…And I mean that in the best way. Not only did we finally get back to writing about music here now that the Hooptober Horror Marathon is over, it was a fantastic week both for new releases and for – of course – a massive glut of incoming vinyl and CDs that I want to cover over the next few weeks…at least until the next batch comes in and dries me further and further down the spiral of being behind. A great problem to have, if you ask me.

So the focus this week is going to be on the music that excited me on Friday. Genre-wise it’s a mixed bag, so prepare for some head swivels (I put the real heavy stuff at the end) and let’s get back into it, proper style this time.

• Paul Cauthen – “Black on Black”
• Amyl and The Sniffers – “Jerkin'”
• Teenage Wrist – “Sunshine”
• Tears For Fears – “The Tipping Point (Live From Franklin, TN)”
• They Might Be Giants – “Doctor Worm (Live)”
• Devin Townsend – “Ubelia”

Maybe it’s my turn away from the vast majority of social media, but I didn’t realize Paul Cauthen dropped a new album. Room 41 is maybe the best record to come out in the last decade, and the new one drops a lot of the sleazy pop of his recent singles to return to the roots, Big Velvet voice I fell in love with…I’m always down for the scruffy gutter punk of Amyl and The Sniffers, and the latest single from their new album is a ridiculously fun rocker. Hunt around and you can see the delightful uncensored version…The indie rock of Teenage Wrist was a surprise for me; I randomly checked out their latest album Still Love and was instantly taken with the joyous rock of the leadoff track “Sunshine” – maybe you will be, too.

Next up are some live tracks: I love the reunion and comeback of Tears For Fears, and while new album Songs For Astronauts does have four new studio tracks, I opted for the live cut of the title track from their last album The Tipping Point because I love it…It’s been years since I listened to anything new from They Might Be Giants (I stopped 20 years ago after The Spine) so was intrigued when I saw a new release. It’s basically a live EP featuring horns, so I took “Doctor Worm” because John Linnell knows how to make a meal out of a vocal melody…It may seem on the surface that Powernerd is Devin Townsend going full on dumb rock mode, and that was the intent, but if you listen to his excellent rack by track commentary you get a very, very different perspective on the tunes. “Ubelia” comes at the halfway point and it’s sublime.

• Lowrider – “Caldera”
• Trauma Ray – “Bishop”
• Dug Pinnick – “Love Defines You”
• Pixies – “You’re So Impatient”
• Gaerea – “The Poet’s Ballet”
• Schammasch – “Crystal Waves”

The new split with Lowrider and Elephant Tree wraps up the second PostWax deluxe vinyl series from Blues Funeral Recordings, and it’s a scorcher. I picked the leadoff track “Caldera” from Lowrider and can’t wait for the new, ongoing series to start…Trauma Ray is another band I never heard of before, but was turned onto from one of the writers at Nine Circles. Loud, fuzzy shoegaze and indie rock that I’m definitely enjoying…If you know me you know my overwhelming love for the music of King’s X, so how could I not include a track from the latest solo release from bassist/vocalist Dug Pinnick? Love the funky driving groove of this track…

I’ll readily admit I’m not the biggest fan of Pixies, and since the reformation sans Kim Deal I’ve barely paid attention. But I won’t lie – I dig the rock behind “You’re So Impatient” so I’m curious to check out the rest of the just-released The Night The Zombies Came…Finally we end with two epic black metal releases. Gaerea was a band I actively disliked when they arrived on the scene. But every album from this Portuguese band has gotten better and better, and finally with Coma we have an absolute winner…The opposite is true with Schammasch, a mysterious Swiss-based outfit. I discovered them with the amazing triple album Triangle in 2016, but honestly after that most of the releases got a few listens and then were forgotten. New album The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean, the second in a triptych of albums is a beast, and easily the best thing they’ve released since Triangle…

Be safe, and see you next week.