The Mighty Mocambos, "The Spell of Ra-Orkon"
Well, isn't that just a party? Those horns, baby. And the bari sax solo!
Sleater-Kinney, "All Hands on the Bad One"
A thing I just noticed: I own four Sleater-Kinney records, and it's the four Kill Rock Stars ones. Is that because of some label affinity or something? I think it's a coincidence, but if I were more of a bullshitter, I'd spin some yarn here about that label giving them the right support and freedom to be at their best. But, no, it's just dumb luck. OR IS IT
De La Soul, "TrainWreck"
While fans waited eagerly for the crowdfunded ...And The Anonymous Nobody, De La Soul snuck out an EP to tide us all over. Entitled For Your Pain & Suffering, it was intended to be both an apology for the delay and a teaser for what was to come. It's a nice showcase for their approach on that record, and it certainly worked in getting me excited for the new record.
Sprain, "Slant"
Can you bolt post-hardcore, post-rock, and noise rock together and make something that doesn't just sound like a pastiche? Or, to put it another way, is a noisier Slint worth pursuing? It's hard to avoid that comparison here, of course. The band name (hell, the track name!) point in that direction, and the juxtaposed roar and chime of guitars is really out of Slint's playbook. But, hell, "noisier Slint" is a fantastic idea, and this album is one that grew on me as I listened to it. Hopefully they don't follow Slint and only make two records.
Pink Floyd, "The Post War Dream"
The Final Cut is a real downer. I know, shocking, but someone has to say it.