Sadly the long weekend has been and gone and Friday is yet another workday once more but the weekend is still in sight and daylight savings is over so technically Friday night is a little bit closer than it was this time last week – don’t think about that last part too logically, just accept it as a fact and move on.
Anyway, the music gods have bestowed some heavenly treats this Friday in the way of a huge instalment of new albums and singles. Not only is there a bit of every genre in amongst the mix, there’s even a comedy album to put the cherry on top. Go on, get amongst it.
Aunty Donna – The Album (Independent)
Comedy legends Aunty Donna have stepped things up a notch and dropped a whole damn album of hilarious tunes. From the likes of ‘Chuffed (Dad Song)’, a bass-heavy rap basically detailing the things that make every dad happy, to ‘Best Freestylers In The World’, a freestyle rap recorded in one take featuring Matt Okine’s music side project Boilermakers and Montaigne, The Album is pretty much a laugh riot – albeit one with surprisingly good melodies. Come for the lols, stay for the beats.
Cosmic Psychos – Loudmouth Soup (GO THE HACK RECORDS)
Yobbo punks Cosmic Psychos are back, back, back again with their first album since 2015’s Cum The Raw Prawn. Loudmouth Soup brings you tunes like ‘Better In The Shed’ and ‘Too Dumb To Die’ showing that your favourite true blue, burly blokes are back in fine form. Made up of ripper riffs and pure poetry like “here’s another chorus, went to my thesaurus”, Cosmic Psychos will have you slurping up what they’re putting down.
Mansionair – ‘Violet City’ (Liberation Records)
Mansionair have been a bit quiet lately, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been hard at it behind the scenes. The trio dropped their new single ‘Violet City’ overnight, showing off a highly refined sound amongst the bubbling bassline and the kind of hook that’ll stick in your brain. A poppy party anthem, the track is the band’s most commercial effort yet but hey, who’s complaining? We’ll be keeping our ears to the ground in wait for what’s next from Mansionair.
Underoath – Erase Me (Fearless Records / Caroline)
Metalcore legends Underoath have just dropped their eighth studio album Erase Me, the band’s first release in as many years, and they’re certainly making up for lost time. They’ve thrown out the rulebook this time around, vetoing their previous methods of adhering to a strictly calculated sound and giving any pro-religion based messages the boot, and it’s clearly working in their favour. Erase Me is abrasive, in your face and best played loud. It’s a step away from their earlier work, no doubt, but ‘Rapture’ and ‘On My Teeth’ showcase a solid new direction for the band.
City Calm Down – Echoes In Blue (I OH YOU)
Melbourne indie-rock outfit City Calm Down have just dropped their sophomore album Echoes In Blue and if you thought In A Restless House was special, wait until you get a load of this. Melding dark lyrics detailing everything from white picket fence dreams to crumbling relationship and the juggling act that is life with the band’s signature style of synth-soaked rock, Echoes In Blue is a multi-layered record well worth inspecting. Chances are you’ve heard the lead single ‘Joan, I’m Disappearing’ by now and if that’s not enough to spike your intrigue, there’s no pleasing you.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food (Jagjaguwar)
Fresh off the back of a big ol’ tour announcement, Unknown Mortal Orchestra have spiced things up by dropping their new album Sex & Food. With a title like that, you can pretty much expect a gluttonous treat for your eardrums and you would not be wrong to make that assumption. Unknown Mortal Orchestra are known for their deliciously satisfying soundscapes and Sex & Food surely delivers on that front. ‘Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays’ is a rhythmic, sensual track whilst ‘Not In Love We’re Just High’ is a slow-burning psychedelic freak-out.
Slim Jxmmi ft Pharrell & Swae Lee – ‘Chanel’
While you were sleeping, Slim Jxmmi, Pharrell and Swae Lee delivered a taste of their upcoming joint triple album Sr3mm with the trap tune ‘Chanel’. The tune is a rhythmic, trap meets hip-hop banger with a 100% guarantee, money back you’ll be singing “Take her to Chanel ‘coz she fine” all day. Bonus points for Pharell’s almost comical falsetto which somehow works like a charm. There’s not too many details to go off on the album front at this point but ‘Chanel’ indicates it’s going to be a doozy.
