Tigers Jaw - Hesitation

“Hesitation” is the first track I heard of Tigers Jaw’s latest, I Won’t Care How You Remember Me, and it was an instant add to my 2021 songs list, and a vision of what the rest of the album would hold. What’s what? Well, it’s some really good rock that falls somewhere between classic rock and mid-2000’s emo. In the best way.

They sound a bit more confident and polished here then previous releases, but haven’t lost any of the comforting, “listen to this on a Sunday afternoon” feel that makes them what they are. The album is good front to back, but a has a few standouts, including “Hestiation”; “Can’t Wait Forever” and “New Detroit.”

Mogwai - Ritchie Sacramento

“Ritchie Sacramento”, the latest from Scottish post-rock outfit, Mogwai, is a beautifully fuzzy track that fits well into their recent work scoring films, while at the same time working as a terrific, more traditional radio-play single.

I’ve only listened to a few cuts from the album, As The Love Continues, which is out now, but they’re also fantastic; epic yet minimal, experimental yet accessible in the way that a lot of their recent work has been.

Curious about the title? There’s a story for that:

Ritchie Sacramento’s title came from a misunderstanding a friend of ours had about how to say Ryuichi Sakamoto. The lyrics were inspired by a story Bob Nastanovich shared about his friend and bandmate David Berman who proclaimed “Rise Crystal Spear” as he threw a shovel at a sports car. The song is dedicated to all the musician friends we’ve lost over the years. ~ Stuart Braithwaite

PUP - Kids

PUP recently came out with Morbid Stuff, a terrific follow-up to their eventual classic, 2016’s The Dream Is Over and it’s great stuff. The first single, “Kids”, is both hopeful and super depressing at the same time. From their press release:

“‘Kids’ is a love song from one nihilistic depressive to another. It’s about what happens when you stumble across the only other person on the face of this godless, desolate planet that thinks everything is as twisted and as fucked up as you do. And thanks to them, the world starts to seem just a little less bleak. But only slightly – it’s still pretty fucked up to be honest.”

Fucked up? Maybe true, but it makes some great art and an excellent song.