Ten albums into a long career, singer-songwriter Josh Ritter really managed to strike gold when writing ‘Fever Breaks’. As he says himself, the songs were “reflective of the times in which they were written”, and that’s something that very much gives the record a very personal quality. Also, by teaming up with the legendary Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, the album comes with an incredibly earnest musical backdrop that almost feels timeless. It’s a record that feels very much like a musical travelogue, moving through several moods across its ten songs. In a way that instantly grabs the attention, Ritter opens this platter with a couple of genuinely great alt-country rockers, giving both himself and the 400 Unit plenty of opportunity to release some energy.
Check out the upcoming single from singer-songwriter Sam Wickens
Irish singer-songwriter Sam Wickens will release his debut album ‘All I’ve Seen’ on June 13th 2019. Ahead of the album, a single release ‘Ravens & Crows’ will be available on key streaming platforms on Friday April 26th.
FALLING STACKS – Sarcastic Clap EP
Falling Stacks’ 2015 EP ‘No Wives’ has been referred to as “critically lauded, but non-selling”, an approach that very much shows a humour when trying to promote music that definitely isn’t going to appeal to anyone within the mainstream. Their 2019 EP ‘Sarcastic Clap’ is by turns angular and oddly funky; noisy yet arty…but always disarming.
BANSHEE – Bubble EP
When Banshee released their ‘Say My Name’ EP in 2016, the online press were incredibly enthusiastic. The then still-young band even found a champion in the legendary Joe Elliott, despite their music being half a world away from his own or that of his own Def Leppard or beloved Mott The Hoople. That EP set out the Scottish quartet’s musical interests very clearly – and its combination of alt-rock guitars, poppy hooks and enthusiastic vocals very much carried the spirit of bands like Tonight Alive and ‘Riot!’ era Paramore. Three years on, their ‘Bubble’ EP offers much more of the same, but if anything the guitars are slightly more subdued in places. To make up for that, though, its four songs have choruses that could really stick.
HIGH PRIEST – Sanctum EP
Formed in 2016, Chicago’s High Priest mix doomy metal and heavy blues sounds in a way that’ll be guaranteed to please fans of ‘Americas Volume Dealer’ era Corrosion of Conformity as well as those who’ve made it all the way through the particularly lengthy 2CD edition of Jerry Cantrell’s ‘Degradation Trip Vols. 1 & 2’. Here is a band that not only loves a heavy riff but truly understands that heaviness is at its most effective when applied to a strong melody. As a result, ‘Sanctum’ is a must-hear.