We’re entering the time of year when year-end lists will quickly start popping up, and that means our own annual LISTMANIA frenzy will soon begin. As usual, the earliest of the forthcoming lists (those that will soon appear in print zines), will necessarily neglect albums that are set for release between now and January 1, and even some that were released in the first half of November. We will continue trying to spotlight those, despite succumbing to listmania.

The impending LISTMANIA orgy also means that our own output of reviews and new-music features will likely diminish. In what’s left of our period of normalcy, I have plans to throw as much new quality music your way as I can, including two features today, beginning here. The organizing principle of this collection is simply this: Diversity.

TUMBLEWEED DEALER

To begin today’s round-up I’m stepping off our typical beaten paths of blood-lusting savagery with music from a band I’ve only discovered recently — Tumbleweed Dealer from Montréal. Their third album, Tokes, Hatred & Caffeine, the cover of which is visible above, will be released on November 21, 2016. Continue reading »