Lollipop Magazine

Gin Wigmore – Feels Like Me – Music Stream

August 17, 2020

Randy Newman’s bouncy piano work and raspy, optimistic female vocals feel like the first sip of coffee in the morning or a cool breeze coming across the park.

Horseneck – School’s Out – Music Stream

August 16, 2020

The sound is ’70s enough, the vocal snarl is acceptable, and the sing-song “no more pencils” is delightful, but there’s really nothing new brought to the song.

Carach Angren – Operation Compass – Music Stream

July 16, 2020

The double-bass is too far forward, the guitars are an afterthought, and the horror strings don’t take the moonlight until three minutes into this snoozer.

Mrs. Piss – Knelt – Music Stream

July 1, 2020

“Downer Surrounded by Uppers” is more fist-pumping L7 yowl and Medicine fuzz, “Knelt” is a gorgeous sludge crawl, like Kylsea, or other plodding stoner doom.

Alestorm – Fannybaws – Music Stream

June 13, 2020

While it’s Alestorm on autopilot, “Fannybaws” is fine pirate metal. There’s a ship, beards, yo-ho-ho choruses, a blistering solo, and a midget. No wenches?

Green Day – Dreaming – Music Stream

June 7, 2020

“Dreaming” is probably not the first Blondie song that comes to mind, but the dog looking wistfully out the window during these Stay Home times hits the mark.

Behemoth – A Forest – Music Stream

May 16, 2020

Behemoth release their blackened cover of The Cure’s ’80s classic, “A Forest.” The band scorch the forest, leveling all nuance, and pave it over with thick tar.

Tribulation – Strains of Horror – Music Stream

December 3, 2019

Six and a half minutes of fog and reverb-drenched awe. Calls to mind Fields of the Nephilim’s live Earth Inferno and Tiamat’s breakthrough Wildhoney.

Evanescence – The Chain (from Gears 5) – Music Stream

November 27, 2019

Evanescence return with their first new rock recording in eight years, “The Chain (from Gears 5),” a cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic.

Leah – Redemption – Music Stream

November 17, 2019

British Columbia, Canada’s “metal Enya” releases a Christmas/winter-themed album, 8 tracks deep, on November 11th.