Alternative Rock – MELT REVIEWS

Clinic Share New Single “Energies”

Liverpool, UK band “Clinic” have been around for over 30 years now, and though that is a long time, the band have not lost their spark. I have fond memories of seeing the music video for “Walking With Thee” over and over on “MTV 2,” and their album of the same name is one of my all time favorites. Drawing heavy inspiration from the band “The Residents,” “Clinic” offer a prominent visual aesthetic to complement their music, usually wearing surgical masks and celebrating psychedelia. Led by founding members Ade Blackburn and Jonathan Hartley, the band are set to release their tenth album Wild In The Streets on October 30th via longtime label “Domino,” and today the band have shared a new track off the upcoming album titled “Energies.” About the track, Ade Blackburn says, “Energies has a late night party feel, a fun-filled combination of Funkadelic, Carl Douglas and Cabaret Voltaire.” You can listen to “Energies,” as well as pre-order Wild In The Streets below:

Wild In The Streets Pre-order: bandcamp.com/album/wild-in-the-streets

BODEGA Share Bob Dylan Cover “Slow Train”

New York quintet “BODEGA” will release their new album All Inside Aquarium this Friday via “Chrysalis Records,” and according to frontman Ben Hozie, the goal with this album was to “go back to melodic tunes, to be more of a proper rock band,” citing late ‘80s and early ‘90s bands like “The Stone Roses” and “Jane’s Addiction” as influences. Departing from the “Post-Punk” tag, a label the band never fully identified with, All Inside Aquarium is a conscious effort to get back to Rock roots, with more riffing and guitar solos. Today the band have shared “Slow Train” off the upcoming album, which is a Bob Dylan cover, and it’s a catchy reimagining of the Dylan classic. You can watch the music video for “Slow Train,” as well as pre-order All Inside Aquarium below:

All Inside Aquarium Pre-order: https://bodegabk.bandcamp.com/album/all-inside-aquarium

Shady Bug Release New Single “seed”

St. Louis-based Indie Rock band “Shady Bug” are dropping their third full-length album I Wanted to be There on October 30th, and today the band have shared a new track off the album titled “seed.” About the track, lead singer Hannah Rainey says “The song ‘seed’ was written out of a screwed situation of a past love trying to re-enter my life after a sour break-up. “You planted a seed I never wanted you to / I just wanna feel fine but now it all seems so screwed…” I wrote this one on garageband on my ipad before bringing it to the band. I was playing with time signatures and also juxtaposition of moods. I am very obsessed with the solemn love songs ala Cindy Lee. Dark tenderness and nostalgia are huge themes on the entire album.” I Wanted to be There will be released via “Julia’s War Records” You can watch the music video for “seed,” as well as pre-order I Wanted to be There below:

I Wanted to be There Pre-order: shadybug.bandcamp.com/album/i-wanted-to-be-there

Niis Share New Single “No Flowers”

Los Angeles band “Niis” are set to release their upcoming E.P. Play Niis on October 23rd via “Rise Records,” and today the band have shared another new single off the upcoming E.P. titled “No Flowers.” This follows their previous single “Earthquakes.” About the track and their upcoming EP, lead singer Mimi Doe says, “A lot of the songs on this record are about fitting into societal monotony. We forget to put ourselves first by doing things that bring us joy and make us feel something, or anything. And that’s something I really wanted to capture with the lyrics.” You can watch the music video for “No Flowers,” as well as pre-order Play Niis below:

Play Niis Pre-order: https://niis.lnk.to/PlayNiis

Queens of the Stone Age Share New Single “Where the Goth Girls At?”

Yes it’s a stupid title, and don’t get me started on how much I hate the current fetishization of goth, but I must admit, this new “Queens of the Stone Age” single kinda fucking rules. This isn’t as cringe as I thought it would be. This isn’t Drake in eyeliner, this is lead singer Josh Homme waxing nostalgic about “Watching the goth girls working the counter at JCPenney and giving goth makeovers to the old ladies,” Homme claims. He then adds, “that’s when I knew the only place I want to be is where the goth girls at. Teenage love, ain’t it grand?” The track will appear on the band’s upcoming album Perfecth, which will drop October 30th via “Matador Records.” You can watch the music video for “Where the Goth Girls At?” below:

https://qotsa.bandcamp.com/album/perfecth

Protomartyr Share New Single “Exalted Eagles”

Protomartyr’s new album Hotel Usona drops this Friday, and though many of us are impatiently waiting to hear this new album from one of the greatest bands of the last 15 years, the band have shared another taster for us while we wait. The track is titled “Exalted Eagles,” and it’s “a hard look at a nation in free fall, gripped by fascism,” according to lead singer Joe Casey. You can listen to “Exalted Eagles” below:

Hotel Usona Pre-order: https://protomartyr.bandcamp.com/album/hotel-usona

Soccer Mommy Shares New Single “Rings Of Saturn”

Following the 10th anniversary of her For Young Hearts EP, singer/songwriter Sophie Allison has just released her first new track under her “Soccer Mommy” moniker in two years. The track is titled “Rings Of Saturn,” and it was produced by Elliott Kozel. About the track, Allison says, “This song is about feeling lost and looking for hope from anywhere. I wrote it during a difficult time when I would often take my telescope out into the yard to look at the moon or at planets. There’s something about feeling small that can kind of take the weight off.” You can listen to “Rings Of Saturn” below:

https://sopharela.bandcamp.com/album/rings-of-saturn

Lambrini Girls Announce New Album “No Refunds,” Share New Single “Bang Bang Bang”

UK Punk duo “Lambrini Girls” received much acclaim with their debut album Who Let The Dogs Out last year, an album that featured direct and confrontational social commentary, and that’s just the kind of music we needed then, and need even more now in these dire times. Thankfully, the band are keeping up their momentum with a new album on the horizon. Their second full-length album No Refunds will be released on January 15th, and today the band have shared a new track off the album titled “Bang Bang Bang.” About the album, the band says, “”No Refunds” confronts a litany of modern horrors, from genocide and fascism to the rise of Al, reproductive rights, and the descent into the grubby basement of the manosphere.” You can watch the music video for “Bang Bang Bang,” as well as pre-order No Refunds below:

No Refunds Pre-order: https://lambrinigirlsband.bandcamp.com/album/no-refunds

Ganser Share New Single “Futuretripping”

Last year Chicago-based band “Ganser” released their stellar third full-length album Animal Hospital, an album that found the band exploring new sonic territories all while maintaining their unique brand of Post-Punk and Art Rock. As the band are about to embark on a tour with the legendary “Bikini Kill,” they’ve released a new single titled “Futuretripping,” and this track is classic Ganser, which brings to mind albums like Odd Talk. You can watch the music video for “Futuretripping” below:

https://ganser.bandcamp.com/track/futuretripping

HMLTD Announce New Album “FANGS,” Share New Single “I Used To Ride In Limousines”

UK band “HMLTD” are back with an announcement of their third full-length album FANGS. This follows their sophomore album The Worm, which was a heavily theatrical Rock Opera, but this time around on FANGS, the band are celebrating all things Goth. “FANGS is our call for GOTHIC INSURRECTION! It is a return to experimentation, provocation, confrontation. We will never go away. THE FUTURE IS GOTH!” Says the band. About their single “I Used To Ride In Limousines,” lead singer Henry Spychalski says, “It’s the first song we wrote on the album and an ode to failure and success, birthed cathartically at the absolute lowest point in my life two years ago.” The band also says, “We have been working on this album for two years and could not be prouder of it. In the time since The Worm, lots has happened and we have lost our self and re-found it again in this record. It is a return to the founding principles with which we started HMLTD, and is the most HMLTD thing we’ve ever made.” FANGS will be released on October 23rd via “Lucky Number.” You can pre-order the album, as well as watch the music video for “I Used To Ride In Limousines” below:

FANGS Pre-order: https://hmltd.bandcamp.com/album/fangs