We’re continuing our streak of on-time deliveries and our streak of low-output weeks in this one. There’s some especially good news as we worm our way through some of the year’s most hotly anticipated albums and we even get to take a crack at an AOTY contender from the metal side of things.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
King Woman - Celestial Blues
Every week brings something good and I’m always excited to share unexpected triumphs with you all, but this week brought a real (metal) AOTY contender. Originally created as a project for Kristina Esfandiari to grapple with the complex emotions of a religious upbringing, King Woman takes their already impressive catalog into the stratosphere with Celestial Blues. It’s full of brutal riffs, thrilling drums and unbelievable vocal performances. The entire package is improved by Esfandiari’s excellent lyrics and themes that make the album ripe for re-listening.
If you’re curious to hear more of my thoughts, I wrote a full review of Celestial Blues for Mxdwn.com.
Great Metal from this Week
We’ve only got one album this week. Not that other things were bad or not worth considering but there just wasn’t very much that made its way across my desk this past week. Happens I guess.
Underdark - Our Bodies Burned Bright On Re-Entry: A fantastic atmospheric black album that actually takes advantage of the emotional elements of the genre rather than relying on the same tired textures.
As always, you can catch some of the other songs that were good but didn’t propel their albums onto this list by checking out the Fresh Kills playlist on Spotify.
Non-Metal AOTW
Isaiah Rashad - The House is Burning
After the excellent Cilvia Demo and the somewhat underwhelming The Sun’s Tirade, Chattanooga-based rapper Isaiah Rashad finds himself back on track with The House is Burning. The beat selection is back on point, as are his thought-provoking bars and top-tier voice. It’s a stellar return to form that can only spell out great things for Rashad’s future output.
Runners-up
Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever: It was a close battle between this and The House is Burning but regardless of the winner, Happier Than Ever remains an excellent follow-up to Eilish’s breakout When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?. The album takes a decidedly softer approach, but it suits Eilish’s stellar voice and her lyrical capabilities are both impressive and a major step up from her debut.
Horsey - Debonair: Archy Marshall’s (King Krule) younger brother seems to have inherited some of the family talent. An excellent rock record that is equal parts introspective and snot-nosed — just how I like it.
Things to Look Forward to
One of the most hotly anticipated albums of the metal world dropped on Friday. Also we might get a Kanye West album, who knows. In any case, Foxing is great.
Metal Albums
Lingua Ignota - Sinner Get Ready
Non-Metal Albums
Kanye West - Donda
Nas - King’s Disease II
Tinashe - 333
Foxing - Draw Down the Moon
Liars - The Apple Drop