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New Music Report - Pendulum, Alicia Keys, Napalm Death

  • Writer: Tim Gavin
    Tim Gavin
  • Sep 21, 2020
  • 3 min read

2020 doesn't have much in the way of new music, but the stuff that has come out has been fantastic. In fact, in the later half of the year the music could be getting even better because quite a few releases delayed by the Pandemic are finally getting released. As is the case for two releases I talk about here. Now, lets start off with a release I've been waiting over 10 years to talk about.


Pendulum - Driver/Nothing For Free


After The Release of 2009's "Immersion", and a couple years of Touring, Australian Drum and Bass pioneers Pendulum basically called it quits as a band while founding members Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen turned their attention to Knife Party throughout the 2010s. While they eventually did get back together in 2016; touring a bit with the full band, later releasing a remix album, and doing DJ sets as "Pendulum Trinity", fans have been clamoring for actual new material for ages. Turns out, they planned on dropping these two songs back in the spring, (say it with me loud and proud) but then COVID happened. Both Driver and Nothing for free (the later in an incomplete form) were played during their Sets in late 2019/early 2020, but I didn't think they'd actually release these songs until next year. These songs do both things that Pendulum does well, Dancefloor bangers (Driver), and anthemic sing alongs (Nothing For Free), and take me back a bit to hearing Salt In The Wounds and Watercolour on Immersion, albeit shorter. These songs sound amazing back to back and sound consistent with their older songs while still sounding fresh to me. I hope Pendulum will push the envelope a little more on their next singles, but in the meantime these are two 5/5 songs.




ALICIA KEYS - ALICIA


Full Disclosure; this is my first time actually listening to one of her albums in its entirety instead of just her singles. This album makes me want to go back and listen to her other albums though, because it's just THAT good. The album as a whole feels very cohesive, but there's a nice variety of sounds in here. Mixing in piano ballads, pop, a little dub influence in some parts, all with a great list of features both new to me and recognizable. The lead single off of this album is Underdog, which if I recall correctly is her highest charting single in a while. Not that she needs it, I've always thought of Alicia Keys as an artist that has transcended the need for hit singles and can basically fill out shows and sell albums just on her name alone. The lyrics explore the politics of our times, the heartbreak that comes with them, and being independent instead of just doing stuff for other people. I might need a few more listens to know for sure, but this is an album I'm considering getting a physical copy of when I get the chance.





Napalm Death - Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism


You can always count on Napalm Death to put out a great album. But this time they're really changing things up. They're well known for having many notoriously short songs (and have the world record for the shortest recorded song) but most of the songs stretch over the 4 minute mark. There's also a noticeable shift from Grindcore to pure death metal on this album. But the quality is there, its not an album I'll regularly listen to, just because I have to be in a specific mood for extreme metal these days. But it's another solid addition to an iconic bands consistently great back catalog.




 
 
 

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