2026 Albums

[Zzzptm]

1. Deep Purple - SPLAT! or Sky Valley Mistress - Luna Mausoleum
2.
3. The Black Crowes - A Pound of Feathers
4. Megadeth - Megadeth
5. The Stripp - Life Imitates Art
6. Metal Church - Dead to Rights

7. Love and Machines - Midival Punditz
8. Valley of the Sun - The Chariot
9. Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition

I am going to get the new DP sorted today. I'm playing SPLAT!, then Luna Mausoleum, then Purpendicular. I need to put it next to those other two to find its place in what I like this year and how it stacks up to one of the greats of the modern DP catalogue. Heck, I'm adding Machine Head as well, to compare Mr. Gillan's voice today with what he was doing in late '71, 55 years ago. Yeah, wrapping my head around that. Comparing 80 to 26.

But I do know that SPLAT! I was able to listen to without any flinching or questioning and it grabbed my attention in a powerful way. It's better than the Black Crowes' album, and that is very clear for me to see. Not that there's such a gap, just that Deep Purple were able to turn in a seamless performance. The only other album I'd describe that way so far this year is Sky Valley Mistress' offering.

And I need to get this matter sorted before the Rolling Stones release their latest this Friday. I am very much looking forward to see how the Mick Jagger at 82 compares to Ian Gillan at 80.

[Zzzptm]

After MUCH listening of the two albums over and over and over again, I'm giving the top spot to Deep Purple. It's got an edge in being listenable all the way through in a variety of moods, while SVM's album tends towards a more singular sort of experience. But it's a matter of millimeters between the two. I don't think anything can slip in that gap. All other albums this year will either be better than them both or not match either. With The Black Crowes in an extremely close 3rd place now, my top three may be set. We'll see how good the Rolling Stones are come Friday.

[Vyn]

One of the quartet of women buzzing around informed me the other day that I'll be going to see the Black Crowes in concert in a month or two (I don't recall the exact date, other than it's not soon) with her. I guess I'd better listen to their new album!

I am woefully behind on the new stuff that's been coming out. Other than a few YouTube videos, I haven't listened to any of it.

The Deep Purple tunes I've heard are excellent - so after the Robinson brother's latest effort, I think I'll go that route.

[Zzzptm]

The Black Crowes are in good form. Their latest left me wondering at first with the last 2 tracks, but they grew on me. It's a solid disc with some great rockers on it. The Deep Purple album is definitely in the same area of greatness as Purpendicular. Amazing what they're doing around 78-80 years old.

[Charger]

Oh hell yeah SPLAT!

Already after just first listen I can say this is a GREAT one! Seems pretty certain this will rocket itself right on top of the list! But I'll give it few more listens to be sure!

[Zzzptm]

Oh hell yeah SPLAT!

Already after just first listen I can say this is a GREAT one! Seems pretty certain this will rocket itself right on top of the list! But I'll give it few more listens to be sure!

Yeah, I'm exceptionally pleased with my investments in Purple this year.

[Charger]

Some new ANTHRAX popped up on my youtube list today!!

Bit more proggy thrash this one than It's For The Kids but I'm digging it!

[Zzzptm]

Playing "Beautiful Delilah" from the Stones' latest. Since it's a Chuck Berry tune, I'll play this tomorrow for my Rock and Roll Football bit. I feel like I'm really going to enjoy Foreign Tongues.

[Vyn]

I am going to have to give the Stones's new one a spin, it seems. I enjoyed Cockney Diamonds, even bought the thing. First Rolling Stones album I bought since Tattoo You!

[Vyn]

Haven't had time to listen to the Rolling Stones's new one yet, but I did hear Mr. Charm on the radio this evening while out driving. I really like that tune - it's almost creepy, and harkens back to Some Girls. Those guys and Deep Purple showing everyone that age is just a number.

[Zzzptm]

Doing a proper sit-down listen before I have to be in work meetings for 4 hours straight.

Like Hackney Diamonds went head-to-head with The Black Crowes' Happiness Bastards, this one matches closely to A Pound of Feathers, this year's offering from the Crowes. I think I gave the advantage to the Robinsons in the last meeting, but it's all to play for in this meeting.

Jagger, like Gillan, sounds clean. Not just good technique, but great feeling in the vocals. There's cleverness, variety, wit, charm, projection, it's all there. Guitar work from Messers. Richards and Wood is on-point. Right now, I've got "Jealous Lover" playing and the falsetto from Jagger is so fun to listen to. I enjoy the 70s soul sound, so the borrowings here totally work for me.

The first two tracks, "Rough and Twisted" and "In the Stars" were fun tracks, good blues on the first. Now I'm on "Mr. Charm" and this one's got a helluva hook to it. This will get stuck in my head. It rocks hard and, again, makes me think of The Black Crowes. To be fair, listening to the Crowes makes me think of the Stones, so this is a continuous loop kind of thing. Anyway, the verbal dexterity on this track is top-shelf stuff. That backup singer is Merry Clayton good.

"Divine Intervention" uses a guitar riff that feels Knopfler-y that drives it along. Lyrics are giving me some good chuckles, entertainment value on this track for sure. I already know I like the Chuck Berry cover at the end, so one more track and I've recovered at least 50% of my initial investment value.

"Ringing Hollow" gets into a country mode, a 1970s Outlaw Country mode, to be exact. Man I love this one. Only a minute in, and I love it.

"Never Wanna Lose You" has a DISCO beat to it whaaaaaaaaaa??? Oh wow the variety on this album is amazing. On top of that disco beat is something of a goth energy and then there's a choir and forget trying to pin this one down. Describing it makes it sound like something that shouldn't work, but when I hear it, it works quite well, overall. The choruses not as much as the verses and bridge, but I'm not complaining.

"Hit Me in the Head" opens fire with some strong rock, like an MC5 track. Hold on, I was thinking of Black Crowes earlier and now it's Wayne Kramer's old band? Totally kickass, dude.

"You Know I'm No Good" ah... this is one that has potential to grow on me because I'm not liking it as much as the others on a first listen. It's got a blues hard times ballad formula to it that I'm just not a fan of in general. I'm OK with it when it's Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" and a smattering of other tunes, but you have to win me over when you go this musical route. Good harmonica work on it, though.

"Some of Us" A song for Mr. Richards to sing on. It's a tender tune, back towards the country side of things, and, once again, it works.

"Covered in You" Opens like a ballad, but gets sharp and hard on the verses. It's like broken glass pointing up through silk, emotionally.

"Side Effects" Musically, this one feels like a progressive variation on the previous tune. But it's not, so it's two 4:30 songs instead of one big 9:00 track. Makes it all more digestible that way. Why is it when Jagger sings the word "cigarettes" it just *makes* the song?

"Back in Your Life" The song to play for last call and last dance. Nice and slow, early 70s British rock style, something off a Free album. Drive home safely, kids.

"Beautiful Delilah" The Stones had this song in their live repertoire since they started. On this album, they lay down a semi-acoustic version that has a mean, MEAN steel guitar with well-placed slide effects. It's every bit as enjoyable as the original, hats off to Chuck Berry.

I'll need to play this against The Black Crowes' album on repeat to figure out which one hits me better. If the Crowes beat it, then it's got a faceoff with Megadeth, but I don't see it going lower than 5th place on my list. It's going to be somewhere in the 3-5 area.

[Zzzptm]

I'm leaning towards liking A Pound of Feathers just a bit more, but that may be because I'm playing it last in the comparison. I'll do it again playing Crowes, then Stones, then Megadeth as a musical palette cleanser. Also because that album rocks.

[Vyn]

Two days ago I ordered the vinyl version of Foreign Tongues. From the Rolling Stones' official shop. Their website said it would ship August 3rd. I am in no hurry.

I received an email from FedEx earlier saying I have a package being delivered today - from the Rolling Stones. We'll see!

Relatedly, they are a marketing behemoth - they have a variation of the vinyl version for just about any taste. A variety of comic book superheroes, a bunch of world cup versions, nascar versions...good lord lol.

Update: and yep, it arrived! Looks like I picked the "World Cup Winner's Circle" edition. All I know is that I picked the one with the cover I liked the most.

No music thoughts yet, just slapped on disk one, but I can say that the production is top-notch, so is the pressing.

[Zzzptm]

1. Deep Purple - SPLAT!
2. Sky Valley Mistress - Luna Mausoleum
3. The Black Crowes - A Pound of Feathers
4. Megadeth - Megadeth
5. The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues
6. The Stripp - Life Imitates Art
7. Metal Church - Dead to Rights

8. Love and Machines - Midival Punditz
9. Valley of the Sun - The Chariot
10. Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition

Stones in at 5th. The clincher was listening to what I consider my favorite track, "Hit Me in the Head" and thinking it should have gone directly to the Chuck Berry tune, album done. I didn't want to rearrange A Pound of Feathers and I had just a wee tweak to Megadeth. And once I put on the Megadeth, I knew that was the right ordering. The Stripp still has an amazing album, as does Metal Church, so no shade on them to scoot down a seat to make room for the Stones.

The Black Crowes made a more cohesive album. It has similar switching between styles and strong rockers like the Stones had, but I think they knew when to pull back and take a bow. Megadeth didn't switch around with styles, but stayed consistent with the metal throughout - it just needs Ride the Lightning to be off to the side, not part of the main flow.

[Charger]

Yeah...gotta put SPLAT up there for sure!

1. Deep Purple - SPLAT!
2. Rob Zombie - The Great Satan (absolute banger this one!!)
3. Megadeth
4. Kreator - Krushers Of The World (Surprised by this one, killer old school thrash metal! Need to get more into this band for sure! And they also have a Finnish guitarist!!)
5. Metal Church - Dead To Rights
6. Black Label Society - Engines Of Demolition
7. Sky Valley Mistress - Luna Mausoleum


I'm gonna think a bit about the Savatage Live album...if I'll be counting that one then it would be on top of the list. We shall see.

And knowing that Anthrax is yet to come....goddamn. This is gonna be a strong year for music.