Coming Attractions...

I can not think of few other times like this next few weeks, were so many great artists are releasing new material, some on the same day. "What albums am I reffering to?" you might ask? Here are some noteworhty ones:

*Bad Religion- New Maps of Hell
Release date: July 10th


Bad Religion's 14th (yes 14th!) studio album, and first in 3 years, is interestingly enough being produced by Melvins producer Joe Barresi. It is their third album back with Brett in the band, and third album where they made the dumb decision to have 3 guitarists. The first single "Honest Goodbye", while a good listen, does not sound like your typical BR song, and while this may not be a classic album, it's still a Bad Religion album, and is bound to be enjoyable.

*Ben Weasel- These Ones Are Bitter
Release date: June 26th


This is Ben Weasel's second solo album, and first new album of any sort in 5 years (this seems weird for a guy who's band used to release a new album almost every year, and in some cases two in one year). Bens backing band for the album, "His Iron String Quartet", is actually a trio of musicians made up of members of populr bands, The All-American Rejects, and Alkaline Trio. If you're looking to pick this one up at a record store, no dice, the album is being released as a download, and is on a new label that Ben put together called "Mendota Recordings".

*Beastie Boys- The Mix-Up
Release Date: June 26th


Notice how in te beggining of this article I said "great artists" and not "great material", well the latter was actually included until I heard the first single from this album. The Mix-Up was being hailed as the Beastie Boys return to their punk rock roots, where they return to playing their instruments. Unfortunately they took this a step too far, and decided to make the album instrumental with no vocals at all. While this fact is alone was dissapointing, the fact that the albums first single sounds more similar to the sound of post-punk bands than the Beasties early Hardcore punk sound makes it even worse. It is already being reported that the album will see a second release, this time with vocals. Hopefully this will salvage something. As for now I think I'll pass on this one.

*Meat Puppets- Rise to Your Knees
July 17th 2007


That's right, the Meat Puppets have reunited! And unlike their sham reunion in 1999, that only included one original member, this time they have both the Kirkwood brothers, together again for the first time since 1996! While original drummer Derrick Bostrom has decided not to participate on this, his presence is missed a lot less, than if Curt or Cris Kirkwood where not on the album. Ted Marcus, the drummer from a band called "Liz Skillman Group" is taking Bostrom's place. It will be interesting to here what the album sounds like, I doubt it will be their return to the Hardcore punk that they played on their first album, but it would nice to see a return to the Cowpunk sound of their breakthrough album (and one of my all time favorites) "Too High To Die". Even with only one original member, and some what of a new sound, their last album 2000's "No Joke!" was still great, and this one, with Cris Kirkwood, has the potential ot be much better.