Nov 22, 2017

Stuff I Slept On, but Totally Shouldn't Have



by Robert Dean

It’s a slow news week. We don’t have a lot to make fun of. Well, that’s not fair. There’s always douches to make fun of.

Anyhow, in the quest for world domination via my laptop, I miss out on a lot of new releases. I’m always writing or reading, and because I have music ADD, I can’t write while listening to anything but hip-hop. Once I hear a guitar get down, I fall down the rabbit hole and next thing I know, I’ve bought everything on vinyl and now know who’s produced the last three Black Angels records.

Despite reviewing records or writing about new bands, tons of stuff falls through the cracks. So, to fix that, here are some things that I think you need in your life, or at least give a listen to the next time you fire up the ol’ Spotify.

1.  Luke Winslow-King – I’m Glad Trouble Don’t Last Always
This one vexes me. Luke Winslow King is from New Orleans. I lived in New Orleans for seven years. I have mutual Facebook friends with him and yet, he slipped by me.

Either way, be sure to add this track to the playlist. It’s a slow blues roaster that oozes deep soul that honestly, I couldn’t believe came from the Crescent City. In my time living there, the godfather was and still is Little Freddie King. But, but this cat, he’s got chops for days. New Orleans has some good blues guys, but most of the tunes popping off from the clubs feature brass. This is a solid surprise.

I did some recon and checked out his catalog. A lot of it is along the lines of earlier Pokey LaFarge and CW Stoneking, which is super cool, but when Luke Winslow-King does the slippery blues riffs, I feel that all day.



2. Fit For An Autopsy – The Great Collapse
I’m from an older generation of hardcore. I grew up in the music. I’ve been going to hardcore and metal shows for over twenty-two years. I’m picky about metal, and I’m way harsh on hardcore bands. I don’t want to hear singing unless your Glassjaw or Alexisonfire or Every Time I Die. Everyone else, keep the vocals heavy and the riffs brutal.

When it comes to deathcore, I shy away from it because of its obsession with breakdowns. Like everyone else, I love a good breakdown, but I don’t want it to be the whole track. I need other flavors.  I’ve seen the Fit For An Autopsy name pop up here and there but dismissed it as just cheesy deathcore.
Shout out to Sirius XM’s Liquid Metal, because the track Iron Moon off of the new album Black Mammoth came on, and I was immediately in love. Since stumbling upon the band, I’ve devoured the new record. It’s heavy, super tight and the riffs are insane.

Plus, it doesn’t rely on deathcore trickery, which is wonderful. There’s a lot of outside the norm influence that’s not cliché. I hear bits of the east coast pummeling style ala Turmoil or Kiss It Goodbye. You can even hear some mathcore and sludge, too. Fit For An Autopsy is not a one trick pony, which these days, is critical for me.  If you’re craving metal give these guys a listen. I can’t stop.



3. Ian Noe
I saw a bit of his set before catching Colter Wall earlier this month. What I saw impressed me, so I checked him out. Damn, son. Y’all need to get this dude into your life. Ian Noe gives off a 60’s singer-songwriter vibe that doesn’t come off as hokey or forced. He sounds straight out of the Neil Young or Donovan songbook, which is awesome. The vocals are big and bright with that vocal style you just don’t hear contemporary guys do anymore; Ian Noe’s style just feels so authentically American. Many artists try to pull this sound off and fail miserably, but Ian Noe does it with precision. I can’t wait to catch him on a bill again. I’ll be sure to make it on time for his set.


Those are my hot takes. Watch the videos. There’s some good stuff there. 

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