Brian Fallon - Painkillers (2016)

Genre: Folk / Punk / Alternative Rock
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: The Gaslight Anthem, Tom Gabel, Chuck Ragan
Track List:
- A Wonderful Life
- Painkillers
- Among Other Foolish Things
- Smoke
- Steve McQueen
- Nobody Wins
- Rosemary
- Red Lights
- Long Drives
- Honey Magnolia
- Mojo Hand
- Open All Night

Description:
I'm just going to get this out there right now, I'm not a fan of the Gaslight Anthem.  I mean, yeah, I have The '59 Sound, but I think everyone does.  I'm not saying they are bad by any means, they are very good, it's just not my cup of tea.  Matter of fact, I'm not even a tea kind of guy, I prefer coffee.  Brian Fallon's solo album, Painkillers, is that coffee.  I don't know why I enjoy this so much more than anything Gaslight has released, but for me it has more substance and it could have easily been a Gaslight album.  I get a lot of blues and country vibes from this as well, nothing overbearing but enough to notice.  This was a request and a lot of times the requests don't get filled because I don't personally enjoy the bands requested, and I was expecting the same thing with this.  I was wrong, this is a really well done album and I'm glad that it was mentioned in the chat box.

Download Now

The Jesus Lizard - Goat (1991)

Genre: Noise Rock / Grunge / Alternative Rock
Website: Homepage
For Fans Of: Scratch Acid, Butthole Surfers, Unsane
Track List:
- Then Comes Dudley
- Mouth Breather
- Nub
- Seasick
- Monkey Trick
- Karpis
- South Mouth
- Lady Shoes
- Rodeo In Joliet

Description:
The Jesus Lizard was a noise rock band formed in Texas and based in Chicago that put out one of the greatest albums of the 90s and one of the greatest albums, in my opinion, of all time.  Lot's of guitar driven tracks with a lot of slurring and wailing from David Yow who has also recently (within the last couple of years) has put out some solo ambient shit, so check that out too because whatever that man touches turns to fucking gold.  Anyway, I think mostly everyone has this already or at least knows of it and has heard it before but if not you absolutely need to check this out.

Download Now

Run River North - Drinking From a Salt Pond (2016)

Genre: Folk / Indie / Alternative Rock
Website: Homepage
For Fans Of: The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys
Track List:
- Intro (Funeral) Parade
- 29
- Run or Hide
- Can't Come Down
- Elam
- Ghost
- Pretender
- Anthony
- David Robinson
- Winter Wind

Description:
Run River North, formerly known as Monsters Calling Home, is an indie folk / alternative rock band from California.  This is the first release by these guys that I have listened to and it is one of the catchiest alternative rock albums I have listened to in a long time.  I mean literally every track is catchy as fuck and it's just a super fun album that really reminds me of old The Killers.  Or maybe new The Killers, I don't know I haven't listened to them in awhile.  Anyway, this is slightly different than what I usually post but I promise at least some of you will enjoy this like I am.

Download Now

Milk Teeth - Vile Child (2016)

Genre: Punk / Emo / Alternative
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Moose Blood, Nai Harvest, Hindsights
Track List:
- Brickwork
- Driveway Birthday
- Burger Drop
- Brain Food
- Swear Jar (again)
- Get A Clue
- Moon Wanderer
- Kabuki
- Crows Feet
- Leona
- Cut You Up
- Sunbaby

Description:
Don't mind the for fans of too much, because the debut album from Milk Teeth titled Vile Child brings you everything from Sonic Youth to, well, Moose Blood!  It's essentially what you would hear if a 90's alternative rock band traveled through time and missed the late 90s and 00s and ended up landing here in 2016 with some dope ass punky alternative rock.  You can hear some Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins influences in various songs as well, and the dual vocals have always been a soft spot for me.  But yeah, I've been waiting to give this a listen and it's truly magnificent.

Download Now

Somos - First Day Back (2016)

Genre: Emo / Pop Punk / Alternative
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Sorority Noise, Free Throw, Moose Blood
Track List:
- Slow Walk to the Graveyard Shift
- Violent Decline
- Thorn in the Side
- Problem Child
- Reminded/Weighed Down
- Days Here Are Long
- Room Full of People
- You Won't Stay
- Alright, I'll Wait
- Bitter Medicine
- Lifted from the Current

Description:
Somos is an alternative pop punk band from Boston, Massachusetts.  First Day Back is their sophomore album, and most certainly in the running for album of the year already.  Meshing together a 90s emo revival vibe and the instrumentation of waning guitars really draws out the pop punk-esque tunes that were more familiar in the debut album.  They've also done splits with other contemporaries such as Sorority Noise and Have Mercy, so you should check those out as well if you dig this.  Enjoy!

Download Now

Shinobu - 10 Thermidor (2015)

Genre: Indie / Alternative / Punk
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Hard Girls, The Sidekicks, Cheap Girls
Track List:
- Untitled Michael Haneke Project
- 2Tone Tuesday
- The Void
- Culture, Inc.
- Violence House
- Jokes
- Melbourne Cup
- 9 Thermidor
- Back to the Void
- Hell Screens
- 10 Thermidor

Description:
Shinobu is an indie rock band from San Jose, California.  Members of Shinobu also play in bands like Bomb the Music Industry! and Classics of Love with are both pretty damn good bands.  These guys tour with Xiu Xiu and Andrew Jackson Jihad all of the time, so I guess they are in the same range as those guys.  Shinobu's 10 Thermidor is a great album, but I can't really speak on the rest of their material.  It seems like they classify themselves as an Indie Punk band but I really don't get that vibe on this album, I get more of an Indie and emo vibe from this release with a lot of alternative rock influences backing it up.  That being said, Jokes is pretty punk, and it's their best song on the album.  Anyway, if you haven't heard this yet then give it a download.

Download Now

Pinegrove - Cardinal (2016)

Genre: Alternative / Emo / Indie
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Elliott Smith, Alex G, Owen
Track List:
- Old Friends
- Cadmium
- Then Again
- Aphasia
- Visiting
- Waveform
- Size of the Moon
- New Friends

Description:
Pinegrove is a five-piece alternative rock / emo band out of Montclair, New Jersey.  Cardinal is a well recorded and well executed album that really shows why this band was thrust into their recent success.  These guys play some seriously relaxing and enjoyable music that I imagine myself listening to on the docks, drinking my coffee and smoking my cigarette and just staring off into the distance.  It's just a great listen, and can put you in many different moods depending on which song you have playing at the time.  Pinegrove has pulled through early in the year and just might make my top 10 (which is filling up way too quickly, might I add) after a few more listens so I can really appreciate the work that they put into it.

Download Now

Archie Alone - Split 7" (2016)

Genre: Emo / Pop Punk / Post-Hardcore
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Brand New, Saves the Day, The Movielife
Track List:
- Broken
- Mend

Description:
I don't normally like posting Split EP's, especially when they don't come with the other half.  But, hey, I'm in a pretty good mood and I really enjoy this band I just happened to come across, Archie Alone.  Now before I go into a little more detail I want to mention that they have a four song EP or Demo on their bandcamp as well, so I would advise giving that a listen as well.  If you are anything like me 2 songs just can't get you into a band, I need a little more time to be exposed to a new sound and see if I like it and dammit, I like these guys.  The main reason you need to download the first release is because you get that post-hardcore and emo vibe a lot more than the split.  It's a lot more raw and really takes you into the mind of the person writing the lyrics, but when you get to the split you get this polished pop punk sound while still holding on to the emo roots that had been previously planted.  I, personally, got a Brand New mixed with Bayside mixed with that Storm the Beaches band I posted previously.  If I was recommending you stuff based on specific bands though, I'd say Brand New, Saves the Day, and maybe The Movielife.  So if you don't like one genre, or two genres, or any of the ones posted above, you will surely find SOMETHING you are looking for by listening to Archie Alone.  I'll upload their EP as well, if you're too damn lazy to click on their bandcamp link above.

Download Split 7"

Download Through the Door

Superheaven - Ours Is Chrome (2015)

Genre: Grunge / Alternative
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Daylight (Shut the fuck up, I'm lazy), Diamond Youth, Sainthood Reps
Track List:
- I've Been Bored
- Next to Nothing
- Room
- All the Pain
- Leach
- Downswing
- Blur
- Gushin' Blood
- Dig Into Me
- From the Chest Down
- Poor Aileen

Description:
Finkle is Einhorn.  Einhorn is Finkle.  Superheaven is Daylight.  Daylight is Superheaven.  Do you see what I'm saying?  Of course you do, you're a smart fella.  Now listen here, nothing has changed with these guys, only the name.  They play the same type of music, but in my opinion, it's just gotten better.  It's a shame though, because Superheaven is a stupid name.  Anyway, enjoy this!

Download Now

We Love You - I'll Go It Alone From Here EP (2015)

Genre: Emo / Alternative
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Diamond Youth, Superheaven, Dinosaur Jr.
Track List:
- Melt
- Don't Go Burning That Awning
- Cursed
- I'm Fine, You Okay Over There?
- I'll Go It Alone From Here
- As Long As I Die By Your Side

Description:
Hey you, yeah, you!  Come over here, I got something I want to show you!  Are you a fan of emotional, dream-esque punk with some super catchy and noodley riffs and a little pinch of hardcore here and there?  Then guess what champ, I found the band for you!  We Love You plays a blend of punk, melodic hardcore, post-rock, math-rock, and well, pretty much everything all jammed into a midwestern sounding emo band that could have been thriving in the 90s but instead they are going to be thriving now.  I guarantee you these guys go big in the next 3-5 years, so hop on now before you become a hipster!

Download Now

Say Anything - I Don't Think It Is (2016)

Genre: Alternative Rock
Website: Homepage
For Fans Of: Saves the Day, Two Tongues, Motion City Soundtrack
Track List:
- Give A Damn
- 17 Coked Up Speeding
- Rum
- So Numb
- Goshua
- Jiminy
- Princess
- The Bret Easton Ellis School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
- #Blessed
- Wire Mom
- Attaboy
- Varicose Visage

Description:
Say Anything is an Alternative Rock band from Los Angeles, California who constantly put out blah blah blah.  Listen, you guys know who Say Anything are, even if you don't like them most of the time (I'm one of those guys) you still know who they are.  I am listening to "I Don't Think It Is" as I type this, so I can't really describe it to you.  What I can tell you from the first two tracks is that it sounds a lot more raw then any of the previous albums, while still maintaining an "...Is A Real Boy" vibe.  Anyway, give it a shot and see if you like it.

Download Now

Brand New - Leaked Demos 2006 (2015)

Genre: Emo / Alternative / Indie
Website: Homepage
For Fans Of: Manchester Orchestra, Kevin Devine, Taking Back Sunday
Track List:
- Good Man
- 1996
- Brother's Song
- Missing You
- Nobody Moves
- Luca
- Fork and Knife
- Yeah (Sowing Season)
- Battalions

Description:
This release is a collection of previously unreleased recordings from 2006 that never saw the light of day because they were leaked.  So you get the songs from 2006 and from what I can tell they have been mixed and mastered, or remastered, and they have actual song titles now.  Pretty dope release if you are into Jesse Lacey and his acoustic guitar reminding you that 2006 could have been a way better year if we didn't leak his shit.  I like every song on here, and if you're a fan of Brand New this is a must have to add to your collection.

Download Now

Like-Minded - Like-Minded EP (2016)

Genre: Indie / Emo / Post-Punk / Blues / Alternative / Everything You Can Imagine
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Slingshot Dakota, Lemuria, Into It. Over It.
Track List:
- Nice to Meet Me
- My Civil War
- Happy
- Monday
- The Moon Won't Set
- Get Set

Description:
I've gotten emailed a lot of dope tunes lately and Like-Minded is no different with their debut self-titled EP.  I think it's a little reckless to make a comparison to Slingshot Dakota, but man if Like-Minded doesn't sound like a more raw version then I don't know what does.  Now don't get me wrong, they bring their own thing to the table and Slingshot hasn't been on my radar in quite some time.  "Happy" might be my favorite song on the EP because of how twinkly and dreamy those vocals are.  No, seriously, they pierced my soul and holy shit it is so catchy.  Then out of nowhere "Monday" comes on and lives up to it's name.  If "Nice to Meet Me, My Civil War, and Happy" are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, then it makes sense that "Monday" would abruptly change the entire tempo of the EP.  The different vibe and the new vocals being harmonized by the previous lead singer really drew me in.  The lead singer, who I am just now finding out is Cait Darcy (by checking their Bandcamp) really reminds me of Carlee Hendrix with a voice that could melt your heart and then rip it out.  At it's core, Like-Minded is a twinkly emo band but they can change into a raunchy post-punk powerhouse in an instant.  Oh, and "Get Sick" sounds like a bluesy ballad, how the fuck can you not love this?!  I'm done typing now because I'd like to listen to this even more without being distracted.

Download Now

Slanted - Desire For Lust (2016)

Genre: Indie / Lo-Fi / Alternative
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Mitski, Diarrhea Planet, Colleen Green
Track List:
- Man
- Santa Fe
- Happiness
- Golden Child
- My Universe

Description:
The generosity that comes with allowing fans of music to freely download and listen to your creations is truly a magnificent thing to behold.  It's even more magnificent when you are rewarded for being rewarded, do you know what I mean?  It's like when someone gives you the directions to a treasure chest and when you finally reach the X it has been unscathed and untouched for thousands of years allowing you to reap the benefits of the gentleman who gave you the map in the first place.  The proverbial gentleman in this case is Slanted, the map is their website, and the treasure is one download away.  I rarely get into this kind of music, but you can't deny what these guys are doing for the genre.  My personal favorite is "My Universe" which just put me in a dream like, euphoric, state of mind.  I can see any fans of this blog zoning out to Slanted for many years to come, and I would appreciate you giving them the attention that they deserve.  Enjoy!

Download Now

Basement - Promise Everything (2016)

Genre: Pop Punk / Alternative Rock
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: Daylight, Title Fight, Balance and Composure
Track List:
- Brother's Keeper
- Hanging Around
- Lose Your Grip
- Aquasun
- Submission
- Oversized
- Blinded Bye
- For You The Moon
- Promise Everything
- Halo

Description:
So, these guys are considered Melodic Hardcore? I really don't even know what that means.  I'm showing you just how stupid I really am.  Don't hold it against me, please?  I haven't listened to any of their previous releases, but this album sounds like it could have been done by Jimmy Eat World.  Maybe it's just me, but, I doubt it.  Regardless, I am digging this and it's a change of pace from what I've been listening to for the past couple of weeks.  It can get a little monotonous at times, but it never stays that way where you just scream at the top of your lungs, "When the fuck will this song end?!?!".  They alternate nicely between the songs that are full blown lightning in a bottle to the pop punk version of a power ballad.  Basements "Promise Everything" is a good way to start off 2016.

Edit: The 320kbps version is now available for download below.

Download Now