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Review: Canadian noise-rock trio Metz deliver their fifth full-length LP for their home label Sub Pop. Expressing an exponential graph of maturity, that has grown over their decade or so of recording and releasing, Metz' sound on Up On Gravity Hill veers more towards an almost black-metallic atmosphere, to counterpoise their originally stark, rageful sound. Conceptually, the album's change in sound matches its thematic content, with the band having found more peace in contrast, and the life-promising realisation that one can only experience its most joyful moments on the sole condition that one has also suffered its worst vagaries - there is no paradise without the fall. On the likes of '99' and 'Entwined', we're met with a driving, repetitious howl set against a sludgy axe-y backdrop, as vocalist Alex Edkins performatively laments and celebrates the ways of the world at the same time.

Review: What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots and records done with his various other bands (primarily Dinosaur Jr. but also The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), then, to paraphrase Lou Reed, "J's week beats your year." What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. The finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, this is a playful and soft compendium of indie songs revelling in disbelief, uncertainty and community.