Special: First Listen Thoughts: The Maine "XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time", The Mighty Mighty Bosstones "When God Was Great", KennyHoopla "Survivor's Guilt: The Mixtape"

The Maine - XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time

Label: 8123 Records

Press release: American rock band The Maine  announced their eighth studio album “XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time” will be released on July 9, 2021. The album comprises of 10-track and is their first LP in three years. “This album is quite literally a real-time dive into the duality of love and anxiety in my life. They are such opposing feelings, but they coexist all the time in my head. Life is a funny thing, but I believe everything is exactly as it should be.” says frontman John O'Callaghan. He continued, “For my two cents, XOXO is all of the best parts of The Maine. Just the right amount of ambition and nostalgia. It can be an easy listen or a hard look into the mirror. I hope it's whatever you need it to be.”

My thoughts: The thing with The Maine everyone says is that they get better with every release. I don't really agree with that. Sure the first album is cringy in hindsight (it still slaps though) and then they tried to mature too fast on their follow up (which I also enjoy) the next two albums saw them attempt to mold the sound they're now known for and people point out it's where the evolution to where they are started and I agree but I find it to be their weakest output. Albums 5 and 6 were masterpieces. Top of their game stuff then came album 7 and it was fine, but disappointing given their previous 2 releases. So here we are at album 8 and... They're back baby! This comfortably slots into that great tier of albums 5 and 6. The crazy part is I see this album aging even better than what I'm saying here. Long live The Maine.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - When God Was Great

Label: Hellcat Records

Press release: ka-punk pioneers The Mighty Mighty BossToneS will release their 11th studio record When God Was Great on May 7 via Hellcat Records. Co-produced by longtime collaborator Ted Hutt and Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong, When God Was Great is the culmination of their extensive and all-embracing career and sees the band bringing back friends, tourmates, and bandmates from the past for a sonic celebration that stresses the power of perseverance and human connection during tumultuous times. The album features 15-tracks that initially arose out of a collective sense of loss. “We were lightly writing songs before the insanity without any sort of timeline in mind. All of a sudden, the world changed and benchmark events in a very long career that we were looking forward to, such as playing with the Madness at the Greek Theatre, were taken away from us,” explains frontman Dicky Barrett. “With all of this time on our hands, we started writing at a quickened pace and we were really inspired. As grim as everything around us was in the outside world, this was the most fun we ever had making a record.

My thoughts: The Final Parade is quite a great way to end the album but apart from that and a few other moments (Decide, Bruised, Move, the two singles) When God Was Great gets lost in the shuffle. Nothing too memorable here as the bosstones sound disenfranchised with the state of the world (which we can't blame them for) but are still trying to play party music which just fails to blend itself so there is more somber moments than I'd care for. Trimming 5 songs of fat could've done this album some good.

KennyHoopla - Survivor's Guilt: The Mixtape

Label: Arista Records

Press release: KennyHoopla is the latest US artist rising in the alternative/pop punk wave that’s towering over our heads this year. His breakthrough song, ‘Estella’ has been making the rounds on every nostalgic pop punk playlist since its release with its flowing abundance of youthful energy and guitar-driven pop/rock.

My thoughts: I do find it odd when artists label things mixtapes when I call it an EP but maybe that's just my oldness coming out. KennyHoopla may simply be the latest artist to revive the pop-punk sound but you'll have a hard time finding someone doing it better as he pulls from a mirad of influences. The first two singles were so strong I expected them to be the best this mixtape had to offer but the title track is full of energy and Silence Is also An Answer is a midtempo banger I could listen to over and over. Off the top of my head, I doubt an EP will be as strong as this one this year.

Special: First Listen Thoughts: Beartooth "Below", Eve 6 "Grim Value", jxdn "Tell Me About Tomorrow"

Beartooth - Below

Label: Red Bull Records

Press release: Coming three years after its predecessor, 2018’s ‘Disease’, ‘Below’ is set to land on June 25 via Red Bull Records. In a press release, Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo said ‘Below’ is his favourite album the Ohio hardcore outfit have made to date. “It covers the dark side of dealing with mental strain during the last year,” Shomo said. “I gave it all I had – musically and lyrically. Is it too dark? Possibly, but it was as honest as I could be about how I felt. I hope everyone is ready to strap in for a wild ride of head banging and rocking.”

My thoughts: The title-track hits you in the face right off the bat. The singles follow which are solid. Before Fed Up hits which I consider the only real misstep on the record. The middle portion is dark and heavy but never sounds the same. The end track is a very sinister sounding instrumental but just prior to that is probably the best back to back songs that will get forgotten being buried in the tracklist with the pop-melody injected punk sound of I Won't Give Up followed by a pop infused metalcore track in The Answer which the juxtaposition of both those tracks summarize this album as a whole.

Eve 6 - Grim Value EP

Label: Velocity Records

Press release: Just as the Reddit-inflated GameStop stock price was eventually going to fall, there was always going to come a time when Eve 6’s suddenly vigorous social media presence would result in us actually listening to new Eve 6 music. That time has come. After weeks of juicy anecdotes, pithy quips, and sick burns that have turned @Eve6 into one of the most entertaining accounts on Twitter, the self-described “very relevant band” has announced its new EP.

My thoughts: A 5 track sampler from Twitter's newest celebrity past their prime band ahead of a full length they've promised is coming. Angel Of The Supermarket is the highlight where first single Black Nova and closer Good For You are solid but time will tell if it'll be memorable over a long period of time but as long as lead singer Max Collins stays on Twitter, my guess is that they won't be quickly forgotten. Side note: The Heart In A Blender song came on after the album finished.

jxdn - Tell Me About Tomorrow

Label: DTA Records

Press release: jxdn has announced the release of his debut album, ‘Tell Me About Tomorrow’ -  Produced by Travis Barker, the 18-track LP comprises 14 new songs, including a feature from Machine Gun Kelly on the track ‘Wanna Be’. It will be released on July 2 via DTA Records.

My thoughts: jxdn AKA: Jaden Hossler of Tik Tok fame is a name you should be familiar with by now and odds are if you're reading this then you should know at the least by my countdown. jxdn started focusing on music last year and was quickly discovered by Travis Barker who signed him to his newly created label and the duo have been riding high ever since. The debut album is straight heat with the bombastic combination of pop punk and emo rap. 18 tracks seems like a lot but only 4 tracks top the 3 minute mark and none eclipse 3:25. There's also a 10 second intro and 11 second interlude. There are no bad tracks here as my least liked song full song is probably debut single Angels & Demons which just goes to show the strength front to back. There's nowhere to tell where jxdn will go from here but Tell Me About Tomorrow has the makings to go down as an instant classic.

Special: First Listen Thoughts: Machine Gun Kelly "Tickets To My Downfall", The Menzingers "From Exile" and Mayday Parade "Out Of Here"

Machine Gun Kelly - Tickets To My Downfall

Label: Interscope Records

Press release: In 2019 MGK released his fourth studio album, Hotel Diablo, which ended with the track "I Think I'm Okay", a more rock-leaning song collaboration with Yungblud and Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. MGK, wishing to explore the sound further, booked a day in recording studio to work with Barker, to record what would become the song "Bloody Valentine". The session was so powerful to MGK that he asked Barker to set aside two months for them to collaborate on an entire studio album, to which Barker obliged.

My thoughts: This album has it's fair share of heat (Title Track, Forget Me Too, Jawbreaker) but the slower songs and the numerous interludes don't mesh as well for me after one listen. That being said the singles grew on me more and more as I listened to them so I have no doubt the album as a whole will as well. (Editor's note: After listening to this album more I can confirm I've come around on Lonely but I really still don't like the spoken word interludes which sucks because at the end of the Meagan Fox one the music is actually good but not worth listening to due to the conversation that starts it.)

The Menzingers - From Exile

Label: Epitaph Records

Press release: Philadelphia-based punk band, The Menzingers will release From Exile, a reimagined stripped down version of their 2019 release Hello Exile. From Exile was recorded from the band’s respective homes while in isolation during COVID-19 stay at home orders. The album will be released digitally on September 25 and on vinyl November 13.

My thoughts: I love The Menzingers. Not too many old punk bands can pull off the emotionally raw lyricism they can so this album should be right up their lane right? Not so. First off I'm disappointed they couldn't even give us one new song. Secondly with the exception of Anna and some of the strings on the record I didn't really feel like they did anything to these songs to warrant going back to. I think I'll just stick with Hello Exile going forward.

Mayday Parade - Out Of Here

Label: Rise Records

Press release: Alternative mainstay Mayday Parade has announced the release of Out of Here – a brand-new EP due out on October 16th, 2020 via Rise Records. In early March, Mayday Parade stepped into the studio with longtime collaborators Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount to record the EP which is the first new material for the band since their 6th studio album Sunnyland released in 2018.

My thoughts: With only 3 songs there's not much to say about this EP, though it is a strong listen, I can see myself going back to any of the 3 songs though I Can Only Hope started off a bit too dark for me it picked up and became an anthem by the end of the song. Mayday Parade have been a consistently positive band throughout their career and all 3 songs have the same theme of hope which is nice if you needed that little bit of positivity in your life. Just throw on this album and within 10 minutes you'll be in a better place.

Special: First Listen Thoughts: blink-182 "Nine", Bayside "Interrobang", The Early November "Lilac"

blink-182 - Nine

Label: Columbia Records

Press Release: blink-182 have revealed full details for their upcoming album. The record is called NINE, and it will arrive on September 20 via Columbia Records. The rainbow-coloured, neon-lit album artwork is pictured. NINE will mark the band's follow-up to 2016's California. It's their second album with Matt Skiba in the lineup instead of Tom DeLonge.

My thoughts: Definitely reminiscent of the untitled blink record. This album has dark themes throughout based upon the state of the world as well as the state of yourself and well-being. That being said you couldn't really tell if you didn't pay attention to the lyrics as this album is still bouncy and may just end up being my favourite since that untitled record, perhaps even surpassing it. blink makes it clear they don't need Tom or joke songs to put out a compelling record.

Bayside - Interrobang

Label: Hopeless Records

Press Release: The band are returning with Interrobang and it’s arriving a lot sooner than you would expect with an October 4 release date. Interrobang is a punctuation mark that combines an exclamation and a question mark. Lead singer Anthony Raneri says in a statement that the album title represents the feelings listeners receive from the record.

My thoughts: People are calling this a pop punk album but I honestly don't hear it. I can see this being where alternative music heads once the current state of "alternative" officially becomes top 40. The music is incredibly aggressive but the melodies are catchy as hell making for an incredible listening experience.

The Early November - Lilac

Label: Rise Records

Press Release: The Early November have announced their highly anticipated 5th studio album which is set to be released on 27th September via Rise Records. The band’s first album since 2015’s Imbue, Lilac represents a shift towards a more pop-centric sound while preserving the raw vulnerability that The Early November has become known for.

My thoughts: This was supposed to be a record where TEN pivoted their sound and although it is a step up from their previous effort it still falls short of capturing the magic of their early 00's work. Something I expected after listening to the first single "I Dissolve" but got hyped following the release of "Ave Maria" which gave me high hopes and the beginning half of the record is good but by the time I Dissolve comes around the rest of the record gets moody and slumps in comparison to the first half.