Taking cues from the feedback haze of The Jesus and Mary Chain and the cold pulse of Joy Division, Black Market Heart thrive in that tight space between distortion and melody. Tina’s basslines grind and move with purpose, Medina’s drums hit with stripped-down force, and Robinson’s guitar cuts sharp and bright through the fog. It’s music designed for low lights, empty overpasses, and that stretch of road where the city opens up and you can almost pretend you’re alone. Recorded in just two days at Kitten Robot Studios with Los Angeles underground mainstay Paul Roessler, known for his work with The Screamers and 45 Grave, What Happens in the Dark captures the band in a live-wire state. Minimal takes. No studio gloss. Just volume, tape, and instinct. The vocals, often submerged in earlier recordings, are more exposed this time. Brugnoletti’s added harmonies bring a heavier presence, giving the songs weight without sanding down their edge.
Mad Honey announced their new record last month with “Reaching” and “Marie’s Song,” permeating the band’s sound with their growth and friendship. Stereogum shared the news, praising the new songs by saying, “‘Reaching’ is a soft and detached chug… 'Marie's Song' is the one that really convinced me to post this one. It's a soft, longing slowcore lullaby with some absolutely shattering vocals from bandleader Tuff Sutcliffe.”
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On Eyes Full, every song circles the idea of seeing and being seen. The album looks closely at the lives of working-class people in small towns, and its cast of characters — from a kid benumbed by medication to a man who plays hide-and-seek with God — are drawn with an aching, unsentimental tenderness. “I hope these songs touch people’s hearts,” Amba says. “They’re about people who really need to be seen and heard.” klof
R.E.M. At The BBC opens a deep vault and tells the story of a band that grew up on the airwaves and, in many ways, helped redefine them. Across eight CDs and a DVD in its most expansive form, this retrospective captures R.E.M. in motion, from scrappy college-radio insurgents to one of the most commanding live acts of their era, all framed through a three-decade relationship with the BBC.
For longtime fans, the appeal is obvious. For newcomers, it plays like a masterclass in evolution.
The in-studio material alone traces a fascinating arc. A 1998 John Peel Session finds the band still restless and sharp, while later stops on Drivetimeand Mark and Lard in 2003 show a group fully at ease in its own skin. By the time of the 2008 Radio 1 Live Lounge appearance, R.E.M. sound relaxed but locked in, proving that even in their later years, they could strip songs down and make them feel immediate again. newrelease
“Get out and experience the flesh, blood, guts and grit of this band in all of their glory and
promise.” — NME
“The line between childlike imagination and unvarnished horror is one mary in the junkyard skip over merrily.” — FADER
“mary in the junkyard's breakout moment beckons.” — The Face
