There’s a very international flavour to this week’s list of suggestions. Canada, the US, Italy, and even Mongolia. Wait–what?
1. The Hu, This is Mongol
Single (Better Noise Entertainment)
Recommend If You Like: Mongolian Metal
Mongolia’s number one metal band (okay, the only band of any kind I can name from Mongolia) will soon return with a sophomore record that they’re showcasing on their current tour of America. (No Canadian dates. Why?) This first single again connects Mongolian culture with the wider world of metal. Damn, I can already hear the audience chanting this one. You don’t need to know the language to headbang.
2.Måneskin, Supermodel
Single (Sony)
RIYL: Eurovision success stories
Winning Eurovision doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to become worldwide stars—in fact, a Eurovision win can work against you—but that’s not the case with Italy’s Måneskin who just keep getting bigger and bigger. This new track, written in LA and produced by Max Martin, should help them maintain their upward trajectory. It sounds to me like Smells Like Teen Spirit if it had been written by the Chili Peppers’ John Frusciante. Their 2022 tour of North America is almost completely sold out, too.
Get daily news
3. Antonio Sanchez, I Think We’re Past That Now (feat. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)
Shift (Bad Hombre Vol. II) (Arts Music/WMG)
RIYL: Nine Inch Nails-adjacent music
Sanchez is a drummer who’s won four Grammy awards and loves to collaborate with as many people as possible (Dave Matthews, Pat Metheny, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Meshell Ndegeocello, Kimbra, and more). This track includes contributions from Trent Reznor and his songwriting partner Atticus Ross. The result is as cool as you hope it would be.
4. My Chemical Romance, The Fountains of Decay
Single (WMG)
RIYL: Early 00s emo, obviously
Break out the mascara and style your hair into a swoop because the emo revival is officially on now that MCR has released their first single since 2014’s Fake Your Death. A much-delayed tour (blame COVID) started up last week in the UK and will bring them to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto for two shows in September along with another gig at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
5. The Tragically Hip, She Didn’t Know (Live)
Live at the Roxy (Universal)
RIYL: Legal versions of bootlegs
Back on the Road Apples tour, The Tragically Hip rolled into The Roxy in Los Angeles on May 3, 1991. Producer Don Smith was outside in a mobile recording unit rolling tape for Westwood One. Forty minutes of this set were broadcast (and bootlegged) but never officially released as a standalone album. That will change on June 24 when the entire set will be released in a variety of forms. This should get your warmed up.