Every Tuesday at WSUM, our Music Director, Amany, chooses her favorite new releases to add to our music library. Here are this week's favorites, presented to you by WSUM's Music Journalism Club.
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Land of Sleeper
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Ultimate Hammer,” “Big Rig,” “Mr Medicine,” “Ball Lightning”
GENRE: Stoner/doom metal
RIYL: Red Fang, Kyuss, The Sword
Generally speaking, there are two kinds of stoner/doom metal bands: those who take themselves very seriously (Saint Vitus, Candlemass, et al) and those who don't. UK quintet Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs's fourth full-length Land of Sleeper falls squarely into the latter camp. The band fully embraces the inherently silly and campy qualities of stoner metal that make the genre so appealing, and it's clear that the band is having a ton of fun across these eight tracks. Album standout “Big Rig” oscillates between a rollicking midtempo stomp and a crushing, half-time dirge perfect for heshed-out headbanging, and closer “Ball Lightning” ends the festivities on a high note with a ripping guitar solo. Sonically, the band sticks pretty close to the tried and true stoner metal formula, but Pigs is acutely aware that every good trip has its peaks and valleys. The psychedelic cut “The Weatherman” sees Pigs experimenting with chanted group vocals and pseudo-tribal drumming before the whole song comes crashing down at the midway point with one of the heaviest passages of the entire album. The result is swirling, hypnotic and intoxicating – a perfect encapsulation of what makes this release so enjoyable.
— Andrew Schneider
@, Mind Palace Music
Highlight Tracks: “Letters,” “First Journal,” “Cut From Toxic Cloth, My Garden”
Genre: Psychedelic folk, folk-pop
RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Babehoven, Pearla, PACKS, Andrew Bird
Philly and Baltimore based group, @, are pushing to be the poster child of being an indie artist in the age of the internet. Separated by hundreds of miles between Philly and Baltimore, Victoria Rose and Stone Filipczak conspired by sending song ideas over text and recording in their respective homes until they pushed out Mind Palace Music. Although the album was recorded separately, it holds a strong sense of intimacy that makes this album stand out. Throughout the album, the band uses pan flutes, hand claps, folk-style guitar, and, sometimes, what sounds like a grand piano to make a sparse folk landscape. What makes @ special is their innate skills of harmony building. With tracks like “Letters” and “Friendship is Frequency,” the duo embrace a Mama and Papas-like style of layered harmonies where the vocals are the primary composition. The imperfection of the vocals makes @'s music personable and intimate.
— Shea Roney
Runnner, like dying stars, we're reaching out
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “plexiglass,”“noah needs a haircut,” “string”
GENRE: Indie folk, alt-country
RIYL: Hovvdy,Novo Amor, Lomelda
Noah Weinman of Runnner is no stranger to loneliness and like dying stars, we're reaching out is an excellent example. While all the songs have quite a bit of variation in overall feeling, the consistent theme of longing for something or someone that is no longer present can be found throughout Runnner's discography. “noah needs a haircut” is one of the more upbeat songs on the album. The track continues to bask in melancholy despite the quicker tempo as Weinman recounts a bittersweet memory that ultimately questions whether he and the subject were ever truly in love. The gentle blend of vocals and instrumentals on this album offers both comfort and pain to those who relate to what Runnner sings about and creates a beautiful listening experience for anyone that needs a good cry.
— Elliot Novak
