagine what it must be like right now for the people who knew him. Condolences to his friends and family and may he rest in peace.

NEWS/MUSIC: The Thermals Announce New Album

The fantastic, self-proclaimed post-pop-punk band, The Thermals, have announced a new album. The record is called We Disappear and is being released on Saddle Creek March 25th. The great new single, "Hey You", is available to listen above. You can also check out my pretty bad interview with Hutch here.

MUSIC: New Radiohead & LCD Soundsystem

Merry Christmas everyone! My gift to you is two long-awaited returns from some of indie's best bands, LCD Soundsystem and Radiohead. LCD Soundsystem released a depressing Christmas song entitled "Christmas Will Break Your Heart" and Radiohead dropped their rejected theme for the new James Bond movie, called "Spectre" like the movie. Both are fantastic and embedded below.

OPINION: Best Albums of 2015

We've reached that time of the year again, year-end list season is upon us. Here are my top ten albums of 2015!

1.   Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

 Kendrick Lamar has released a perfect masterpiece that has changed the face of rap forever with To Pimp A Butterfly. The lyrical and instrumental depth of the album is astounding, putting even the best hip-hop of recent years to shame. To Pimp A Butterfly is an incredibly personal albums that gives the listener a ticket on the emotion roller-coaster that Kendrick has experienced over a lifetime. It is impossible to fully understand To Pimp A Butterfly, but you have to admire it and respect it for everything it manages to do.

2.   Speedy Ortiz - Foil Deer

Speedy Ortiz's debut was a fantastic album that showed a lot of promise and this album fulfills that promise. Everything that was great about Major Arcana is still present on this sophomore album, yet done better and with more variety. The funk of  "Puffer", the insanity of "Homonovus", and the pop-punk of "Swell Content" proves that Speedy Ortiz isn't just a nineties sound-a-like band like many claimed them to be. Foil Deer is a powerful statement of a record that won't be soon forgotten. 

3.   The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Harmlessness

 The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die is the best band of this so-called "emo revival" and this is because they are barely emo. On this new record, TWIABP&IANLATD show that they are just a fantastic band, not a fantastic emo band. Everything that was great about their debut album is still here, just in a more cohesive format. "January 10th, 2014" might be the best song the band has put out and sets a new standard for all the copycat emo bands out there.

4.   Mike Krol - Turkey

In eighteen minutes, Mike Krol proves to be one of the best garage rockers around, if not the best. Mike's "I Hate Jazz" and "Trust Fund" EPs proved what he was capable of and his debut album for Merge shows that he is ready to be the next big thing. Mike's unique vocals that carry relatable lyrics mixed with the fantastic guitar fuzz works so well. Mike isn't doing anything that new, but he's doing it as good, if not better, as anyone else playing right now.

5.   Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit 

On her newest album, Courtney Barnett became a rocker. "Pedestrian at Best" features one of the year's best guitar riffs and  "Aqua Profonda!" packs so much into it's two minutes, it's incredible. She doesn't leave fans of "The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas" hanging either, this new albums features some great slower songs such as "Depreston" and "Kim's Caravan". Barnett is one of the most versatile singer-songwriters around and this albums proves that.   

6.   Colleen Green - I Want To Grow Up

Colleen Green realizes that music doesn't have to be complex to be great. Her newest album features some of the most blunt, therefore some of the most relatable, lyrics in recent memory. The crunchy guitars sound incredibly satisfying and the occasional synth-pop tunes works way better than they should on a rock album.

7.   Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love

Sleater-Kinney were smart enough to realize that they shouldn't change anything major for their comeback album, they had already perfected their sound by the time they broke up for the first time. No Cities To Love is another great album in an amazingly consistent discography. The vocals still pack as much of a punch as they always have and the instrumental work is as good and knotty as always. 

8.   Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss 

Abyss feels like the album Chelsea Wolfe has been trying to make since she has been releasing music. Her previous albums have been very good, but in working with producer John Congleton, she seems to have found the perfect sound for trying to express the darkness she feels. Abyss blends electronics, folk, and stoner rock like no other album I've ever heard and it works fantastically.

9.   Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect 

Protomartyr are not the most innovative band, but they are really good at what they do, which is making post-punk. Their sophmore album, Under Color Of Official Right, was my eighth favorite album of 2014 and this album continues their trend of very solid, if not incredible, music. After three very good albums under their belt, I wouldn't be surprised if Protomartyr release something truly amazing in the near future.  

10.  Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy 

If nothing else, Titus Andronicus released one of the most ambitious rock albums of 2015. It's hard to not at least respect the album for trying to keep a captive audience through an hour and a half, and it actually succeeds for the most part. TMLT won't be remembered as Titus's best album, but it will be remembered for how close it got.