Album of the Week – 03/02/23

January is over and we’re into the shortest month of the year! There’s also a grand stretch in the evening, in case you haven’t noticed.

In terms of new releases, we have albums from Brian Jonestown Massacre, Fantastic Negrito and The Go! Team, among many others. There’s also an album from one of the elder statesmen of the indie music scene, with Robert Forster’s (of The Go-Betweens) album The Candle and the Flame.

In terms of new Irish music, the much-hyped Somebody’s Child release their self-titled album.

And what is the best release of the week, I hear you scream? Well, we couldn’t resist the funky charms of the Young Fathers (Heavy Heavy) so that takes the top prize this week. You can check it out below.

Album of the Week – Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy

Young Fathers – Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and G. Hastings – announce details of their brand new album Heavy Heavy. Set for release on February 3rd 2023 via Ninja Tune, it’s the group’s fourth album and their first since 2018’s album Cocoa Sugar. The 10-track project signals a renewed back-to-basics approach, just the three of them in their basement studio, some equipment and microphones: everything always plugged in, everything always in reach.

Speaking about the title, the band write that Heavy Heavy could be a mood, or it could describe the smoothed granite of bass that supports the sound… or it could be a nod to the natural progression of boys to grown men and the inevitable toll of living, a joyous burden, relationships, family, the natural momentum of a group that has been around long enough to witness massive changes.

“You let the demons out and deal with it,” reckons Kayus of the album. “Make sense of it after.”

For Young Fathers, there’s no dress code required. Dancing, not moshing. Hips jerking, feet slipping, brain firing in Catherine Wheel sparks of joy and empathy. Underground but never dark. Still young, after some years, even as the heavy, heavy weight of the world seems to grow day by day.

Albums of Note:

— Brian Jonestown Massacre – Your Future Is Your Past

— Fantastic Negrito – Grandfather Courage

— The Go! Team – Get Up Sequences Part Two

— Metal Marty (of Supersuckers) – Metal Mary’s Greatest Hits

— Somebody’s Child – Somebody’s Child

— Robert Forster (of The Go-Betweens) – The Candle and the Flame

Albums Released on February 3rd:

— 2KBABY – Scared 2 Love

— 7Seconds – Walk Together, Rock Together (Reissue)

— Acid Arab – ٣ (Trois)

— Amtrac – Extra Time

— babyfang – In the Face Of

— Best Fern – Earth Then Air

— BLACKWÜLF – Thieves & Liars

— Brian Jonestown Massacre – Your Future Is Your Past

— Colony House – The Cannonballers

— Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven

— Fantastic Negrito – Grandfather Courage

— The Go! Team – Get Up Sequences Part Two

— Grateful Dead – Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 1—Fall ’79

— Ibex Clone – All Channels Clear

— James Brandon Lewis – Eye of I

— Korn – Requiem Mass

— LOTEC – Squares

— Mackelmore – Ben

— The Men – New York City

— Metal Marty (of Supersuckers) – Metal Mary’s Greatest Hits

— M(h)aol – Attachment Styles

— Miriam Clancy – Black Heart

— Mod Sun – God Save the Teen

— Mol Sullivan – A Little Hello EP

— RAYE – My 21st Century Blues

— Robert Forster (of The Go-Betweens) – The Candle and the Flame

— The Psychotic Monks – Pink Colour Surgery

— Sanguisugabogg – Homicidal Ecstasy

— Say Hi – Elocution Prattle

— Shania Twain – Queen of Me

— Somebody’s Child – Somebody’s Child

— Sunny War – Anarchist Gospel

— SYML – The Day My Father Died

— Tropical Fuck Storm – Submersive Behavior EP

— The Velvet Hands – Sucker Punch

— The WAEVE (Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall) – The WAEVE

— WILSN – Those Days Are Over

— WuW – L’Orchaostre

— Xandria – The Wonders Still Awaiting

— Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy