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newmusickarl · 1 month

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5-9’s Album of the Month Podcast – now on YouTube with our latest episode out now!

It’s an exciting new era for the 5-9 Album of the Month podcast, as we have just launched our official YouTube channel! Each month, we will publishing the latest full podcast episode as well as individual album reviews and our monthly highlights outside of the albums discussed. To explore all our video content so far, including our January and February episodes, you can find our new YouTube channel here. And please, be sure to like and subscribe!

For those new here, the 5-9 Album of the Month Podcast is where I take a seat alongside 5-9 Editor Andrew Belt and Check This Out’s Kiley Larsen to review five high profile album releases from the past month in music, and ultimately name one as our Album of the Month at the end of the discussion. On the Spotify version, we also have some insightful background information to each album from Blinded By The Floodlight’s Matthew McMcLister and you can also hear our picks of the best songs from each record!

For our February 2024 episode, the five albums we discuss are:

Girl With No Face by Allie X

Phasor by Helado Negro

TANGK by IDLES

Prelude To Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party

Loss of Life by MGMT

If you want to listen to this or any previous episodes simply follow the links below, but also be sure to follow 5-9 Blog on Instagram, Twitter and now YouTube for more news and polls relating to the podcast.

Listen to the new episode on Spotify here

Watch the latest episode on YouTube here

Choose which album joins our April 2024 lineup by voting in our poll here

Album & EP Recommendations

Filthy Underneath by Nadine Shah

Whilst everyone was going through their own personal turmoil during the last few years, much revered musician Nadine Shah was going through a particularly tumultuous time. Not long after releasing her 2020 album Kitchen Sink, Nadine would tragically lose her cancer-stricken mother during the height of the COVID-pandemic. Locked in isolation with her grief, Nadine entered a downward spiral that would play out over the next two years, with heavy substance abuse leading to depression, divorce and even an attempt to take her own life in 2022. Thankfully Nadine survived, agreeing to enter rehab where she would get the help and support she desperately needed.

Now out of rehab, substance-free and most importantly finding her happiness again, Nadine has returned with a new album that is just an absolute tour de force from beginning to end. Playing out almost like a cathartic exorcism of all the demons that have plagued her the last few years, Filthy Underneath is the sound of Nadine laying everything bare for the listener. Brutally raw, deeply personal and gracefully honest, the heavy lyrical inspiration for each track is carefully balanced with liberating, synth-drenched and rhythmic instrumentation, with the live-sounding production adding a theatrical touch to proceedings too.

While it’s an album best experienced as a complete work from start to finish, there are a few standout moments here. None more so than Greatest Dancer, a song where Nadine recalls getting high on her mum’s prescription medicine in front of an episode of Strictly Come Dancing, with pulsating synths reverberating and tribal drums pounding away as she recounts her feelings in that moment. Sad Lads Anonymous is another high point, a poetic spoken word confessional that sees Nadine describe her woes to a work experience kid in an awards show bathroom. Both these tracks present the whole album as a microcosm, filled with sounds that draw you in and make you want to dance, whilst the stories at the core are quite dark and harrowing. It all eventually culminates in the album’s hardest moment, French Exit, an ominously tense track on which Nadine openly confronts her suicide attempt. It’s a truly devastating end to an utterly enthralling record.

It’s no secret that often the darkest times can produce the greatest art. Filthy Underneath is a testament to that, with Nadine bravely and openly sharing her story as both a lesson to others but also, no doubt, her own personal catharsis. Shocking and upsetting at points yet always refreshingly honest and completely captivating, this is without a doubt one of the best albums of the year so far.

Watch the video for Greatest Dancer here

Listen to the full album here

Bleachers by Bleachers

As a producer, Jack Antonoff is partly responsible for some of my favourite records in recent years, working his magic on career-best efforts from the likes of St. Vincent, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, The 1975 and, of course, Taylor Swift. It’s strange then that up until now, his own band Bleachers haven’t done much for me. Instead, Antonoff has been more engaging musically to me when he’s working in the studio behind the scenes than performing out in front. However with this new self-titled effort, their first on new label Dirty Hit, Bleachers might be starting to finally win me over.

Let me start with the caveat that admittedly there’s not too much originality to this record. At every turn Bleachers evoke other bands with their nostalgic brand of indie-pop, with their inspirations also offering up more than they do here. Bruce Springsteen is the constant comparison of course, but shades of some of Antonoff’s recent collaborators like The 1975, The National and even Bon Iver also come through strong, which maybe isn’t surprising given both Matty Healy and Aaron Dessner appear on tracks here. The good news for Bleachers though – I love all of those bands/artists. So whilst it may not reinvent the wheel, I actually find myself drawn to the warm, familiar sounds put forward on this record.

The other big selling point of this album though as just mentioned – the collaborators. Antonoff has gone through his phone book and lined up an exceptional list of guest features who lend their talents to this album, which in addition to Matty Healy and Aaron Dessner include Lana Del Rey, Kevin Abstract, Florence Welch, Annie Clark, Clairo, Bartees Strange and more. It makes for an album filled with highlights, including all four singles (Modern Girl, Alma Mater, Tiny Moves, Me Before You) and a stellar back-end run of Call Me After Midnight, We Are Going To Know Each Other Forever and Ordinary Heaven.

So, whilst it may not win any originality prizes, this is an album I’ve had in heavy rotation since its release. With catchy hooks, groovy guitars and a smattering of saxophone, give it a chance and you may find yourself taken with Bleachers’ self-titled too.

Listen here

Beholder by The Blinders

It is sadly becoming all too frequent. Last month I wrote about nothing, nowhere’s financial pressures when writing and releasing new music as an independent artist and it seems Manchester indie outfit The Blinders are in a similar boat. Shortly after the release of this their third album, The Blinders released a statement to say that they were cancelling their EU tour and taking a step back from the band following the conclusion of their UK tour. It is the sad times we live in unfortunately, where independent artists and music venues are struggling more than ever to make a living, whilst the bigger artists and musical organisations just stand by and watch everything else collapse.

Hopefully the tide in the musical landscape will turn soon, but indeed if this is to be the last Blinders record, they couldn’t have asked for a better final outing. With hazy psychedelic guitar passages and passionate vocal cries from frontman Thomas Haywood, there’s rarely a dull moment across the 39-minute runtime. There’s also some of the bands very best moments too, with the likes of While I’m Still Young, Always, Nocturnal Skies and Swallowing Static all standing out.

Listen here

Songs That Aren’t Mine by Matt Maltese

Having delivered one of my favourite 50 albums of last year with Driving Just To Drive, singer-songwriter Matt Maltese has wasted little time in delivering this follow-up project. However rather than all new material, Matt’s decided to take on a different challenge by serving up this intriguing covers album. Taking on much-loved classics from various eras, Matt very much puts his own stamp on the songs chosen here, turning each of them into timeless, melancholic swoons. With his selection including songs from Neil Young, Bob Marley, T-Rex, Prince, Belle & Sebastien, Avril Lavigne, Sixpence None The Richer & more, his unique takes breathe fresh new life into these well-established tunes.

Listen here

Fantasies EP by Bombay Bicycle Club

A band that just don’t seem to miss, indie-heroes Bombay Bicycle Club have followed-up their much-acclaimed sixth album, 2023’s My Big Day, with this fantastic new four-track EP. Very much keeping the collaborative spirit of that record alive, each track features a female guest vocalist to compliment Jack Steadman’s signature vocals, with the wonderful Matlida Mann, Liz Lawrence, Lucy Rose and Rae Morris all appearing on a track each here. My personal favourite is Better Now with Rae Morris but if you’re a Bombay fan like me, then you’re sure to enjoy this short-but-sweet companion piece to My Big Day.

Listen here

Work In Progress EP by Holly Humberstone

Having finally released her debut album Paint My Bedroom Black last year, Lincolnshire singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone is already back with more new music, with this new EP’s arrival coinciding with her current UK tour. Forged out of unfinished tracks left on her notes app, Holly has taken the time to complete her favourite demos that didn’t make the cut for her previous EPs and debut album. Anthemic recent single Dive is still a highlight, but the spacey stripped-back title track, the saxophone-backed Down Swinging and the simply stunning Easy Tiger all hugely impress too.

Listen here

Also worth checking out:, BLUE LIPS by ScHoolboy Q, How To Make A Master Peace by Master Peace, Daniel by Real Estate, The Past Is Still Alive by Hurray For the Riff Raff, Chorus by Mildlife, A Mirror Brightly by Geographer

Tracks of the Week

Broken Man by St. Vincent

The year is heating up in terms of new releases and in the last few weeks, we got news that the ever-amazing Annie Clark would be dropping her seventh solo record next month. Titled All Born Screaming, the first taste of the record is this absolute ripper of a single, filled with electrifying industrial rock and featuring none other than Dave Grohl. We’ll be reviewing the album for our April podcast and I personally can’t wait!

Listen here

Wild God by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Another big artist with a new album on the way, Australian rock legends Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will release their 18th (yes 18th!) studio album this August. The first single is the title track and Nick Cave’s claims that the band are “happy” this time around seem legit, as Wild God is as joyous as they’ve sounded in years.

Listen here

Our World by James

Also due to release their 18th studio album this year, Mancunian indie legends James are preparing to drop their new album Yummy next month. Whilst I wasn’t completely taken with the first single, Our World is James at their best. Boasting an infectious pop groove but with a powerful political message at its heart, it’s succeeded in getting me excited for their next opus.

Watch the lyric video here

The Dream of Delphi by Bat For Lashes

Due to release her sixth studio album in May, which is also her first in five years, Natasha Khan AKA Bat For Lashes is back. Revealing her new record’s title track, it is a typically mystical composition anchored around her ever-stunning vocals. Welcome back!

Listen here

A Dream Is All I Know by The Lemon Twigs

Having been named our Album of the Month in May last year, the D’Addario brothers are planning a repeat in 2024, with their fifth studio album A Dream Is All I Know due for release this May. The singles for the record so far have been great but this title track is the best yet, filled with their trademark harmonies and vintage rock riffs.

Listen here

Passing Judgment by Been Stellar

Having caught them live this month supporting The 1975 on their current EU tour, its safe to say the buzz around Been Stellar is justified. Drawing shades to other NYC indie outfits The Strokes and Interpol, their upcoming debut is aptly titled Scream from New York, NY and if lead single Passing Judgment is anything to go by, it could end up being one of the debuts of the year.

Listen here

Mirror Muscles by SOFT PLAY

It’s great to have SOFT PLAY, the duo formerly known as SLAVES, back making music. Having released Punk’s Dead last year which ended up being one of my songs of 2023, you get the sense a new album is on the way and, based off these two singles, it may just be their best yet. New single Mirror Muscles is the one that adds further weight to that claim, boasting some monster riffs and lyrics that take digs at vanity gym goers, it’s sure to go down a storm this coming festival season.

Listen here

Monkey In The Middle by Marseille

And finally this week we have an up-and-coming indie outfit from Derby - Marseille. Influenced by the 90s Madchester scene, their singles up to this point have drawn comparisons to The Stone Roses and Monkey In The Middle is no different, thanks to its sprawling, psychedelic guitar passages. With some particularly scintillating riffs in the back end that would leave even John Squire himself impressed, Marseille are most certainly a band to watch going forward.

Listen here

Also worth checking out: Gears by Divorce, Change Shapes by Lauren Mayberry, Pull The Rope by Ibibio Sound Machine, What A Devastating Turn of Events by Rachel Chinouriri, Makes Me Violent by Bob Vylan, New World Flow by Joe Goddard & Fiorious, You Make Me Feel So Dumb by Walt Disco

REMINDER: If you use Apple Music, you can also keep up-to-date with all my favourite 2024 tracks through my Best of 2024 playlist. Constantly updated throughout the year with songs I enjoy, it is then finalised into a Top 100 Songs of the Year in December.

Add the Best of 2024 playlist to your library here

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dontlookdown · 3 months

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Nick’s Favourite Music of 2023

It’s that time of year again (three weeks into January because to hell with arbitrary deadlines) where I look back at the music I enjoyed from the previous year. Once again, I’m sticking with the single post, capsule review format I used last year, because it turns out working full-time leaves you with less time to spend on other stuff (seems pretty fucked up if you ask me).

It never feels like my listening habits are changing year on year, but it’s interesting to note the differences in hindsight. For instance, this will be the first time I don’t crown an “album of the year”. Ultimately, there wasn’t a full-length release that broke through my admittedly ridiculously high standards. That said, 17 of the songs on this list come from albums I really enjoyed listening to, and the other 3 are standalone singles, so it’s fair to say the overall quality of 2023’s music was pretty good. I had to put in the time and listen and re-listen to a lot of different artists to come to that conclusion, but it feels like I’ve gone on a similar journey for the last four years in a row now. And, because I always end up discovering plenty of new acts and settling on 20 songs that I truly love that I’m excited to share, I never feel like that time and energy has been wasted!

Below, you’ll find the list of my 20 favourite songs of 2023 (YouTube links in the headings, Spotify embed at the bottom), along with a few words about why I love each particular one. Let’s go!

Foo Fighters – “Under You”

I wish it had been under happier circumstances, but I was seriously impressed with But Here We Are. I’ve never thought of Foo Fighters as an album band (great singles though), but this might the strongest, most-focused one they’ve done. “Rescued” was an instant knockout, and the title track is a potent reminder that Dave Grohl is still probably the best yeller in rock (as anyone who’s attempted to shout along with “The Pretender” in a crowded club will attest). But the song I kept coming back to was the simplest, and probably the most straight-forward rocker they’ve ever made. Something about the chorus of “Under You” really tugs on my heartstrings, even beyond its clear intention as loving tribute to Taylor Hawkins. I always tend to start these lists with a big bright firework of a song. This was the biggest and brightest of the year.

Ratboys - “Black Earth, WI”

I love a big rock song that wanders off into the horizon and takes its time to get where it’s going, slowly growing before your ears. It seems like we’re getting more bands lately that specialise in that kind of thing, in the wake of The War on Drugs’ breakthrough, and apparently the kids on TikTok are getting into shoegaze so there’ll be more to come. Good!

Big Thief – “Vampire Empire”

Another Big Thief classic to add to their growing pile. This is apparently one they’ve been workshopping in live performances for a few years. That work has paid off beautifully.

Geese – “3D Country”

Another rock stroller. This one has some strong Exile on Main Street vibes, with the soulful backing singers and steely guitar touches really making it stand out from the crowd. The video is just as fun as the song.

Yard Act – “The Trench Coat Museum”

I've commented before on the small explosion of post-punk bands we had in the UK a few years ago. In many cases, it felt like the bands were yet to reach their full potential. Some are beginning to get there. Both Black Country, New Road and Black Midi blew me away last year with bold and unique evolutions of their respective sounds. Yard Act might be the next group to level up, this time by flirting with dance music while keeping the ironic point of view from their previous work. “The Trench Coat Museum” is another track that allows a band to stretch their musical legs, and I love that the song has been stretched to 12” remix length, with all the little shifts in tone you’d expect from dabbling in Madchester town.

Jessie Ware – “Freak Me Now”

Speaking of songs I’d want to hear in the club, Jessie Ware adjusted the disco recipe she was serving in 2020 to add a French house flavour this year. The result was even more delectable.

Olivia Rodrigo – “love is embarrassing”

It seems like I’m going against the grain with this pick. Not that people were disappointed with Olivia Rodrigo’s second album (quite the opposite, she delivered on GUTS), but I haven’t seen anyone else highlight this particular track. I’m not complaining. I’d normally expect a song like “love is embarrassing”, with its fast tempo and new wave-inspired guitars and gated drums to be a perfect pick for a single. The fact is isn’t one (yet) is testament to how good this album really is.

Fireworks – “Veins in David’s Hand”

I’m a simple man. If you start a song with a loud, ringing solo guitar riff, you’ve got my attention. Everything else Fireworks do on “Veins in David’s Hand” holds onto it. Exhilarating stuff.

Model/Actriz – “Mosquito”

As I mentioned at the start, I’m not declaring an “album of the year” this time around. Instead, I want to recommend one specific album that I’d like more people to check out: Dogsbody by New York noise rock band Model/Actriz. When it came time to put together a shortlist from all the 2023 tracks in my collection (trimming down over 400 songs to around 50), I ended up putting five tracks from this album on it, the most from any act by some distance. That’s quite an achievement for a debut release. “Mosquito” is the most attention-grabbing track, due to its pounding industrial chorus, but there is so, so much more where that came from. Check them out.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – “Supercell”

Since getting my socks blown off by “The Dripping Tap” in 2022, I have now listened to everything King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have released. Good band! I will confess that I prefer the harder, more rocking stuff that they do less frequently, but that means I was eagerly awaiting PetroDragonic Apocalypse after hearing it was a return to the thrash metal sound of Infest the Rats' Nest. It did not disappoint!

SOFT PLAY – “Punk’s Dead”

In 2022, having been on hiatus for a few years, the band Slaves changed their name to Soft Play. Being a punk band these days comes with the baggage of people projecting their own weird ideas of what “punk” means onto you, and some of their fans (the kind that like to use words like “snowflake” as insults) had did not like this change. So, Soft Play did what any self-respecting punk band would do in that situation: take all of that bad-faith criticism and hammer it into a red-hot poker of a song. For what it’s worth, I think "Soft Play" is the better name for this band. While some punk bands do have lofty aims about sharp political commentary and challenging discourse, this band has never really had those aspirations. Their biggest song on streaming is about forgetting where you parked. Musically, they’ve always sounded like rowdy kids on a bouncy castle copying moves they’ve seen on WWE (I say this as a compliment), and based on the video for “Punk’s Dead”, the band might agree. At its core, “punk” is just about airing frustrations. Sometimes that just means having fun while making a racket. Which is exactly what this band has always done. Isaac Holman stills snarls like a wolf and pounds the shit out of his floor toms which, combined with Laurie Vincent’s chainsaw guitar work, gives the song the impact of a steam-powered sledgehammer. Blunt? Sure, but “Punk’s Dead” is not a song that’s aiming for subtlety. It’s a purposeful spit in the eye of people who cling to a narrow view of a genre that outgrew them a long time ago: “JOHNNY ROTTEN IS TURNING IN HIS BED! I WAS GONNA SAY ‘GRAVE’ BUT THE FUCKER AIN’T DEAD!” Welcome back, lads.

White Reaper – “Fog Machine”

Speaking of things not being dead, any old fart complaining about the lack of rock music being made these days needs to listen to White Reaper and shut the fuck up.

Militarie Gun – “Never Fucked Up Once”

The thing about punk singers is that they don’t so much “sing” as “chant”, as in the vocals are more designed to be sung along with, rather than just heard. So, if a punk band slows things down a bit (but keeps it loud) and gets everyone involved in belting out the chorus? Instant anthem. Despite its title, “Never Fucked Up Once” is a song about regrets. But, somehow, yelling along with it makes those regrets disappear.

boygenius – “Not Strong Enough”

Words can barely express how happy I was to see Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus regroup as Boygenius and break through to the mainstream this year. Having previously sung the praises of their debut EP, my expectations for a full album were high, but the ladies dropkicked those expectations into the sun and scored a boatload of Grammy nominations in the process. As all three members have distinctive voices, people tend to pick apart the songs to identify who wrote what. That’s missing the point, as the songs on the record are stronger than the sums of their parts (regardless of how good those parts are), and it’s the songs that are clear results of the three of them working together that are the strongest. “Not Strong Enough” is one of them, and it just fucking soars. It sounds exactly like the cover art, with Baker, Bridgers and Dacus all extending their reach to the sky. I’m excited to see them rise even further. Song of the year.

Anohni and the Johnsons – “Rest”

By contrast, “Rest” feels like Anohni is digging into her soul for some real catharsis. It recalls the Muscle Shoals soul sound of “Fistful of Love”, but a thousand times rawer. You can feel every cubic centimetre of the studio it was recorded in as the guitars and drums smash into each other and echo off the walls. Spiritual and spellbinding.

Nation of Language – “Spare Me the Decision”

An echo of a different kind, now. I last spoke about Nation of Language back in 2021, when they were specialising in the kind of upbeat synthpop tunes that I enjoy a lot. In 2023, they got darker on their third album Strange Disciple, with sparser arrangements that sound more unsettled. Single “Weak In Your Light” was a genuine shock when I first heard it. “Spare Me the Decision” is brighter than that, but still carries a deep sadness with it. It deliberately holds back from giving too much. Even as multiple synths start to build up, they mostly only play single sustained notes, giving everything a sense of trepidation that befits the title.

Julie Byrne – “Portrait of a Clear Day”

It’s hard to add anything when the title of a song tells you everything you need to know. This is atmospheric and beautiful and the most graceful thing I heard all year.

Sufjan Stevens – “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”

The incredible thing about Sufjan Stevens is that, despite working for decades within his own specific niche to the point where you could’ve guessed that “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” was a song of his based solely on the title, he’s still finding ways to push the boundaries of that niche. Like all of his albums (even the ones that are supposedly about specific American states), Javelin was full of beautifully delicate songs of longing. But these songs were more direct than usual, and supported by expansive arrangements that allow them to grow and blossom into much larger statements on life.

Indigo De Souza – “Younger & Dumber”

There’s plenty of great moments across these 20 songs, but none quite as meaningful as the 2:50 mark in “Younger & Dumber” where Indigo De Souza spreads her wings and sings “And the love I feel is so powerful it can take you anywhere”. This is a slow burning fire that will leave your soul singed.

Joanna Sternberg – “I've Got Me”

I hesitate to call this one “cute” considering how much it focuses on self-deprecation, but that is my first thought when hearing songs as understated as this. It feels like every line should be punctuated with an exclamation mark that is both ironic and earnest at the same time, especially as a bouncing bassline makes an appearance and Joanna’s grows in confidence. It’s a song that can be interpreted in opposing ways depending on your mood. As a closer, I think it’s pretty perfect.

Thanks for reading! If you fancy reading more from me, I’ve done similar lists/series for every year going back to 2011 (and basic lists for 2008-2010). Just copy and paste this link (https://dontlookdown.tumblr.com/tagged/best-of-20xx) and edit the year to see them!

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