TJ Howlett has officially ushered in the heavy, introspective season with his new release, "Easy Street". The Melbourne singer, songwriter, and early-90s grunge veteran bypasses modern polish altogether, choosing instead to steep himself in sultry, slow blues-rock that carries the weight of a smoke-filled room and deep-seated regret. https://open.spotify.com/album/6wLvX4vix5YygVOuQ7039p?si=aasK_0XHSAmhDNLFrh-aUw The title track maps out the murky topography of a rundown dive bar. We are observing melancholic...

The Australian electro-rock veterans "Caligula" return after 25 years with a charged album full of gothic groove, heavy feeling, and late-night replay value. Caligula are back, and "Bloodlines" does not tiptoe into the room. It flicks on the red light, turns the bass up, and lets the shadows start moving. That matters because this is not a quick nostalgia check-in. "Bloodlines", is the ARIA-nominated Australian electro-rock...