Nicky Wire, PJ Harvey, & Controversial Music of the 90s
The week in new music & Dig Me Out podcast
1 Minute Reviews
New Releases
PJ Harvey - I Inside the Old Year Dying
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🎧 Apple Music
PJ Harvey has just released her 10th studio album, "I Inside the Old Year Dying," a follow-up to her 2016 album "The Hope Six Demolition Project." The album, released on July 7th via Partisan Records, is described by Harvey as "a resting space, a solace, a comfort, a balm," which she feels is timely given the current times. The album was produced with the help of her long-time collaborators, Flood and John Parish. The inspiration for the album came from Harvey's epic poem, "Orlam," and features improvisations with the two producers. The album is about searching, looking, the intensity of first love, and seeking meaning. It's tinged with sadness and loss, but it's loving, which makes it feel so welcoming and open. The album includes the lead single, "A Child’s Question, August," and was all recorded live in the studio, rooted in improvisation and spontaneous performances.
12RODS - If We Stayed Alive
🗳 Bandcamp | 🎧 Apple Music
The iconic indie rock band from Twin Cities, 12 Rods, has just released their first album in 21 years, "If We Stayed Alive". The album's inception came about when frontman and songwriter, Ryan Olcott, discovered unfinished demos during lockdown. Surprised by their quality, he set about completing and recording them. The process involved reacquainting himself with his craft and technique from two decades ago, with the recording of all instruments taking a week, and the vocals a bit longer. The album is a testament to the band's enduring appeal, with songs written 22 years ago still resonating today. The lead single, "My Year (This Is Going To Be)", is a pop gem filled with self-awareness, humor, and a hint of hope. The album features seven tracks, each showcasing the band's signature sound, from the introspective "All I Can Think About" to the grunge-influenced "Comfortable Situation" and the smooth, loungey "The Beating". Olcott believes it's the best material he's had to offer so far, making "If We Stayed Alive" a triumphant return for 12 Rods.
Will Haven - VII
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🗳 Bandcamp | 🎧 Apple Music
Sacramento, California's hardcore quintet, WILL HAVEN, announces the release of their seventh full-length album, "VII", set to be released on July 7 by Minus Head Records. The album's latest single, "5 Of Fire", is already available, complete with an official music video. The ten tracks on "VII" are said to be the band's most fierce and dimmest material to date, taking fans back to the band's earliest releases while also expanding on their atmospheric and immersive qualities. The album was recorded at Pus Cavern Studios in Sacramento, engineered by Joe Johnston, and features guest vocals on "Evolution Of A Man" by Reykjavik Osburn Bigfeather. The band is also planning live events in support of the album, including a release show in Sacramento on the day the album hits stores.
Nicky Wire - Intimism
🗳 Bandcamp
Nicky Wire, the bassist and lyricist of the Manic Street Preachers, has just surprise-released his new solo album titled "Intimism". The album, which was shared in full via BandCamp, is described by Wire as a collage pieced together over the last decade. It's a distillation of his purest indie fantasies, a landscape of mundane miracles, interior monologues, and self-loathing. The album is a follow-up to his 2006 solo debut "I Killed The Zeitgeist". Wire describes the album as very off-kilter with modern jazz and C-86 indie vibes. The album features Gav Fitzjohn on the trumpet and was released on July 3, 2023. Critics and fans alike have praised the album, with Wire's brother, the celebrated poet Patrick Jones, hailing it as a "beautiful, reflective album".
New 90s Podcast
Controversial Music of the 1990s
For episode 666 we gather around the table and discuss controversial albums, videos, artwork, live performances, and more of the 1990s
From the cover art for Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction to the music videos for Jeremy by Pearl Jam or Closer by Nine Inch Nails, the 1990s were full of controversial and provocative artists and music. Whether it was rapper Ice-T fronting hardcore thrash band Body Count and their single "Cop Killer" to Marilyn Manson pushing boundaries musically and visually, there was no shortage of outrage and hysteria aimed at Gen-X musicians and their fandom. Bands and artists as varied as Tool, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Madonna, Green Day, Megadeth, NOFX, Tin Machine, Ministry, Sublime The Prodigy, Suede, Van Halen, Manic Street Preachers, Slayer and many more faced backlashes for lyrics, album artwork, videos, or just existing. SPECIAL GUESTS: Ian McIvor - DMO UNION, Phil Fleming - DMO UNION
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Coming Soon
July Album Review Tournament - Group 1 of 2
We want to know which album you want to see on Dig Me Out. We present nine suggested albums weekly, and you vote for your favorites. The top two from each group compete in a final poll. Your vote counts, so choose the album you want to be featured and make your voice heard!
Nudeswirl - Nudeswirl
Silkworm - Blueblood
Seefeel - Quique
Treat Her Right - What's Good for You
Course of Empire - Initiation
Palace Music - Viva Last Blues
Komeda - What makes it go?
Shadowy Men On a Shadowy Planet - Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham
Overwhelming Colorfast - Moonlight and Castanets
Worth Reading
Be part of the growing community uncovering the lost gems of the '90s. Join us in voting for the 90s albums and topics we dig up.
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