Yep its a new year and a new thread!

1. Lies They Tell Our Children by Anti-Flag - 7.8
2. Asking For A Ride by White Reaper - 6.8
3. Gigi's Recovery by The Murder Capital* - 7

-Veteran punk rockers Anti-Flag deliver a solid album, probably their best in awhile. Lots of guest stars, including the singer of Pinkshift, introducing me to that band and giving me another solid album to listen to. Victory or Death is pretty typical but also so much fun that it was my favorite.

-I saw White Reaper open for The Killers a few years and they have definitely improved. Their sound has an edge to it now which is nice.

-The Murder Capital are the hot new alternative band, #1 rated album on anydecentmusic right now, playing Coachella, etc... It was solid. They kinda sound like Parquet Courts. Only Good Things was my favorite song.

Thoughts on Maneskin? They don't seem great, but I hope they break out cause rock music needs some more bands that are fun and low self awareness like that.

I liked the first song I heard from them "Zitti E Buoni" but their cover of "Beggin" got old quick. I think there's a good chance they'll end up being like a Nickelback / Imagine Dragons / Limp Bizkit type where they are simultaneously the most popular and most hated band in the world.

Also,

4. This Is Why by Paramore - 8.2

-This might be Haley's best work as both a singer and lyricist. It might be a little bit too chill and relaxed though, so falls below their best like Riot and the self-titled. I guess that's part of the point though - finding peace in a world that is deisgned to make us mad at each other. They cast the blame far and wide on songs like The News, but accept it as well on Running Out Of Time. Cest Comme Ca, it is what it is, probably should have been the title of the album lol. The first five songs are all great. The second half is still growing on me, so while 8.4 is already a solid grade, it could end up higher with more listens (I'm on my third go around while writing this.)

5. Desire Pathway by Screaming Females - 8
6. One Day by Fucked Up - 7.5

Two of my favorite punks trying new things on their new albums. Screaming Females continue their path to a bigger sound that ought to be played in big arenas, even though they usually only tour in smaller venues. There's a lot to like on the album though, and I really appreciate how no two albums of theirs sound the same.

Fucked Up meanwhile used the South Park method, where the album title One Day is more than just thematical. They claim to have written and recorded the entire thing in one day. Quite the opposite to their usual epic rock opera approach. The entire thing does kind of sound like one continuous song though, so I guess the spirit is still alive.

7. Optical Delusion by Orbital* - 7
8. Bubblegum by Biigpiig* - 6.5
9. Cave World by Viagra Boys - 7.2

Orbital provided a nice change of pace after several weeks (maybe even months) of listening to mostly rock music (festival lineup reveal season always puts me in this mood.) I guess you'd call it house music, but honestly I've never been that great at telling the different edm subgenres apart. Except for dubstep which has its signature wobble wobble noise, which is absent on this Orbital album. It's there if you want some decent techno to bob your head too though.

Biigpiig is more poppy, but still very much on the electronic side. Can't say it was anything too special, but at only 18 minutes it was totally fine.

Viagra Boys put a little more edge onto their alt-indie-rock style and I appreciate it. Their best work to date and they have enough good songs to no longer just be known as a band with a funny name. Milk Farm was my fav song from the album.

10. Cracker Island by Gorillaz - 9

This is their best album since 2010s Plastic Beach (which is also their best overall imo.) Just a great eclectic mix of sounds with alt/indie-rock, electro and hip-hop. Old friends like Del the Funky Homosapien (Clint Eastwood) and De La Soul (Feel Good Inc) return for another ride along with new friends like Bad Bunny and Thundercat. I heard they're planning a big arena tour and I very much hope to get in on that.

11. Past // Present // Future by Meet Me At The Altar - 8.6

-I got the rare pleasure of getting to hear most of these songs live in concert a few days before the album came out. While I still prefer their old songs, this is a great breakthrough into the more mainstream style of pop-punk (lets call it the Travis Barker style.) Very impessed with what the girls did here. With the exception Avril's Love Sux, I think this is the top new pop-punk album since the genre was revived a few year ago. A Few Tomorrows, Say It To My Face and TMI were my favorites.

12. Grade 2 by Grade 2 - 8
13. Food For Worms by Shame - 5.9

-Another solid record from the English boys who describe themselves as 'traditional punk.' Grade 2 popped up on my radar last year, somehow someway, and it seems like many others are coming around to them the same way I did. Very relatable lyrics that can either provoke outrage or comfort depending on what type of mood you're in.

Shame showed alot of promise on their debut a few years ago. An alt-punk sound that was pretty unique for the moment. This time around ... well it was fine .. but nothing really stood out and I wouldn't be surprised if I forgot about them entirely in between now and the next album.