We know it would take far too long to highlight every client’s new release each week, so we’re going to choose a few select titles each week that we feel everyone should support. These are albums we will be buying ourselves, and we hope at the very least you give them a proper spin before deciding to purchase something else. James may write the column, but everyone at Haulix will have a say in who gets chosen.
August Burns Red – Found In Far Away Places (LP/Digital/Stream)
Like most people who grow up in the midwest with a love for all things heavy in rock and roll, I spent many days listening to my mother telling me how all the bands I loved were just making noise. Looking back, she wasn’t always wrong. There are so many artists working in rock and metal today with absolutely nothing to say, but due to technical talent and the right producer they find a way to cling to relevancy in the ever-changing music landscape. August Burns Red are not one of those bands however, and over the course of their career they have continually raised the bar for storytelling and purposeful songwriting for everyone in their scene. Their latest, Found In Far Away Places, is the greatest expression of these qualities recorded to date. From universal messages of hope, strength, and progression, to tracks built from the stories of people facing real struggle in our modern society, there is something powerful to be found in every single song on this record.
Anthony Raneri – Sorry State of Mind (LP/Digital/Stream)
Having long proven himself to be a songwriter capable of making you feel as if you could burst with hope one moment, only to make you want to cry the next, Anthony Raneri no longer needs to impress anyone with his music. His sound is a signature craft beer with a reputation for greatness that speaks for itself, and his dedicated ‘cult’ following will no doubt embrace his new solo EP the way they have every single Bayside release since their Victory Records debut in 2004. Ranger and his bandmates may now call Hopeless Records home, but the heartbreaking honesty and whimsical sincerity of his writing is just as ever before. Sorry State Of Mind finds Raneri reflecting on all he has done and experienced through his time in music, and the stories he has to share will keep you entertained all summer long.
Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money (LP/Digital/Stream)
If hard rock and acoustic solo albums are not your cup of tea, Maybach Music Group member Meek Mill has an alternative offering that may win you over. Dreams Worth More Than Money is the long-awaited sophomore effort from the Philadelphia based emcee, and though it is arriving almost a full year after its original release date Mill has made every effort to ensure the final product was more than worth the wait. From club-ready hits like “R.I.C.O” and “Bad For You,” to lyrical monsters such as “Lord Knows” or “The Trillest,” Dreams Worth More Than Money solidifies Meek Mill as one of the top artists in hip-hop today. He’s able to deliver radio hits just as easily as he can drop a verse that would incite riots in the streets, and on this release he gives us a little bit of everything in one fun, impressively cohesive listening experience.
James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.
