New Music Monday – 3/20/17

This week’s New Music Monday features work from 5 stellar acts:

Downtown Boys
Juliana Hatfield
Mastodon
Hurray For The Riff Raff
Fit For An Autopsy

Enjoy!

Downtown Boys
Providence, RI
“Somos Chulas (No Somos Pendejas)” from upcoming Sub Pop release

An urgent yet catchy punk blast sung in Spanish from one of the more important punk projects currently in existence. Not to be missed live. Powerful, engaging stuff. – tom

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Juliana Hatfield
Boston, MA
“Wonder Why” from Pussycat out 4/28 via American Laundromat Records

Would I have guessed in 1992 that Juliana Hatfield would still be putting out killer, relevant indie rock in 2017? Who knows, I had some goofy music opinions then (still do) and thought we’d have flying cars by now. Songs started pouring out of Juliana after the 2016 elections and Pussycat is the result. I’m digging this song. – tom

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Mastodon
ATL, GA
“Show Yourself” from Emperor of Sand available March 31 on Warner Bros.

This is as mainstream as I’ve heard metal juggernaut Mastodon get, but c’mon, you want to see the Grim Reaper get flipped off and get lucky in the back of a hearse, right? Right? – tom

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Hurray For The Riff Raff
New Orleans, LA
The Navigator

This might be my favorite Hurray For The Riff Raff record. The Bronx born, New Orleans-based folk rocker Alynda Lee Segarra is back with her ninth studio effort. Savannah got treated to a few shows in 2014 when she was touring on “Small Town Heroes.” Her show at the Jinx is still one of my favorite concerts in this city. “The Navigator” is noticeably more rock than the folky “Small Town Heroes,” and spans from upbeat Stevie Wonder type tunes to slower ballads. It’s a melting pot of awesomeness from start to finish. Nerd Note: The mix and production value on this album is really fantastic. Segarra’s vocals throughout exist in this wonderful plain just above the instrumentation, which is far more expansive at times and I dare say more interesting than on her previous albums. — Joshua

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Fit For An Autopsy
Jersey City, New Jersey
The Great Collapse

When I heard the first single off this album, I was stoked. Fortunately, the rest of the deathcore band’s fourth studio album didn’t disappoint. I really appreciate how daring this band can be when it comes to vocals. They are never afraid to explore straight singing in new and interesting ways, which is often frowned upon in the genre as a whole. With legendary producer and lead guitarist Will Putney writing their music, I suppose it’s pretty easy to venture in whatever direction they please. This album’s first single, “Heads Will Hang,” is still may favorite track though. “Black Mammoth” is a close, close second. Thanks to the demon gods of Metal March for this blessing. — Joshua