Ghost, one of the most esteemed and celebrated rock bands in the world today, return with their fifth psalm, Impera, fronted by the newly anointed Papa Emeritus IV. A dozen songs take on themes of isolation and demigod worship, as well as colonization of both space and mind. And all with the infectious hooky brand of rock their fans have grown accustomed.

Classic Objects is a map of places; past places, like the old empty Melbourne pubs Hval’s band used to play in, public places Hval missed throughout lockdown, imagined, future places, and impossible places where dreams, hallucinations, death and art can take you. It’s also Hval’s version of a pop album, mixed to sound as though it’s played through a stereo in a mysterious room.

Five Legged Dog — a four album acoustic retrospective/covers tribute, is a testament to Melvins’ unmatched work ethic and their penchant for pushing the envelope, then shredding it to bits. Said Melvins founder, Buzz Osborne, “One acoustic record seems like a joke and two is pretty normal, but doing FOUR?!? That’s like going to war against an army of gorillas on LSD.”

“The pandemic and lockdown really brought home the truth that spontaneity can be taken away,” said Adams. “The title song 'So Happy It Hurt' is about freedom, autonomy, spontaneity, and the thrill of the open road. The album of the same name touches on many of the ephemeral things in life that are really the secret to happiness, most importantly, human connection.”

A twenty track chronological journey through Franz Ferdinand’s career to date, Hits To The Head effortlessly runs through early singles, including the megahit “Take Me Out” while reminding us of their dancefloor appeal with cult classics “Michael” and “This Fire” standing out as forgotten indie bangers. A perfect reminder of their lasting importance and a celebration of feel-good outsider indie anthems.

Financial troubles and tornados among other things (ahem, pandemic) called for a stop-start recording process. But out of hardship the strong survive, and Rebelator is more than just survival. There is massive power in the playing here, but the down time seems to have added a freshness and a crispness to their sound. More melodies, more hooks, more experimentation. There’s hope in this heavy.