The Return of the Noise
I'm unemployed again, so I guess I have time to do these write-ups for a while. Let's make the most of this.
The Playlist: Spotify
Silken Robe. Emerald Light.
Today we get the second of these two emotional singles from Minneapolis post-hardcore/loud indie band Careful Gaze, as they begin their first west coast tour. (Come see them in Portland and Seattle with me on April 2nd and 4th, respectively!)
Taylor Swift, who needs no introduction, has expanded her Taylor's Version project to a few non-album tracks, including the Hunger Games soundtrack, with a reworking of Safe And Sound, featuring the incomparable vocal duo The Civil Wars, who haven't worked together since 2014. I know they probably went into the studio separately and didn't have to actually work together, but honestly I'm so starved for anything from them that I'll take this breadcrumb.
Additionally, we have vocalist Michael Sweet (Stryper, Iconic) and guitarist George Lynch (Lynch Mob, Dokken) with the first single off their upcoming third record: Heart & Sacrifice, out May 19th.
Country superstar Shania Twain did a Spotify Session where she covered Harry Styles' Falling, which is a great bit of fun for anyone who lives in both world.
Melodic metalcore act The Devil Wears Prada has announced the deluxe version of my favorite record of 2022: Color Decay and with it released a new single titled Reaching. I heard this track yesterday when it debuted on YouTube and have had an insatiable itch for more Prada ever since, so you know it's a goodun. The deluxe record promises a couple new songs, a bunch of acoustic reworks, and some remixes, all of which I'm really stoked for.
CHADWICK, the new solo project from melodic hardcore turned shoegaze act Hundredth's vocalist and lead songwriter just released a first single, which promises to be a rare electronic/dance thing that I don't know enough about the genre of to speak about in an educated way. I do like it, though.
Soul/blues/folk/whatever musician Hozier has a new EP out today, following his absolutely massive sophomore record Wasteland, Baby!. I'm over the moon excited about this and know that a lot of you lesbians are also slowly taking note that maybe you're more bisexual than you thought and I want you to know that that's okay.
The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle has a new single out, her first since 1997. I don't really have any attachment to The Go-Go's personally, but I know a notable single when I see it, so of course I had to snag this one.
Emo rockers Microwave have a new... neo-soul track? Yeah, okay. Yeah.
A track from fictional artist Ni'jah is on here as a part of the soundtrack to Donald Glover's new Amazon Prime series Swarm (trailer), featuring the acting debut of Billie Eilish. Exciting. The track officially features real life recording artists Childish Gambino and KIRBY. There's a full EP if you like what you're hearing here, but this is the only track that officially features Donald himself, though he also produced and wrote for Something Like That, which opens the EP.
Alright, no spoilers. I intend to check out Swarm as soon as this playlist is over.
The hotly anticipated 10,000 gecs has finally arrived from hyperpop megastars 100 gecs. It's their second full lenghth, following 2019's 1000 gecs and 2020's remix record 1000 gecs and the Tree of Clues and it promises to deliver a mixture of hyperpop, hyperska, and pop punk. Can't wait to dig into this one.
Devin Shelton (Emery) has a solo track out today, a cover of Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down. He's been playing this one live for years now and it's cool to see a proper studio version of it.
While we're on cover songs, Skatune Network - the brainchild of the hardest working person in ska: JER - has another new one, this time featuring hyperska icon Eichlers as they cover PinkPantheress and Ice Spice's Boy's a Liar, Pt. 2.
I know we already covered Taylor Swift once this week, but indulge me, as she's also released a previously unreleased cut from 2019's Lover, which is my favorite record of hers. I'd be remiss if I didn't give myself this excuse to put the new track front and center.
Yves Tumor's new record has been named Best New Music by Pitchfork pulling a stunning 8.4 review. Not an artist that I'm intimately familiar with, but who am I to turn away from art-rock when it's being served to me on such a golden platter?
Oh, and T-Pain (yes, that T-Pain) has a covers record out today, so you lot get to all hear him cover Black Sabbath's War Pigs. Why the hell not.
The rest of the playlist is pretty self-explanatory. Lots of small singles. A few notable records (Princess Nokia, Jesus Piece, Foxy Shazam, All Time Low, Black Honey, Yves Tumor), an EP from FIDLAR, and inexplicably, a track from Matchbox Twenty.
Cool shit.