The Alternative Weekly Roundup is a column where our staff plugs a variety of new releases in a concise, streamlined format. Albums, singles, videos, and live sets. Check back each Monday to see what we were jamming the week prior.
Le Sacerdotesse dell’Isola del Piacere – 2002
Le Sacerdotesse dell’Isola del Piacere probably could’ve called their fourth LP 1992. They claim their biggest inspiration is Dinosaur Jr., and that influence is felt, but all throughout 2002, the Piancenza-based indie rock band pulls from the various alternative rock sounds that dominated the ‘90s. The searing shoegaze riffs that close out “Totem America, Tabù America,” the emo arpeggios of “Tormalina Nera,” the bursts of noise that punctuate “Cres” before it dissolves into a plodding drum outro—they’re moments clearly borrowed from Le Sacerdotesse’s heroes, but in context, they become essential stitches in a beautiful new quilt.
2002 by Le Sacerdotesse dell’Isola del Piacere
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
dogsneeze – DESTROYER II
dogsneeze make punk music for people who perk up at the description “scuzzy.” Their latest, DESTROYER II is a blistering 25 minutes of fast-but-not-sloppy punk tunes packed with guitar solos that don’t fuck around, wild drumming pushing the breakneck pace, and an active bass that doesn’t feel tethered to drilling away on the chord’s root. The group is playing a few shows in Kalamazoo, Columbus, and Toledo this weekend, which should be ragers if the tunes on DESTROYER II are any indication.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Sentinel – Age of Decay
Sentinel is as good as a “supergroup” project can get in hardcore. It doesn’t feel like a lesser version of any of the members’ other bands (Mindforce, Age of Apocalypse, Restraining Order, Mutually Assured Destruction). Guitarist Mike Shaw lets loose a bit more, adding more crossover flair than he does in Mindforce. But it is in the context of a band borrowing more from Japanese hardcore and other influences, as evidenced by a Bastard cover on their first EP. And Ace Stallings’ growl fits in nicely, accenting certain phrases that are just sticky enough to make you listen to Age of Decay again.
Hugo Reyes | @hvreyes5
Sprite – Sprite
Chicago’s Sprite deal in blurry streaks of guitar and unhurried hooks, the sort of gaze-indebted indie rock that’s the bread and butter of a label like Smoking Room. Their debut EP Sprite is a masterful take on the sound, a last-minute standout in a year that’s seen killer releases from similarly-minded projects like feeble little horse, Hotline TNT, and Wednesday.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Teens in Trouble – “You Don’t Want to Mess with Me”
Teens in Trouble is the creative project of Lizzie Killian, and her new song “You Don’t Want to Mess with Me” is a crunchy rocker that features guest guitar and vocals from PUP’s Stefan Babcock. She says it’s about “being guarded when someone new enters your life as a way of protecting yourself from getting hurt.” Did I mention she also has her own business doing PR and promo for video games? Lizzie is my new hero.
Jami Fowler | @audiocurio
Boldy James & Nicholas Craven – “No Pun Intended”
Of the four records Boldy James put out last year, it was his mellowed-out, endlessly repeatable Fair Exchange No Robbery that stood out the most. Producer Nicholas Craven’s beats—heavy on vocal samples, horns, and clean guitar, while light on percussion—formed a perfect backdrop for Boldy James’ always-smooth delivery. Their latest collaboration, “No Pun Intended,” shows that the duo hasn’t lost that spark, as some luxurious piano anchored by a hypnotic bassline plays off the vocal loop to form a groove under lines referencing The Sopranos and Total Recall. It’s the second track off Penalty of Leadership, their highly anticipated follow up to Fair Exchange No Robbery, out next month.
No Pun Intended by Nicholas Craven & Boldy James
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Codeseven – Go Let It In
Codeseven’s chosen a perfect time to return. The North Carolina group began playing a rough, scraggy style of post-hardcore in the late ‘90s, and over their career shifted into a monumental space rock outfit; these days, the sound they cultivated on their opus, 2002’s The Rescue, is one of the dominant strains of alternative rock. With their comeback statement Go Let It In, they prove they’re still one of the leading bands in the genre.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Jimmy Montague – “All the Same (ft. Chris Farren)”
Whenever someone makes music consciously rooted in a past era, there’s always a danger that it’s too rooted in that past era, lacking a strong connection to the current moment. It saps away any energy and urgency, coming across as almost a nostalgia act. Luckily, this is decidedly not the case with Jimmy Montague’s music, which sounds fresh even as he mines the warm sounds of the ’70s on his expansive tracks. His latest, “All the Same,” is a pretty strong example of what makes his music so appealing. The arrangements are grand but not overly dense, the melodies are direct, and the band sounds precise. On top of that, we get vocals and guitar from Chris Farren and some “ooh la la la” backing vocals provided by Oldsoul’s Jess Hall (who also popped up on Taking Meds’ Dial M for Meds, a record that featured Montague on bass). It’s the first track off Tomorrow’s Coffee—a wonderful and unique album set for release early next year.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week our editor Lindsy Carrasquillo compiles a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We post it on Fridays on Twitter and then include it in each edition of the Weekly Roundup to make sure you don’t miss any of the great music we’re recommending.
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