There's a distinctly international flavour to this week's batch of reviews, with bands from Canada, Scotland, Sweden, France and more all releasing albums ripe for our critics' analysis. Cross a few borders with us below, then travel some more by stopping by our Recently Reviewed section for even more reviews of new releases.
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra's new record, Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything, brings an element of fragility to the Godspeed offshoot, but does it make for a great record? Check out the full review to find out.
Next, the sixth studio record from Florida punks Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, finds the band off a major label for the first time in a while, and though "it's easy to miss the perfect, slick arena punk of their major-label duo of discs," the group manage to release a record that, according to our reviewer, "has all the energy and melodies of those songs, with a lot more anger behind it all."
Meanwhile, Scottish post-rock quartet Mogwai's eighth album Rave Tapes steps away from their dynamic, distortion heavy roots in exchange for a much more expansive record, thanks in part to the addition of modular synthesizers.
Swedish indie outfit I Break Horses' album Chiaroscuro breaks little new ground but pleases by running "almost exclusively on emotional fuel," and French shoegazers Alcest "[leave] the majority of their metal signifiers behind" and discover "another kind of heaviness via gorgeous, shimmering melodies" on new LP Shelter.
Finally, the Hidden Cameras' new album Age is the first record the Canadian outfit has released since 2009's Origin:Orphan, but has it been worth the lengthy wait? Find out in the full review by clicking the link.
Hear some of our favourite songs from these albums and many more in our Rdio Genre Playlists:
Pop & Rock
Metal
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra's new record, Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything, brings an element of fragility to the Godspeed offshoot, but does it make for a great record? Check out the full review to find out.
Next, the sixth studio record from Florida punks Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, finds the band off a major label for the first time in a while, and though "it's easy to miss the perfect, slick arena punk of their major-label duo of discs," the group manage to release a record that, according to our reviewer, "has all the energy and melodies of those songs, with a lot more anger behind it all."
Meanwhile, Scottish post-rock quartet Mogwai's eighth album Rave Tapes steps away from their dynamic, distortion heavy roots in exchange for a much more expansive record, thanks in part to the addition of modular synthesizers.
Swedish indie outfit I Break Horses' album Chiaroscuro breaks little new ground but pleases by running "almost exclusively on emotional fuel," and French shoegazers Alcest "[leave] the majority of their metal signifiers behind" and discover "another kind of heaviness via gorgeous, shimmering melodies" on new LP Shelter.
Finally, the Hidden Cameras' new album Age is the first record the Canadian outfit has released since 2009's Origin:Orphan, but has it been worth the lengthy wait? Find out in the full review by clicking the link.
Hear some of our favourite songs from these albums and many more in our Rdio Genre Playlists:
Pop & Rock
Metal
