The sun is in the sky; the birds are singing and we at R13 are soundtracking this glorious weather with a few choice tunes. Here is what some of our writers are listening to this month.
James Stant
MC Lars - Guitar Hero Hero (Beating Guitar Hero Doesn’t Make You Slash)
Californian post-punk laptop rapper MC Lars works his magic again, this time featuring Nerf Herder frontman, Parry Gripp and former Mr. Big guitarist, Paul Gilbert. For any computer gamers out there, this tongue-in-cheek song should be of huge appeal.
Skyfox - Twilight EP
Pop-punk band from Denver, Colorado who are currently signed to Crappy Records, an indie record company co-owned by Jaret Reddick (Bowling for Soup) and Linus of Hollywood (Size 14). A very listenable five-track EP, with the title track ‘Twilight’ being a particular highlight.
Voodoo Johnson - The Longest Day I Ever Wasted
Currently recording their debut album, the Birmingham-based band prove that ‘classic rock’ is still very much alive! 2010 should be a big year for them.
Jim Ody
The Ramones - Their Toughest Hits
You've got to love The Ramones. Quick fast tracks mixing punk with sugar-sweet harmonies. I forgot I had this 30 track compilation of some of their greatest tracks!
Alkaline Trio - This Addiction
The band's latest offering is good, solid and slightly better than the previous offering!
REM - Accelerate
A great band, and a nice middle-of-the-road rock album. Enough said.
Avril Simister
The Blues Brothers- Soundtrack
An essential classic from one of the best music films ever made. "YES! YES! JESUS H. TAP-DANCING CHRIST... I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT!" as Jake would say.
No Guts, No Glory - Airbourne
Album number two from the Aussie hard rockers. Let’s hope the neighbours are fans too...
Popkiller - GUN
I dare you not to dance to the killer 'Let Your Hair Down' and the disturbingly catchy 'Seraphina'. And their new line-up includes Toby Jepson. What's not to like??
Andy Latham
We All Inherit the Moon/Ascent of Everest - Split album
Part of a great series of releases from Futurerecordings; ambient and groovy weirdness that you can download for free (as you can their whole catalogue) or buy as a limited vinyl run in rather cool handmade and printed covers.
Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun
Had this since it came out but it's recently been released in a double digipack with booklet, 5.1 mix and some extras, not that i needed reminding but this really is a perfect slab of psychedelic rock with commercial overtones, possibly their most accessible ever album.
The Damned - The Black Album
For a band often dismissed as cartoon punks this is an unbelievable album, released in 1980 it's the perfect blend of melody, fine musicianship and has everything from the usual fast tracks to a 13 minute psychedelic opus in 'Curtain Call' to the dark gothic '13th Floor Vendetta'.
Jenni Wallace
Kids In Glass Houses - Dirt
April for me is all about Kids In Glass Houses! New album 'Dirt' shows a maturing of their sound as they settle into strong melodies with catchy hooks. It's not your run of the mill poppy rock, it's a layered sound filled with passion and excitement.It also fits neatly into a Welsh filled playlist, working well alongside Lostprophets 'The Betrayed' and The Blackout's 'The Best In Town'
Paul Chesworth
Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell (Deluxe)
Ronnie James Dio recently kicked out of Rainbow, joins a band dying on its arse. The result: one of the best albums of the best year in Metal - 1980. Or any other year come to think of it. Rarely bettered by this version of the Dio fronted Sabbath (or even Ozzy in my opinion). Now with added bonus disk of live tracks from that 1980 era. Stunning album, well worth revisiting a mere 30 years later from its original release.
FM - Metropolis
UK melodic rock giants release first studio album in 15 yrs. It’s up there with their best ever pieces of work. Melodic rock heaven!
Reckless Love - ST
80's Hair Metal in the style of VH, Cinderella, Ratt, Leppard. Is it corny? Oh Yes! Is it cheesy? As Brie! It’s better than most of the aforementioned bands could muster in this age or any age. 25 yrs ago it would have shifted 5 million copies.
Coheed & Cambia - Year of the Black Rainbow
C&C return with this prequel. Not as great as the others in the series, but its still a great piece of work. Not likely to entice new listeners but who cares. Roll on Download!
Andy Reilly
Bill Callahan - ‘Held’ from the Rough Travel for a Rare Thing (live album)
Always a prickly character, Bill’s newest live release sees him in playful and upbeat form. The opening violin section on ‘Held’ recollects the menace Velvet Underground whilst Bill’s lyrics about giving in provide the perfect balance. A cheery yet dark little number.
She & Him - ‘In The Sun’ from ‘Volume 2’
Summer pop perfection from quite possibly the queen of indie pop. And with M Ward being able to construct a tune or two, this partnership goes from strength to strength. Get a smile on your face.
Pavement - ‘Spit On A Stranger’’ from Quarantine The Past: Best of Pavement
With the big reunion shows of the summer hitting the UK in May, April should be spent re-learning all your favourite Pavement moments. ‘Spit On A Stranger’ finds the band at their most beautiful and heart warming. Counting down the minutes until May already....
Omar Soliman
Nirvana - Breed
Brought back to my conscience from a cover version by Bromheads but few bands come close to the sheer force of the original. Chunky bass lines, manic drumming and Cobain personifying ethereal anger.
Chew Lips - Solo from Kitsune Solo EP
Somehow left off their still impressive debut album, Unicorn, this is Casio-bleep pop at it's drippingly sexy best
Vampire Weekend - Holiday from Contra
The sun has finally decided to make an appearance and what better way to say hello than with a slice of effervescent pop.
Ross Pike
Airbourne - 'No Guts. No Glory' 2010
These guys are equal parts AC/DC and Rose Tattoo and have delivered a raucous second album. As they would say themselves they 'kick it old school'.
Ike and Tina Turner - 'River Deep, Mountain High' 1968
Phil Spector was already on the way down by the time this came out to an underwhelmed US audience but it was just the beginning for Tina Turner and what a start.
Talk Talk - 'Spirit of Eden' 1988
These guys were so ahead of their time as to be almost unfair on the competition. A must have for fans of experimental yet pop-edged rock.
Emma Gould
Admiral Angry - Buster
Reviewing their new EP “A Fire To Burn Down The World” recently got me in the mood so I just had to dig out their amazing debut album from last year for some more dark, emotional heaviness.
Walter Schreifels - An Open Letter To The Scene
Post Gorilla Biscuits, post Rival Schools, post Walking Concert...Schreifels delivers yet another corking album, this time he goes solo and creates some brilliant melodies packed with emotion, this is gearing up to be one of my favourite Summer albums of all time.
The Paper Chase - Hide The Kitchen Knives
Sometimes disturbing, seriously quirky alt rock from Congleton and co, this is my favourite ...Paper Chase album; jagged and full of nasty lyrics sure but also incredibly well crafted and maintaining a melodic core. I come back to this one so often it’s like an old friend.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
The news that they have ended their hiatus has lead me to a Godspeed You! Black Emperor listening marathon, this EP from ‘99 runs to almost 30 minutes and, like all their records, is an emotional journey of sweeping, roaring, epic proportions with guitar, strings and vocal samples leading the way, haunting and awe inspiring.
Kate Sharp
The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
From the forthcoming ‘High Violet’ and this track now available for free download, Bloodbuzz Ohio is another tightly wound, gloriously epic piece from the Brooklyn based band. Thoughtful lyricism; music which swells with palpable emotion: an absolutely classic offering from the band.
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Yes, 1901 and Lisztomania are the stuff great summer anthems are made, but the rest of the album is just as accomplished. Well worth a listen.
Bruce Springsteen - Back catalogue
From the rousing, driving anthemia of ‘Born to Run’, to the ethereal, acoustic magic the home taped album ‘Nebraska’, to my own personal favourite motivational anthem ‘Dancing in the Dark’, The Boss has not failed in his 40 year career in creating some of the best songs the world has known. Don’t know where to start with Bruce? As well as the obvious greatest hits packages, look into albums Nebraska, Born to Run, The Ballad of Tom Joad, The Rising, Born in the USA for starters.