Twostepcub's New Albums Roundup 4/2/23...
It's time for my weekly new albums roundup, where I take a look at the
big albums on this week's American and British albums charts, along with
my choices of the new records I think you should check out. To catch up
on this week's singles round, you can click here.
This week one record sees Morgan Wallen spend a third week at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, which combines sales and streaming, including streaming of individual tracks (for better or definitely worse), while one album of the two that comes in the top ten on the pure sales chart makes the top ten.
Billboard 200 debut: #5
Billboard Current Albums Sales debut: #1
British Albums Chart debut: #1
Choice cut: "Invisible"
God this is exhausting. At least the title gives away the game, seemingly a label-fulfilling grift that has nothing but reworked versions of their old material. But unlike Taylor Swift, this four-disc expanse is just acoustic rehashes, with just as much a hint of changes as there is fruit flavor in La Croix. Their older fans will enjoy playing this during their quiet time, but I felt it was like work listening through this. Each disc's tracks were supposedly chosen by a different member of the band, and it doesn't surprise me that Larry Mullen's is the most interesting of the four including this revisit of a one-off AIDS benefit single , with Adam Clayton behind.
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Billboard 200 debut: #59
Current Albums Sales debut: #7
Choice cut: "Hollywood Baby"
The Missouri duo whose all over the place music has been dubbed part of the "hyperpop" rave, come in big in their second album. Hey if it makes the new generation like my niece eventually find out who Kim and Kelley Deal are, all the better.
Current Albums Sales debut: #14
Choice Cut: "Us and the Rest"
4
The French band are back with their ninth release, but don't expect a happy little synthpop affair. Rather we have an ethereal piece that needs one to pay attention to appreciate. This grand number moved me more than most of the others.
Current Albums Sales debut: #19
Choice cut: "That Life"
The eclectic New Zealand rock band that call Oregon their home put out their trippy new album, which is a nice breezy weekend afternoon listen.
Current Albums Sales debut: #22
Choice cut: "Dead Reckoning"
The neo-hard rock band return with their lucky seventh studio album that will appease the headbangers for a week.
Current Albums Sales debut: #24
Choice cut: "It's Only Rock & Roll" by Brothers Osborne and War & Treaty
"Tribute" albums can get pretty superfluous and uninspired at times, but this collection of covers of the Glimmer Twins done by the more talented of the country acts (Brooks & Dunn are the sole reps of the "mainstream country" movement) has more hits than misses, and is worth it for the Brothers Osborne and War & Treaty's treatment of this song alone.
Current Albums Sales debut: #28
Choice cut: "Ambulance"
The Panic at the Disco to Nickelback's Fall Out Boy go back to their loud and hard roots on their eighth album, which has some potent lyrics in them, if you ride the wave long enough.
Current Albums Sales debut: #33
Choice cut: "Stare It Cold"
The roots-rock band burns down the house with a concert album from their last tour, including all of their debut album (save the hidden track) plus nuggets from the rest of their career on disc two. They are definitely not withering flowers resting on their laurels in this, and this album cut gets new life breathed into it.
Current Albums Sales debut: #51
Choice cut: "In My Soul"
Two blues-rock veterans come to the front of the stage for this incredibly well-recorded set of songs, and this is the apex of them all with its unbridled harmonic joy.
Current Albums Sales debut: #56
Choice cut: "War Pigs"
Four years after singer/rapper T-Pain won the first American edition of The Masked Singer, he puts out a short but entirely entertaining set of remakes, with songs from Sam Cooke, Sam Smith, and Chris Stapleton in the mix. Sure, the Journey "Don't Stop Believin'" is pure karaoke, but it's pure joy, and this take on Black Sabbath is a freaking revelation.
Current Albums Sales debut: #62
Choice cut: "DO BETTER"
The alt-hip-hop rapper fills the need for thoughtful rhymes and sounds before Kendrick returns with another one.
Current Albums Sales debut: #71
Choice cut: "By My Lonesome"
An energy-packed live set from Boston's best blues band since Tyler & Perry.
Current Albums Sales debut: #83
Choice cut: "The Layers"
This EP does seems like jazz for those who go to college to study how to do the jazz, but nevertheless this pleasant set of folksy songs is perfect breakfast background music.
British Albums Chart debut: #6
Choice cut: "Out Of My Mind"
The brash band from Brighton are back with their third disc of power-pop put through a fuzzy filter with Izzy Phillips a compelling singer.
British Albums Chart debut: #46
Choice cut: "Livin' On The Line"
The rockers from Northern Ireland give me the retro vibes of Thin Lizzy, and their seventh release is a solid collection of great driving music.
British Albums Chart debut: #74
Choice cut: "Dragging Me Down"
A two-disc collection of the underappreciated Britpop group plus a bonus disc of remixes make this a great trip down memory lane - I had trouble picking a "choice" ending up agonizing between this and "Saturn 5". Highly recommended.
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