Blur "The Magic Whip"

It's 2015 and there's a new Blur.  The forerunners of the spiraling Brit-pop explosion of the early nineties (alongside infamous rabblerousers, the Brothers Gallagher), Blur's 1991 debut "Leisure" broke the band into the BBC Radio mainstream like a fuse to a powder keg.  Enigmatic frontman Damon Albarn's melancholic musings on suburban drudgery and bratty nose-thumbing to Brittania traditionalism paired with the needlessly infectious hooks of founding member Graham Coxon made for a barnstorming pop powerhouse that chugged through seven well-received albums.  Outside of Blur, Albarn's kept busy with various side projects including Gorillaz and his own solo album this year- which makes you wonder, where does he find the time for another Blur album?

The answer: He's simply good at what he does.  Recorded over a short stretch of festival dates the band was playing amidst the summer of 2014, Blur (featuring the return of Coxon for the first time since his outing amidst the 2009 "Think Tank" sessions) have returned with "The Magic Whip".  Pensive and subdued, "Whip" plays cool and confidently; the sound of a band that has eased into its own self-awaredness with pomp and bravado.  The textures and production from years of record-foraging and sideprojects is there, but the fretwork is much more restrained than their younger years- this is a band that has come of age with grace and dignity.

Grab YOUR copy of Blur's "The Magic Whip" RIGHT HERE!

Built To Spill- "Untethered Moon"

There has been a dearth of Built To Spill in the record bins for six years. 2009's "There Is No Enemy" was decidedly a hit among Built To Spill fans and die-hard advocates of janky 90's guitars, their reach as a band has seemingly tapered in the last decade (due, in part, to their constant disbanding). Formed in 1992 by frontman Doug Martsch, their latest offering- "Untethered Moon" is consistent Built To Spill at it's finest.  The hooks and earnest songwriting is there, the fuzzy choruses are also in check- it's hard not to beat the alternative 90's mainstays, their undeniable ability to out perform the myriad of bands that have tried to cop their style is insurmountable.  "Untethered Moon" is a true testament to the longevity of a band that relentlessly releases albums at their own accord, just as well as the day they started.

Get your copy of Built To Spill's "Untethered Moon" RIGHT HERE!

Martn Gore- "MG"

Martin Gore, one of the pivotal founding members of Depeche Mode, has never been an outward artist- his calming demeanor and elegant tone has always been balanced by an extremely prolific output and modest presence.  The man responsible for penning some of Depeche Mode's most popular hits, Gore seems to have a restless side; spending at least five days a week in his studio crafting songs.  With a resume of writing credits and Mode responsibilities, he's also managed to release albums with Vincent Clarke under the name VCMG and his recent solo album, "MG".

Devoid of any vocals, "MG" is a synth-laden science fiction opus of midnight movie fare at its finest.  There's hints of Depeche Mode formula throughout, but Gore manages to craft something individual of his roots- a moody soundscape of otherworldly instrumentals and film score musings akin to the likes of early M83 or John Carpenter soundtracks.

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Jon Spencer Blues Explosion- "Freedom Tower"

There's rock n' roll & there's JON SPENCER'S ROCK N' ROLL. Conceived in the early 90's as a brash response to the over-abundance of flannel-drenched Seattle offspring, Spencer's trio of amp-murdering partners in crime have churned out 12 albums of no-nonsense blues rock with swagger to spare.  Their unique brand of cantina-strut and noir cowboy delivery completely avoided the mid-2000's garage rock revolution of NYC (partially due to their having been a unit years prior and mainly because of their unabashed level of authenticity).  Their latest offering, "Freedom Tower (No Wave Dance Party 2015)", is no exception.

Found somewhere in the bottom of a bin in the last record store in the gutters of NYC, the remaining article from the apocalypse could easily be Spencer & Co's love letter to their dying city.  Dipped in their patented blues-tinged grooves and almost hip-hop-worthy bareback backbeat, the album never waivers from its ability to capture the manic energy of their hometown grime.  Vocals echo and punch like a coked-out Elvis Presley, while dodging any semblance of introversion or sensitivity currently riddling modern "rock" effortlessly. This is Saturday night music for the patron saints of the weathered weekend warriors.

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The Prodigy- "The Day Is My Enemy"

The Prodigy burst onto the Essex-driven rave scene in the early 90's with its bombastic big beat thrust and rock n' roll swagger.  Unlike their e-chewing electro contemporaries, their sound was brash, almost punk in both aggressive energy and execution.  From their debut, "Experience", a hodge-podge mash of stadium-dance delivered with crippling machine gun accuracy to their 1996 smash hit album "Fat Of The Land" (whose singles "Firestarter" and "Smack My Bitch Up" broke stateside to even the mainstream rock radio zeitgeist)-- Prodigy carved a niche for themselves through the panache and swagger of sheer energy.  Following a brief hiatus for a handful of years, the band reformed to release "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned" and "Invaders Must Die", both of which arriving to mediocre enthusiasm both stateside and abroad- the key criticism being that the group had lost the edge that sliced its way ahead of their peer.

2014's "The Day Is My Enemy" is relentlessly a return to form for The Prodigy, with a violent and visceral collection of new songs that sound like they could have easily been recorded amidst their "Fat Of The Land" heyday.  There's no punches being pulled here-- reformed, rejuvinated and clearly out for blood.  The synths blast like punk guitars, members Keith Flint and Maxim deliver paranoia-spewed vocals with snarled viciousness, and every drum hit socks like a punch to the skull-- THIS is The Prodigy you knew and loved.

Grab YOUR copy of The Prodigy's "The Day Is My Enemy" RIGHT HERE!