Tastes Like New Music Friday: May 6, 2022

Are WE ready for the new Arcade Fire or are WE still smarting from Everything Now, the chink in the armor of the seemingly untouchable indie band? That is the question the being asked as the band releases their sixth full length album, WE. The critics think it’s a step up over Everything Now, but it would basically be impossible to not be. Is it as good as their classic stuff? No. Is it as good as Reflektor? That’s more debatable. The Tastes Like Music crew will have the last word when they do the Arcade Fire listography next week!

Speaking of precious indie bands, Belle and Sebastian also have a new album dropping. A Bit of Previous is their first since the EP collection How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pts. 1-3 in 2018, or if you’re counting it, the Days of the Bagnold Summer OST from 2019. It’s their first real LP since Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance, which came out in 2015. The band keeps busy. Critics mostly think it sounds like the other Belle and Sebastian albums from this millennium, which is good.

The Waterboys are not indie rock, but their anthemic folk and or rock sound has undoubtably inspired many an indie band. Their latest is All Souls Hill, which is their 15th album in their now 40-plus year career.

Sharon Van Etten releases her sixth full-length album We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong. 

Norwegian pop singer Sigrid teams up with Bring Me The Horizon on her new album How To Let Go. The sound moves between synth-pop, rock and folk and so far it’s attracting good reviews.

White rapper Jack Harlow has an album out. It’s called Come Home the Kids Miss You. He’s had a few #1’s on the Billboard Hot 100, and was involved with Lil Nas X on Industry Baby, but nothing he’s ever done has excited the critics, so buyer beware.

Some hard rock blasts from the past are releasing albums as well. Three Days Grace with Explosions, their seventh and Halestorm with the appropriately titled Back From the Dead.

Not to alarm anyone, but Harder Than It Looks, a new album from Canadian cheese-pop-punkers Simple Plan is out. Their latest comes on the 20th anniversary of their “classic” debut No Pads, No Helmets … Just Balls.

Neil Young has a troika of new live albums out, including Royce Hall 1971, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 1971, and Citizen Kane Jr. Blues. Finally, John Bonham’s daughter, Deborah has a new album out. The Bonham-Bullick band features Paul Rodgers’ guitarist Peter Bullick teaming with the Zeppelin-legend’s daughter for an album of bluesy covers.

More releases

SUPER CHAMPION – Otoboke Beaver
Radiate Like This – Warpaint
Endless Rooms – Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Let It Be Blue – !!!
My Echo, My Shadow, My Cover – AWOLNATION
Headful of Sugar – Sunflower Bean
*Happiness Not Included – Soft Cell
Misery Made Me – Silverstein

Singles

Carly Rae Jepsen is back!

NEWS

Official 2022 Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame Class:

• Eminem
• Dolly Parton
• Duran Duran
• Lionel Richie
• Pat Benatar
• Carly Simon
• Eurythmics

It’s a weak class, but there’s not many classic rockers left to get in… unless you count all the metal and prog bands still waiting. Judas Priest gets in through the back door with a lame award for “musical excellence”. Boo you, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and your metal snobbery.