Weekly Guitar Essentials: Heriot, Laura Jane Grace and more
Need some more guitar in your weekly listening? We have you covered.
Image: Jeff Kravitz / Getty
Welcome to Weekly Guitar Essentials, your rundown of the last seven days of guitar music. we’ve picked out the best guitar-centric tracks from the last week for you to get your ears around. We’ve got a good mix of heavy and not-heavy this week, with some punk and alt-rock royalty too. First up: one of the best heavy bands in the UK.
Heriot – Soul Chasm
The excellent Heriot have signed to Century Media Records, and dropped their debut single for the Label. Soul Chasm showcases Heriot at their sludgiest: you can hear every tooth of the chainsaw in the HM-2-soaked guitar tone.
Sleater-Kinney – Say It Like You Mean It
The new Sleater-Kinney record Little Rope is on the way, and Say It Like You Mean It is the second track from it after Hell. It’s a great example of what they do well, particularly the spiky, fuzzed-out lead riffs.
Spiritbox x Megan Thee Stallion – Cobra (Rock Remix)
Did you see this collaboration coming? Maybe not. But regardless of what dudebros in their Instagram comments are saying, Spiritbox’s interpretation of this track continues their streak of fucking excellent releases. And frankly, we hope to hear more of this combo.
J Mascis – Can’t Believe We’re Here
J Mascis has a new solo album on the way, called What Do We Do Now. In contrast to his Dinosaur Jr. material, it’s a bit more acoustic, but it’s still sure to please fans of any of the alt-rock-god’s work because there’s a wild fuzzed-out solo in the middle. And it rocks.
Laura Jane Grace – Hole In My Head
Hole In My Head is the title track from a new solo album from Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, arriving in February next year. It’s 1:40 of punk excellence, not that you should expect anything less from her at this point!
Porno for Pyros – Agua
Agua is Porno For Pyro’s first new track in a whopping 26 years, and comes ahead of a four-track EP that’ll join their farewell tour next year. The song itself is a sunny alt-rock tune, inspired apparently by the band’s dolphin encounters they had surfing in the 1990s. On the water, presumably, not the net.
Mannequin Pussy – Sometimes
One more track from Mannequin Pussy ahead of their new album I Got Heaven, set to arrive in March next year, and yes, it’s going on the playlist. Jangly, driving and weird: it’s another banger from the group.
Chastity Belt – Hollow
This new lilting, shoegazey track arrives ahead of Chastity Belt’s newly-announced LP Live Laugh Love. In the spirit of that name, Hollow’s video features more slogan pillow covers and tacky wall art than you can shake a selfie-stick at.
The Body + Dis Fig – Holy Lance
The Body’s signature style underpins some excellent vocals from collaborator Dis Fig. Hole Lance precedes a whole collaborative LP, Orchards Of A Futile Heaven – and if the lead single is anything to go buy, it’s going to be another terrifying ride into distorted, industrial soundscapes.
Searows – End Of The World
Beautifully produced with softly textured drums and acoustic guitars, Searows new EP End Of The World is a perfect antidote to a stressful week, or if you happened to, for some reason, just listen to a track by The Body and Dis Fig.