We're delighted to report that last week's Tracks Of The Week contest was the most one-sided event in tournament history.
Michigan's favourite sons Greta Van Fleet celebrated their return to action by garnering over 75% of all the available votes, leaving runners-up Ghost and Tanith in their literal dust. Such was GVF's unparalleled domination that they scored 5769.57% more votes than the two bands who propped up the lower end of the listing. It really is a new Age of Aquarius.
Will things be different this week? There's only one way to find out, and that's by doing it all over again. So here we go.
The Lemon Twigs - Every Day Is The Worst Day Of My Life
Sometimes, all life calls for is good sulk and a moment to laugh in the face of our misfortune. On their fourth single from upcoming album Everything Harmony, Long Island brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario wring out their miseries in a cathartic dirge, while chewing repetitively over the line ‘every day is the worst day of my life’ to a consoling flutter of folksy guitar. A brooding, tongue-in-cheek ditty for comedically sorrowful times, like when you’ve left your ex one too many drunk voice messages.
Blood Ceremony - Ipsissimus
On their first new release since 2019, Blood Ceremony tap into a familiar power source, syphoning the pagan magic of 60s/70s occult rock with their trademark mediaeval flute flourishings. Alia O'Brien's vocals command to be heard as she weaves entrancing sonic spells over slinky riffs and jangly tambourine, conjuring a vision of ancient witches on the night of Midsummer's Eve, bare-foot on blankets of forest moss, friskily dancing in a ring. Closing with a devilish guitar solo and more of that mischievous flute, and we’re off to go search for our floatiest frocks to join the party.
Danava - Nothing But Nothing
It’s all out, balls out on this rip-rolling, beer-lobbing mosh-igniter from Orgeon’s Danava, with enough tasty grooves to keep your riff hankerings sated and your neck in need of a good massage. Thrusted forwarded by fiendish, hyperactive licks and clattering drums, Nothing But Nothing is a manic spinning-top of early Motorhead and dirty Sabbathian riffage. Towards the end of the track, it somehow descends into even further madness with a solo that takes an indulgent dive down the entire guitar neck.
The Smashing Pumpkins - Empire
When a band declare that they’re going to be releasing a rock opera – an ambitious 33-song album, no less – the kooky bombast of stage shows such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar springs to mind. From what we’ve heard so far however, Smashing Pumpkins upcoming album is more of a sprawling prog epic than something destined for the West End. Their latest piece from the project’s third and final act, while certainly campy in places, summons the darkly hypnotic riffs of Tool with a subtle nod to the futuristic stylings of Muse; it’s quite the pairing.
Sophie Lloyd - Hanging On
Off the back of a lengthy tour with Machine Gun Kelly and winning Music Radar’s guitarist of the year in 2022, YouTube sensation/rising star Sophie Lloyd is riding the momentum forward with a solo Slash-style collaborative project. Following the release of her fiery, shred-heavy singles with Trivium’s Matthew Heafy and Inglorious frontman Nathan James, Lloyd has returned with yet another face-melter, this time with Lauren Babic. Kicking off the track with a haughty, hip-swinging riff and some flirty cowbell, Hanging On takes a pleasantly surprising turn into a heavy pop-rock ballad reminiscent of mid-noughties Kelly Clarkson.
Seafoam Green - Heavy And Low
This bluesy, Fleetwood Mac-tinged tune from Irish duo Seafoam Green has us picturing the wide open roads of the Californian desert. Under the golden-hour heat, Heavy And Low is the refreshing, familiar tipple that brings you back to home comforts. Soaked in nostalgia, male/female vocals sweep together in a honey-smooth dance, as the pair marvel over how “everything’s changing”. Soulful, organ-backed and wonderfully wholesome, an ideal accompaniment as we venture towards warmer days.
Danko Jones - Guess Who's Back
Guess who's back? Well, Danko Jones, obviously. Canada's leading men of rock Danko Jones (the band) return with a typically strutting chunk of 24-carat party fodder, with a riff that thumps and Danko Jones (the man) delivering a lyric that's almost comically braggadocious. "Guess Who's back?" snarls Danko. "Me, motherfucker!" he continues, happily answering his own question. It's the opening track from Danko's upcoming album Electric Sounds – due in September – which promises more in a similar vein, as Danko confirms. "You can expect zero surprises!”, he says.
Elegant Weapons - Do Or Die
Ronnie Romero has squeezed more action into the last decade than most singers do in a career, showing up in at least 658 different bands since Ritchie Blackmore first brought him to international attention in 2015. When he's not fronting Vandenburg or Michael Schenker's band or any of the other 656 projects, you'll find him out front with Elegant Weapons, otherwise known as Richie Faulkner's other band. Do Or Die romps and rages in a manner that befits the Judas Priest man, with a 200mph riff and some seriously fleet-fingered soloing. Debut album Horns For A Halo is due on May 26.
