New Music Weekend: THE MONKEES, Architects, Thrice, Beth Orton, and More

Hey there music lover! You like new stuff? Great! You’ve stumbled into the perfect corner of the internet.  Each week all sorts of audiolicious goodies are unleashed onto the masses and this is where they come to be judged. I’ll tell ya what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s a waste of your precious time. So strap on your headphones and let’s take a ride!

The Big News

It should come as no surprise to the seven people that regularly read this column that I am very, very excited about Good Times!, the new album from one of my all-time favorite bands, The Monkees. Yep! I come from the generation of kids that grew up watching the Monkee’s revival on MTV and VH1. I’m also the type of person that would punch you repeatedly in the neck if you say a cross word about Michael Nesmith, who is THE MAN. And if you think the Monkee’s are unworthy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame then you are an idiot.

Anyway, the first Monkee’s rekkid in 20 years surfaces this week. It features some unearthed, never released songs written by members of the band and songs written by people like Rivers Cuomo, Ben Gibbard, and the dude from Fountains of Wayne. Pretty solid effort if ya ask me.

Solo Stuff

This section might as well be called “My Recommendation” for the week because it features two of my favorite songwriters, neither of whom get the attention they deserve. First up, Canadian artist Daniel Romano, whose last album was a masterpiece, offers up his sixth album, Mosey.

And then there’s English songwriter Beth Orton, whose latest release Kidsticks is, according to Drowned in Sound a “career re-defining new album” that “repositions Beth’s unmistakable voice inside ten pure, audacious, playful and kinetic songs”.

Country crooner Dierks Bently returns with Black, his first album in two years.

Indie Miscy

Canadian electro outfit Holy Fuck are back.

Oklahoma indie rockers Broncho unveil Double Vanity, the band’s third release.

Sonny and the Sunsets, led by the ultra prolific Sonny Smith, offer up one of Smith’s  “most progressive records to date”, according to our friends at Consequence of Sound.

Metal Mania

That thing called Thrice probably doesn’t consider itself metal but whatever. It’s ninth record To Be Everywhere is To Be Nowhere blasts into existence this week.

British bangers Architects return with their seventh, deemed a near masterpiece by Kill Your Stereo.

RIP
This is the part where we say goodbye to those who’ve hit their last high note. Rock on and rest in peace, brothers and sisters.

Megadeth drummer Nick Menza died suddenly.

My Recommendation

Since y’all brought up The Monkee’s I’m gonna go ahead and recommend that y’all spend a little time with Mr Mike Nesmith’s non-Monkee stuff. You won’t be disappointed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SarFTj_Ojs

Next Week!!
Tune in next week, same new music time, same uiynew music channel, for new stuff from: TEGAN & SARA!!!