Inside Noise 6/2

First off, we got Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? by McKinnley Dixon, a masterful jazz rap album that focuses heavily on the tragedy of gun violence in America. This release reminds me of Kendrick's magnum opus TPAB, but nothing on Beloved sounds derivative. This one's got bangers, sob stories, and endless replay value. When I saw how few listeners this guy has I punched a hole in my wall. 9/10. - Michael

Next is Rancid's Tomorow Never Comes. We can't be mad that an old-school punk band has put out another old-school punk record, but we aren't really impressed either. This album does feature some jaunty celtic-inspired tracks and some downright swashbuckling piratey tunes that we have to admit are pretty fun. It's not bad, but it's nothing we haven't seen before. 6/10. - Kalen

Next we got the newest from Detroit post-punk outfit Protomartyr called Formal Growth in the Desert. This one sounds like if Idles was produced by the guys from Have a Nice Life, which causes the band to fail simultaneously at taking on the energy of Idles or the atmosphere of Have a Nice Life. This one is solid compositionally though, and the songwriting does a great deal of redemption here. 6/10. - Michael

And last but certainly not least, we have Zango, the comeback album from Zambian rock group WITCH. A Zamrock resurgence was not on my 2023 bingo card but I am really into it! This album is energetic unrestrained zamrock psychedelia, pairing elements of western rock with funk music with central south African beats. Zango directly calls for an end to a host of prejudices while still delivering an exuberant sound. After over four decades since their last LP release, WITCH has definitely still got it, 9/10. - Carrie

Thanks for checking out this week’s major release roundup! Make sure to watch the review in video form over on TikTok