Massive New Track Rundown

Here are the best new tracks currently floating around the internet. The above image is the cover of the upcoming album by Baroness called Blue Record which is due out on October 13, 2009.

All Points West Day 2: 8/1/09

The excitement leading up to All Points West has been building up for months before the concert. I purchased my ticket for Day 2 of the festival as soon as they went on sale. The opportunity to see Tool and My Bloody Valentine headline a fest was just too good to pass on. So of course when it came to the day of the show, there had to be multiple obstacles in my way. The first problem came when I went to print my ticket and it happened to be on the day that my printer decided to break. This meant that I had to drive somewhere to get it printed before the show resulting in my leaving of Boston almost 2 hours later than I wanted. The second big problem was that traffic on I95 was absolutely horrible around the New Haven, CT area where my roommate and I waited in bumper-to-bumper traffic for over an hour.

New Track Rundown

There are so many new tracks being posted everyday on the internet that it's damn near impossible to keep up. For this reason, I am going to compile all of the ones I have been enjoying over the last week here for your listening pleasure in a segment that I will hopefully continue on a weekly basis. For those interested, the above image is the cover of the upcoming double album by The Flaming Lips called Embryonic which is due out on September 29, 2009.

Local Spotlight On: Hazard Adams

Some days there is nothing better than some relaxing roots rock and that is exactly what I got when I saw Hazard Adams on July 26, 2009 at Church in Boston, MA. The band fronted by talented axeman Jesse Friedberg played an enjoyable set of alternative country tunes that would please fans of Wilco or Ryan Adams. Songs such as "I Don't Wanna Be Friends" and "Time to Be Wrong" had a nice balance between twang and bluesy jangle. Guitarist Chris Perry kept thing interesting by integrating some electric mandolin effectively into some of the songs. The rhythm section of Chris Franzen's shuffling drums and Pete D.W's robust bass created nice foundation for the songs to rest on and kept things moving at a moderate pace. The group held the attention of the modest crowd and by the end of the show everyone was bobbing their heads and enthusiastically applauding. Hear for yourself at the band's MySpace.

I’ve Got a Love for Harvey Milk

I'm not talking about openly gay politician who was unjustly assassinated by Dan White although I have much respect for the man. In this instance, I'm referring to stoner metal mainstays Harvey Milk who seized the opportunity to destroy my eardrums on July 25, 2009 at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA. The band is touring on their album Life… The Best Game in Town, which was one of the best albums of albums of 2008 and I'm not the only one who thinks so. They have been active since the early 90s and have helped shape the current state of stoner metal yet they still remain relatively unknown and underappreciated except by their most passionate fans.

It’s Alright at the Middle East

Hot off of their latest album, It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright, Mewithoutyou was in rare form when I saw them on July 11, 2009 at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA. I am not a religious person but that hasn't impeded my enjoyment of the band's Christian-leaning lyrics and themes. Singer Aaron Weiss's words have always flowed like good poetry and the subject matter is identifiable regardless of your spiritual orientation. Check out the new album below and experience it for yourself:

Great Scott Gets Handsome

When it comes to my favorite of the two principle songwriters in Wolf Parade, it's no secret that I favor Spencer Krug (Sunset Rubdown) but Dan Boeckner has given me serious reason to reconsider. Not only did he write my favorite songs on Wolf Parade's last album, At Mount Zoomer, but he also has released one of my favorite albums of 2009 with Handsome Furs. The band consists of Dan Boeckner on guitar and vocals alongside his gorgeous wife Alexei Perry who plays keys and a drum machine. Their latest album, Face Control, is an unbelievably consistent collection of electronic rock and roll. Give it a listen below and support the band if you're digging it:

Keelhaul’s Triumphant Return to Obscurity

Keelhaul, one of the most underrated metal bands and one of my favorites, have issued an intriguing press release about their impending release:

A Press Release Worth Cutting and Pasting (Courtesy of Solid PR):

Stream of Metal

There is a lot of good metal currently up to stream so I thought I would compile some it here:

…And The Hazy Great Scott

On June 29, 2009, I finally got to see Cymbals Eat Guitars play their sprawling indie rock live at Great Scott in Allston, MA. I was surprised to see that local band Magic Magic was headlining over them considering as how much buzz CEG have garnered. After taking advantage of all-you-can-eat wing night at Soul Fire and relaxing with a beer, I was ready to enjoy some good ol' indie rock and that's exactly what I got to do.