In Rotation, a listicle for music lovers, and seekers of new and different things to listen to. So, if you’re looking for new music, something different, or maybe music to suit your mood this week, here is the place to get a diverse offering each week.
In Rotation this week, we have a famous Indie Rock group, as well an equally famous Pop Punk group, an …also …equally famous Indie rock/Emotive Rock band, a lesser known band of the Horror Punk persuasion, and an Industrial/Metal band, whose lead singer is the brother of another Industrial/Metal band.
In any case, let us get this show on the road.
Artist: The Shins
Album: Chutes too Narrow
For some people, The Shins became “a thing” for them when the film Garden State came out, and its Indie/Emo soundtrack spoke to many of the masses at that time. Perhaps, even Flake Music was someones “it” album for the band.
Some, however, heard their album “Chutes Too Narrow” playing on a coffee shop CD player.
From start to finish, it is an Indie Rock masterpiece that has all the necessary ingredients for true staying power in the Indie Rock hall of fame. Therefore, you really owe it to yourself to give this a spin.
Artist: Blink 182
Album: Self-Titled
At a time when fans who were used to the childish antics and crass lyrics of the juvenile Blink 182, many jumped ship when the band put out their first mature effort. Those who actually appreciate music, and to some extent Blink 182, were rewarded with their first self-titled album.
Emo Rock, Pop Punk, and deeper, darker, more mature lyrics throughout this unusual entry into the usually far less serious, humorous discography of a band that tends to discuss humping animals in their lyrics.
If all of this sounds appealing, give this a spin right now. If you prefer bestial…their early work and less serious music, maybe do not…
It should be noted, to boost their Emotive credentials for this album, they had one of the greats (Robert Smith of The Cure) share vocals with Tom on one track. So, there is that too.
Artist: Death Cab For Cutie
Album: The Photo Album
Death Cab For Cutie is mainly known for their album Plans or Transatlanticism, and for very good reason, as they are exceptional albums.
However, they overshadow their earlier career, and gems such as this record The Photo Album.
It is the album that is the bridge between their popular sound, and their slightly more grungy, experimental beginnings that was Something About Airplanes.
There is a lot to love for fans of Death Cab and Indie Rock, so it would be a crying, distorted shame if you did give this one a spin…once. You will probably buy it shortly after, but one spin at least.
Artist: The Rosedales
Album: Raise Your Spirits
Many music listeners are well aware of Horror music such as Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett, The Misfits, et cetera but there is definitive subculture of Horror based music out there just waiting for any horror film obsessed fan who might want to transition into the music form of the films they admire. Horror Punk has become a fairly large, oft loosely defined genre.
However, true fans of the music know what is and is not Horror Punk. The Rosedales are Horror Punk, but not your typical recipe is utilized.
To describe their music best, it is like Michale Graves era The Misfits and Chicago went back in time to the ’50s, influenced some up and coming rock n’ roll band, murdered them, and resurrected their ghosts to form a new band. Full of ambient, ghostly gang vocals and harmonizing, Emo love stories, occasionally with a terror-ific twist of the macabre, and you pretty much have the main ingredients of The Rosedales’ album Raise your Spirits.
It is highly recommended that you that resurrect them for a spin.
Artist: Powerman 5000
Album: Tonight the Stars Revolt
Powerman 5000 hails from an oft tired musical genre that is often associated with the Gothic subculture, despite it not being Gothic. However, PM5K is more than just your standard Industrial/Metal outfit with some hardcore thrown in, they are also into Sci-Fi films and ’50s Rock.
The album ends and begins with an old school ’50s Sci-Fi-like narrator, and sandwiched in between is some catchy Alternative Rock/Industrial/Metal with highlights such as “When Worlds Collide,” “Nobodys Real,” a cover of The Cars ” Let the Good Times Roll,” and their surprise ’50s Rock slow churner “Watch The Sky For Me.” For the record, this writer verified that the ending little diddy is actually all their own.
So, if your obsessed with late ’90s/Early 2000s Industrial Metal, but are looking for something new, or perhaps unique music, give it a spin, kids.
This concludes this week’s In Rotation music listing, and come back next week for another eclectic helping of the new, the old, and the weird in music. Thank you for taking a short journey into a vast collection of various genres that hopefully will give you something new to listen to this week.
Stay tuned or next week’s In Rotation.
[Images Courtesy Of The Respective Bands In This List]
