Tag: Janky Fresh Friday
Janky Fresh Friday: New Releases from Nas w/ DJ Premier & Danny L Harle
Janky Smooth Central Command
December 12, 2025
Here at Janky Smooth, Friday’s are for nerding out on new releases. This week, we dive deep into new music from Nas and DJ Premier VS Danny L Harle w/ Rachika Nayar-artists that are rarely mentioned side by side. In contrast to the two reviewing them, Rob Shepyer and Danny Ryan should ALWAYS be side by side- especially when discussing new music. Nas and DJ Premier: Light-Years (released December 12, 2025): Mass Appeal Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones aka Nas is one of hip hop’s most legendary and authentic children. His seminal album Illmatic still slaps, sounding like it was recorded in ancient history, 1994, yet carrying forward through time like a hip hop heirloom. Something passed down from generation to generation, almost like an oral bible or a survival guide to help people endure the insanity that is New York City. Illmatic remains true so long as New York remains chaotic, and as America’s greatest city, neither will ever change whether it is Giuliani or Mamdani as mayor. This is 2025 though, and Nas’ relevancy far surpasses his classic efforts. When paired with producers from newer generations he inspired, Nas shines to new audiences that may not have been
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Janky Fresh Black Friday: New Releases From Bad Brains and WITCH
Rob Shepyer
November 28, 2025
What are fans of rock and roll music thankful for this Janky Fresh Black Friday after Thanksgiving? They’re thankful for hardcore punk music and psychedelic rock, both genres owing debts to bands that released music today in the later eras of their iconic careers. The first is Bad Brains, out with Live at The Bayou, a lost recording from a Washington D.C. show on July 14th 1980, while the second is another lost recording in the form of legendary Zamrock band WITCH’s Fool’s Ride, released for the first time in the United States. Both were rediscovered as further evidence that the world is reaching some kind of spiritual completion on the other side of these turbulent birthing pains. related: Janky Fresh Friday- New Releases by Home Front and Oneohtrix Point Never For those unfamiliar with these bands, they have something in common besides the fact that both of these releases were once difficult to attain in America. There’s something that connects them beyond their positions as seminal bands in their genres, breaking new musical ground and inspiring numerous musical offspring. Whether you’re a pilgrim or an Indigenous native on this Black Friday after Thanksgiving, give thanks to our brothers from
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Releases From Oneohtrix Point Never and Home Front
Danny Ryan
November 21, 2025
Today’s new albums for Friday, November 7th, 2025, are two releases that may come from genres known for their simplicity, but both completely throw all preconceived notions about said genres out the window with how innovative and forward thinking each of these artists have consistently been throughout their careers. Oneohtrix Point Never almost needs no introduction in the conversation of avant-garde experimental music, being a trailblazer for Warp Records and arguably taking Aphex Twin’s place as King of IDM over the past few years. On the flipside, Home Front has been making waves in Oi punk since they first stepped on the scene with their ambitiously insane incorporations of new-wave, post-punk, and arena rock elements to the normally barebones genre. related: Janky Fresh Friday – New Releases from Orville Peck and FKA Twigs OPN’s album is a return to form in a lot of ways, shoving every element of his artistic identity in your face and sticking a flag in the sand of his place in experimental electronic music. Being a much newer artist, Home Front, is conversely finding their identity more and more with each release and creating their own brand of destroying genre-limiting boundaries. Both of these albums
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Releases by Orville Peck and FKA Twigs
Danny Ryan
November 14, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. As part of Janky Smooth’s Janky Fresh Friday series, we’ve been comparing two albums that come out on the same day and seemingly have nothing in common- for the sole purpose of discovering the wealth of similarities between two disparate things. In some respects, it’s an exercise in empathy, learning how to appreciate differences, placing yourself in the shoes of a different subculture, and putting forth an effort to celebrate music as a whole. related: Janky Fresh Friday – New Releases by Drain and Danny Brown Today’s albums for Friday, November 7th, 2025, are releases from two of the most forward-thinking and strongest personalities in music pop culture at the moment, Orville Peck for country music and FKA Twigs for art-pop music. While Orville Peck’s release Appaloosa is just an EP and FKA Twigs’ newest album Eusexua Afterglow appears to be a sister album to her previous release, both of these releases are more groundbreaking staples in these artists’ discographies than you would expect. Orville Peck: Appaloosa (released November 14, 2025):
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Releases by Drain and Danny Brown
Danny Ryan
November 7, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. As part of Janky Smooth’s Janky Fresh Friday series, we’ve been comparing two albums that come out on the same day and seemingly have nothing in common- for the sole purpose of discovering the wealth of similarities between two disparate things. In some respects, it’s an exercise in empathy, learning how to appreciate differences, placing yourself in the shoes of a different subculture, and putting forth an effort to celebrate music as a whole. related: Janky Fresh Friday – Chat Pile w/ Hayden Pedigo and Guided By Voices Today’s albums for Friday, November 7th, 2025, are two of the most ambitious releases of the year from scenes that used to be more closely connected than you see nowadays. The relationship between punk and hip-hop has a long history and this fusion was a staple of underground shows in Los Angeles for the longest time. There are very few rappers that cross over into punk, hardcore, or metal anymore but Danny Brown has consistently been dedicated to these collaborations since his tour
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Janky Fresh Friday- Chat Pile w/ Hayden Pedigo and Guided By Voices
Janky Smooth Central Command
October 31, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. As part of Janky Smooth’s Janky Fresh Friday series, we’ve been comparing two albums that come out on the same day. related: Janky Fresh Friday- New Releases From Militarie Gun and Tame Impala This week we have an album from a punk rock institution and a band creating an institution since no others exist that they can fit into neatly. related: Janky Fresh Friday- Record Release Shows for Spiritual Cramp and Patriarchy Danny Baraz gives us his thoughts on the unlikely collaboration between Chat Pile and singer/songwriter, Hayden Pedigo and Rob Shepyer delves into an all time personal favorite that’s back and still has something to say- Guided by Voices. Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo- “In The Earth Again” Computer Students Once the initial shock of “In The Earth Again”, the full length collaboration album between Oklahoma City’s Chat Pile and Amarillo Texas’ Hayden Pedigo wears off, what’s left is a surprisingly cohesive concept album between kindred spirits. The contrast in bodies of work is miles apart in sound but the final product
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Janky Fresh Friday: Record Release Shows for Spiritual Cramp and Patriarchy
Janky Smooth Central Command
October 24, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. As part of Janky Smooth’s Janky Fresh Friday series, we’ve been comparing two albums that come out on the same day and seemingly have nothing in common- for the sole purpose of discovering the wealth of similarities between two disparate things. related: Janky Fresh Friday – New Albums from Tame Impala and Militarie Gun This week we mix things up a bit to examine two new albums with late-October 2025 record release parties in LA. Spiritual Cramp’s free show sponsored by Marshall at Zebulon on 10/21 reminded us of what rock music should be all about; and Patriarchy’s upcoming record release party at The Lodge Room on 10/26 is about to be one of the creepiest and most gritty dance-parties you’ve ever been to, just in time for Halloween. Author Danny Ryan gives his review of Spiritual Cramp’s RUDE, with photos by Taylor Wong from the Zebulon record release show. Author Rob Shepyer breaks down Patriarchy’s new album for us in preparation of their upcoming Lodge Room performance. Spiritual Cramp: RUDE (released
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Albums from Tame Impala and Militarie Gun
Rob Shepyer
October 17, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. As part of Janky Smooth’s Janky Fresh Friday series, we’ve been comparing two albums that come out on the same day and seemingly have nothing in common- for the sole purpose of discovering the wealth of similarities between two disparate things. In some respects, it’s an exercise in empathy, learning how to appreciate differences, placing yourself in the shoes of a different subculture, and putting forth an effort to celebrate music as a whole. related: Janky Fresh Friday – New Albums from Mobb Deep and Sanguisugabogg Today’s albums for Friday, October 17th, 2025, are two highly anticipated bangers, one from arguably the most vibrant and prevalent scene in Los Angeles and the other from one of the most iconic artists in psychedelic rock, the former pillar genre of LA’s underground music. First though, let’s define fresh or freshness. Before the term was ever appropriated for music, culture, or fashion, it was once a descriptor for food, something that replenishes us, quenches our hunger and thirst, and ultimately connects our bodies to
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Albums from Mobb Deep and Sanguisugabogg
Danny Ryan
October 10, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. Sanguisugabogg: Hideous Aftermath (released October 10, 2025): Century Media Records Sanguisugabogg has been my favorite modern metal band for the past few years, with their absolutely masterful craft of combining the sounds of classic 90’s death metal with the attitude of the modern hardcore scene to create an environment of absolute chaotic violence at their live shows. Death metal/Slam metal have been crossing over into the hardcore scene much more within the past year, but unfortunately this album does seem like it’s a mark for the beginning of the end for this collision of worlds. The new album “Hideous Aftermath” is significantly slower than the previous ones, and it takes itself much more seriously. I was actually relieved upon hearing the first breakdown of the album, as I almost forgot I was listening to a Sanguisugabogg album with how long it took for the crowd-killing moments to arrive. related: Sound And Fury 2023 – The Stage Dive Will Never Die The casual metalhead who sees Sanguisugabogg at a large festival while
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Albums From AFI and Snõõper
Danny Ryan
October 3, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. AFI: Silver Bleeds The Black Sun… (released October 3, 2025): Run For Cover Records AFI has recently been in music news more than they have been in decades. A major aspect of this is frontman Davey Havok drastically changing his physical appearance recently, looking like he’d be more likely to front an indie folk group than a goth or hardcore or alternative band. Are those AFI‘s genres? It’s hard to pin them down to a specific sound, as they are constantly evolving and reinventing themselves throughout their career. related: Cruel World 2024 – A Legacy Forms at The Rose Bowl Today’s release of “Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…” marks the beginning of a new era for them, shifting much more into synthesizer based goth music and darkwave rather than their roots as a rock band. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering Havok’s side-projects Blaqk Audio and Dreamcar were hinting that he’s wanted to head in this direction for a long time. Even AFI’s last couple of albums were heavily incorporating goth and
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Janky Fresh Friday: New Albums From John Maus and PeelingFlesh
Danny Ryan
September 26, 2025
Welcome to Janky Fresh Friday- the busiest day of the week for artists and labels to drop newly released music. Check in every Friday for a fresh squeeze. John Maus: Later Than You Think (released September 26, 2025): Young Records John Maus’ new album Later Than You Think is a huge deal. Like a really huge, massive deal. Personally, his last release in 2011 We Must Become the Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves was a formative album during my high school years and one of my first introductions to goth music or synth pop outside of the mainstream. Almost 15 years later and he’s back with a vengeance; a deeply changed man on a spiritual level, but still bringing the lo-fi dark and gloomy atmosphere to the dancefloor. Don’t miss John Maus live this October: Observatory OC – October 20, 2025 The Belasco – October 22, 2025 The lyrical themes have certainly changed quite a bit from 2011’s “Cop Killer” to today with “I Hate Antichrist” and this tone of religious awakening can be felt throughout his newest release. As early as the second track we get lyrics like “Satan, Satan, Satan lies. Turns everything into fucking spite”. You could
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