Summer may have come to an end, yet the music is still as hot as ever. From scene legends to breakthrough artists, the sound was still ever so amazing. While I may be many days and dollars short, here are just five albums and five singles that made August, as quick as it went by, unforgettable.
ALBUMS
1) Retrofit - Settle Your Scores
If Fall Out Boy and Big Time Rush had a secret affair, Settle Your Scores would be the love child. This band successfully merges classic and modern era pop-punk into one absolutely phenomenal album, making the title, Retrofit, no misnomer. This album hits all the classic vibes from Simple Plan and Blink-182 to Mayday Parade and Silverstein, it is clear Settle Your Scores had a strong grasp of legendary inspirations while creating something absolutely original. If you want to travel back to 2008 you don’t need a time machine, just access to this pop-punk kid’s dream of an album.
2) Don’t You Feel Amazing - Trash Boat
Pop-punk gone post-hardcore, British rock band Trash Boat has completely transformed into their final form as a band-- or is it their final form? Regardless, this is the direction the band needed to take and I hope to see more music that sticks with this post-hardcore shift. Don’t You Feel Amazing is Trash Boat’s most developed and best-sounding album to date, and quite frankly might be the album that puts them on the map if they weren’t already on there already. I was absolutely surprised with my first listen, the diversity in technique makes this a multi-instrumental and multi-talented collection of bangers. Thirteen tracks released on Friday the 13th, and all I can think is how amazing it feels to be a Trash Boat fan in 2021.
3) GLOW ON - Turnstile
Speaking of bands that feel amazing to be a fan of, Turnstile have made their mark with another soon to be a legendary album, GLOW ON. Their first album in three years and once again prove that hardcore was made for Turnstile. It almost felt as if Turnstile had gone under the Shikari Sound System treatment with this latest release, yet make no mistake, for GLOW ON is 100% a Turnstile sensation. Although now that I mention it… it would be cool to have a Turnstile x Enter Shikari collaboration… I think that would break the boundaries on what is possible though, haha.
4) NEED - 3OH!3
As soon as I heard 3OH!3 was making their return, I was absolutely thrilled, yet anxious with what would be the outcome. In my mind, 3OH!3 peaked in 2010 with their album I Can Do Anything. While I was not sure what to expect, I definitely did not predict I would be traveling back to 2009 with similar sounds to their hit album WANT which features “DONTTRUSTME.” Very much pun intended, NEED is the album we would never ask for but we all needed to come out. I thought I knew what new 3OH!3 sounded like, yet with their classic sound they also brought in some new twists, especially with the track “I'M SO SAD,” which ultimately sounds like if Weezer co-wrote the song. All in all, I find myself partying to this album just the same.
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5) Mood Ring - Kississippi
An album wholly composed of pop anthems that will have you dancing around your kitchen and singing in your bedroom. We all need a little pop in our lives, and Kississippi perfectly quenches that thirst with her sophomore album, Mood Ring. An album that is both energizing yet relaxing, as if it was the musical equivalent to a perfectly balanced Sativa and Indica hybrid. After each listen I am left with an aftertaste of serenity and instantly find myself craving another replay. Once again, I am quite upset no one has told me about Kississippi before now, yet I am happy to be vibing in paradise with Mood Ring.
SINGLES
1) “Deadbeat” - Between You And Me
It comes as no surprise that starting off the singles is “Deadbeat” by Between You And Me. I have been a huge fan of Between You And Me ever since I had first seen them open for Roam in 2018, always jamming their discography any chance I had. That being said, “Deadbeat” blows every other song they ever made into smithereens. This track is instrumentally, lyrically, and vocally more developed than any other Between You And Me track to date, which only excites me to hear what else may be in store. I promised a full review of this song, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. My only complaint? The song was over far too soon.
2) “Manic Dreams” - Wave Break
As soon as I heard that rippin’ guitar intro for the first time I knew this would be round-up worthy. On my favorite day, Friday the 13th, Wave Break dropped the killer single “Manic Dreams.” Instantly I became hooked, becoming everything I craved musically and more. A power pop rock punch that will leave the listener wanting more. Lyrically relatable and instrumentally on point, I found myself comparing this track to the likes of Against The Current. Strong punch, smooth aftertaste, catchy chorus that gets stuck in your head-- the perfect cocktail that will leave you with a bangover.
3) “Flame” - New Saviors
Keeping the heat going is New Saviors with their single, “Flame.” Immediately I am brought into my main element, hard rock n roll. A modern retro hard rock tune that brought me back to my roots while amplifying everything I live and breathe today. Growing up, my parents would raise me heavily on classic rock, country rock, and hard rock. My dad would pick apart the riffs from classic bands like The Who and The Clash while my mother would blast tracks from The Ramones and The Beatles. As I listened to “Flame” I felt the flame of my youth ignite inside me. Suddenly I am no longer in my room, but sitting around a fire in my backyard with Doritos, my cousin, and rock music.
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4) “Eat Shit” - Doll Skin
Ever since Sydney Dolezal “accidentally leaked” Doll Skin’s latest single “Eat Shit” on TikTok I had been anxiously anticipating the actual release. I definitely was not disappointed, because “Eat Shit” was exactly the “Fuck you and fuck off” anthem I was looking for. Everyone needs an angsty upbeat song to bring back confidence and tell those negative leeches and “sick fucks” to get out of your life. As always, Sydney’s vocals are as powerful as ever, holding so much control and range in three short minutes. I have said it before, and I will continue to say such till the day I die: Meghan and Sydney have the scene in a chokehold and Dollskin will only grow in power, especially with singles such as “Eat Shit” in their repertoire.
5) “Street Lightning” - The Summer Set
Let’s take this back, 2009, tunes so sweet it’ll blow your mind. If you had told me a few months ago that I would be including The Summer Set in a monthly round-up post I would have laughed in your face. Me, a person who adamantly stood behind the 2019 My Chemical Romance theory, had thought it would be near impossible for The Summer Set to make a return. Thankfully I was wrong because much like a boomerang, The Summer Set came right back to the scene with a sensational single, “Street Lightning.” The perfect track for a comeback, bringing back the nostalgic sound The Summer Set is known for while also pushing boundaries and being prepared to take off and make many more amazing tracks to listen to on repeat. I can’t let go of how much I needed “Street Lightning” in my life. I am screaming just as I did pre-hiatus, dancing in my bedroom and singing along to the chorus, a bottle of wine in hand thinking of the golden days.
How did we do with our monthly round-up? Let us know down below and stay tuned for September's picks! Yes, we already are working on it. Don't you fret!
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