A marvelous return from the Alarm, a collection of rare recordings from Love and Rockets, and a new album from The Baseball Project are available now.
Title: Forwards (Twenty First Century Recording Company)
You might like if you enjoy: The Alarm, U2, Big Country, The Poppy Fields
Tell me more: Listening to Mike Peters' genuinely inspired and hopeful songs that soar across the Alarm's wonderful new album Forwards is to be filled with faith that each of us has worth and an inner strength to overcome any challenges that come our way. The anthemic rocker "Another Way" rings true as Peters sings: "Have you heard the news that it's all over/Have you heard them say, there's no way out of here? I don't believe it, there's always another way." Although Peters' first battled lymph cancer in the mid-1990s and more recently beginning in late 2022, the 64-year-old Wales-based artist sounds as amazing as ever. The majority of songs on Forwards were written by Peters in the hospital while he was undergoing chemo and battling cancer. On the gorgeous "Love and Forgiveness" he poignantly sings "I'm a man who's lost control of all that he owns/are you going to give me love and forgiveness?" The propulsive post-punk rocker "Next" reinforces Peters' survival mindset and his palpable joy at embracing life; "All the clocks are set to zero, now's the time to run/I hear the crack of the starting gun and I'm ready for what's next." Other great tracks on the album include the driving title track, the confessional "The Returning," survival-themed "Transition" and fiery "Love Disappearing." Peters (guitar, lead vocals, harmonica), James Stevenson (guitar, backing vocals), Jules Jones Peters (piano, organ, strings, backing vocals) and Smiley (drums, percussion, backing vocals) have created a masterful album that is a welcome and marvelous addition to the Alarm's terrific discography. Information: TheAlarm.com.
Title: My Dark Twin (Beggars Banquet)
You might like if you enjoy: Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, The Cure, Tones on Tail
Tell me more: Since Love and Rockets announced their reunion to perform at the Cruel World Festival in Pasadena on May 20, 2023, there has been renewed interest in the English rock band formed in 1985 by former Bauhaus members Daniel Ash (vocals, guitar, organ), David J (vocals, bass, keyboards) and Kevin Haskins (drums, programming, backing vocals, sound effects). Now lovers of the group's groundbreaking alternative rock can get take a deep dive into the band's rich history via the 2CD set My Dark Twin; the 22-track collection revisits the sessions that gave birth to 1996's Sweet F.A. The title features eight previously unreleased versions and six unreleased songs from the Sweet F.A. sessions. Disc 1's marathon-length run includes the bewitching "The Fever," driving and melodic "That's Progress," dark "Words of a Fool," expansive "Pearl," pedal steel-swept "Shelf Life" and edgy 15-minute closer "U.O. Me." Disc 2 reveals more treasures as evidenced by the ambitious genre-bending "The Glittering Darkness," art rocker "California (Have a Nice Apocalypse)," fiery "Butterfly," lovely rough mix of "Sweet F.A." and heavy electronica sortie "Sweet Lover Hangover." The colorful 16-page booklet has new comments from the band about the recordings and notes from historian Andrew J Brooksbank. Information: www.facebook.com/LoveandRocketspage/.
Title: Grand Salami Time! (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: R.E.M., The Dream Syndicate, The Minus 5, Major League Baseball history
Tell me more: The Baseball Project is back with Grand Salami Time!, the aptly-titled supergroup's fourth album. Guitarist Peter Buck (R.E.M.), singer-guitarist-keyboardist Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5), bassist-vocalist Mike Mills (R.E.M.), drummer Linda Pitmon (the Filthy Friends) and guitarist-vocalist Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate) have delivered a fun-filled batch of great songs focused on baseball-related heroes and historical moments from America's pastime. My favorite early tracks on the wonderful disc include the wistful "Journeyman," the dreamy indie rocker "New Oh in Town" celebrating the already-legendary talents of Shohei Ohtani, and the dark "Disco Demolition" chronicling the notorious night at Comiskey Park where a riot broke out on the field resulting in the arrest of 37 in July 1979. The momentum continues via the driving "The All or Nothings," acoustic tale of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez's untimely death at age 24 in 2016 ("That's Living"), and power pop-flavored "Having Fun." The last song on the album, "The Voice of Baseball," fully celebrates broadcaster great Vin Scully. The informative 12-page booklet includes lyrics for the album's 16 songs along with short intros penned by the band shedding insight into each track. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.
Robert Kinsler
