This is possibly an even more accomplished effort than their great debut Lp The Big Roar. It feels fresher as this time we don’t have the benefit (?) of hearing half of the songs on a previously released EP. Some song lengths are noticeably longer (notably on “Maw Maw Song” and “The Leopard and the Lung”) and the guitar work on these is stunning, but otherwise they don’t vary much from the sonic assault of their previous material. It’s streaming at Rolling Stone’s site here.

I haven’t heard a better single so far this year. The A-side (also on their forthcoming Lp Yeah Right) is insanely catchy (I can’t stop playing it!) and the best thing this great Philly band has ever done so far. The B-side “See Thru” is quite good, too.

Although this one hasn’t been as immediate for me as their debut, 2008’s great See You in Magic, it is still a catchy, raucous slab of garage-punk from John Reis (Rocket from the Crypt, Swami Records, etc.) and company.

Some are saying that this is the best, or at least the fastest, Bad Religion album in 20 years. I don’t know if I’d go that far, but it is a more consistent listen than the front-loaded last Lp, 2010’s The Dissent of Man. Overall, all the BR trademarks are here from the numerous backing vocals to super-intelligent, socio-political lyrics, but this one seems to have the urgency of 2002’s The Process of Belief and 2007’s New Maps of Hell and is one of their better recent efforts. The overall feel reminds me quite a bit of 1994’s major-label debut Stranger than Fiction.

Yes, this has been getting a lot of hype lately, but I think that the praise heaved upon this mysterious Swedish outfit is well-deserved. The hypnotic, psychedelic grooves contain herein occasionally make me think of Thee Hypnotics (appropriately enough) as well as older influences like early ’70s Funkadelic.

While waiting for their forthcoming debut Lp Early Fragments (really a compilation of early singles), I am listening to this EP (released late last year) which will be included on it. If you enjoy Allo Darlin’, Heavenly and female-fronted indie-pop in general, this is a worthwhile listen for sure.

From Cassie’s recently-released split 7” with Hunx (of Hunx and His Punx) on the Famous Class label as part of their LAMC series, this is a haunting, acoustic solo recording that sounds like it was recorded late at night. Cassie is a magician no matter if the songs she writes and sang end up in Vivian Girls, The Babies or now her first official solo release. I read years ago that she has a long-promised solo Lp in the works. After hearing this, I want it to happen that much more. Listen to both sides of the 7” here.

The first issue of Jawbreaker’s classic 2nd Lp on vinyl in 20 years and appropriately enough, the 20th anniversary edition, shows that it has held up remarkably well. The sound and mastering on this are excellent throughout. The download code includes tracks from the Chesterfield King EP along with two previously unreleased bonus tracks. A must.

Here’s another 20th anniversary release of the EP that preceded Bivouac in 1992. The title track is also on Bivouac and one of their very best while “Tour Song” has always been of my favorite Jawbreaker songs. Side 2 isn’t quite as strong, but the covers of The Pretenders (“Pack It Up”) and Joan Jett (“You Don’t Know”) are nice tributes if not equal to the original material here (the other original “Face Down” sounds like it could’ve fit right in on Bivouac). There is a download code included here, too, but since all of these songs are on the digital version of Bivouac, it’s kind of redundant if you already have the download for that one.

This is the newest release from Colin Gilbert Sanderson of Manburger Surgical, who I’ve previously written about here. This time around, he’s composed a 20-minute piece in six parts that feels (at least somewhat) like it was inspired by Ash Ra Tempel circa 1971 or so. Listen here.