Mudhoney, Susanna Hoffs, & Old 97's
The week in new music & Dig Me Out podcast
1 Minute Reviews
New Releases
Mudhoney - Plastic Eternity
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🗳 Bandcamp | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify |
Mudhoney, the iconic Seattle-based grunge band, released their latest album, "Plastic Eternity," marking the 35th anniversary of the band and their label, Sub Pop. The album, recorded over nine days at Crackle & Pop! in Seattle with longtime producer Johnny Sangster, showcases Mudhoney's unique blend of proto-genres of guitar rock and keen observations on the absurdities of the modern world. Vocalist Mark Arm, guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters explore themes such as climate change, treating humans like livestock, and the love for little dogs in their 11th studio album. The band has also shared an official video for the album's first offering, "Almost Everything." Mudhoney has scheduled a 14-date Australian tour, starting on April 14th, 2023, and ending on May 5th, 2023, with additional dates to be announced in the coming months.
Thomas Bangalter - Mythologies
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify
Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter releases his first solo album, "Mythologies," featuring an orchestral piece he composed for a ballet of the same name. The album is now available via Erato/Warner Classics. "Mythologies" is Bangalter's first independent orchestral work, commissioned by choreographer Angelin Preljocaj. The ballet, a collaboration between Ballet Preljocaj and the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, premiered last summer and explores contemporary rituals and the influence of founding myths on the collective imagination. Bangalter's score for "Mythologies" diverges from his electronic and dance music background, drawing inspiration from his love for Baroque music and incorporating hints of American minimalism in the 90-minute composition.
Calvin Johnson - Gallows Wine
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🗳 Bandcamp | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify
Calvin Johnson, known for his work with Beat Happening and Dub Narcotic Sound System, ventured to Columbus, Mississippi to record "Gallows Wine" alongside Hartle Road at their Pompeii studio. Situated in Lowndes County, Columbus is the childhood home of renowned playwright Tennessee Williams and near the birthplace of blues legend Howlin' Wolf. Johnson's unique album features songs influenced by this distinctive environment, such as "Pink Cadillac," which he wrote at 16, and the title track "Gallows Wine," a poetic and psychedelic piece. Other tracks include "Crazy Legs," a Gene Vincent-inspired number, and "Orange Aid," which showcases a downtown no-wave vibe. "Gallows Wine" embraces a mix of styles, blending rockabilly with guitar scrape and crush while incorporating organ, fife, drum, and melodica elements. The album celebrates the spirit of rock 'n' roll while acknowledging its evolution.
Susanna Hoffs - The Deep End
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify |
"The Deep End," a covers album by The Bangles frontwoman Susanna Hoffs, is now released via Baroque Folk. Produced by Peter Asher, the album features Hoffs' reinterpretations of classics from The Rolling Stones, Squeeze, and Lesley Gore and contemporary hits by artists such as Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, and Brandy Clark. The first single from the album is a cover of The Rolling Stones' 1966 track "Under My Thumb." Alongside the album's release, Hoffs also launches her debut novel, "The Bird Has Flown." "The Deep End" is Hoffs' fifth solo album and her second collection of covers, following her 2021 release "Bright Lights," which included songs by Nick Drake, Lou Reed, and Prince.
Frenzal Rhomb - The Cup of Pestilence
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🗳 Bandcamp | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify |
Australian punk veterans Frenzal Rhomb have just released their tenth album, "The Cup of Pestilence," on April 7 via Fat Wreck Chords. Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore's Fort Collins, Colorado studio, The Blasting Room, the album includes the first single, "Where Drug Dealers Take Their Kids," which offers a minute and 41 seconds of the band's signature snotty skate punk reminiscent of their classic '90s sound. Fans can now enjoy the new single and the entire album, featuring tracks like "Gone to the Dogs," "Dead Man's Underpants," and "Instant Coffee."
Hayden - Are We Good
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🗳 Bandcamp | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify |
Indie-folk rock artist Hayden has just released "Are We Good," his highly anticipated first new album in eight years, through Arts & Crafts. Marking his ninth studio album, "Are We Good" is a crowning achievement in Hayden's extensive catalog of carefully crafted indie rock, which began with his 1996 debut album "Everything I Long For." Featuring previously released singles "East Coast," "Miss Fort Erie," and "On A Beach (feat. Feist)," the album also includes the title track "Are We Good," a stirring love song co-written with Matt Berninger of The National. Hayden recalls how Berninger helped complete the lyrics after he struggled with the song for a while. The album's eleven tracks were predominantly written, produced, and mixed by Hayden at Skyscraper National Park, the attic studio of his Toronto home. Fans can now buy or stream "Are We Good."
Paul Weller - Magic: A Journal of Song
📦 Book
"MAGIC: A Journal of Song," the highly anticipated book by Paul Weller, explores his life and music through a personally curated selection of over 100 songs spanning his entire musical career. Narrated by Weller himself in over 25,000 words and illustrated with over 450 images, "Magic: A Journal of Song" is curated by award-winning editor and international best-selling author Dylan Jones. This collaboration makes it not only Weller's third and most in-depth Genesis book but also one of the most extensive career-spanning books Genesis has ever published. Despite the previous delay, readers can now enjoy this remarkable book, which showcases the dedication and commitment of Weller and Jones to cover the 50-year story accurately.
New 90s Podcast
Old 97’s - Fight Songs
On their fourth record Fight Songs, the Old 97s refined their alternative country rock sound with a cleaner, genre-hopping sound
By 1999, alternative country rock sound fans had much to choose from. At the start of the decade, the primarily underground and regional scenes were known to college radio listeners and other non-mainstream outlets. But by 1999, major labels Geffen and Warner Brothers were putting out albums and developing artists. On Elektra, the Old 97s from Dallas, Texas, released their second major label release and fourth overall. Fight Songs found the band in transition, moving away from the harsher elements of their earlier years, cleaning up the production, and finding the hooks for radio. SPECIAL GUEST: Tara McCook - DMO UNION
Coming Soon
April Album Review Tournament - Group 2 of 3
Help us pick the album to feature on a future episode of Dig Me Out by voting for your favorite from this eclectic mix of nine albums. The top two winners from each group will advance to the final round at the end of the month. This week, we have Monster Magnet's heavy metal-infused "Powertrip," Fireside's post-hardcore "Do Not Tailgate," and Jets to Brazil's indie-rock debut "Orange Rhyming Dictionary." Additionally, there's Grinspoon's hard-hitting "Guide to Better Living," Smog's introspective "Knock Knock," and Rollerskate Skinny's innovative "Horsedrawn Wishes." Rounding out the list are Acid Bath's sludge metal classic "When The Kite String Pops," Truly's grunge-psychedelia fusion "Fast Stories…From Kid Coma," and Green Romance Orchestra's dynamic rock debut "Play Parts I & V." So, which album should we dig into next? ✊Cast your vote now!
Now Playing
A quick snapshot into the entertainment that's piquing our interest.
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The Hold Steady - The Price of Progress
Ready to join the conversation?
We'd love to hear about any new musical treasures you've stumbled upon lately. Who knows, you might introduce us to our new favorite band! And hey, if you've got any questions or insights, don't be shy - share them with the group.
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