I'm going to be looking at quite a few albums from the past couple of weeks, along with some release shows due to dominate the weekend. --- I'll start it off with the debut EP from the band Captives, an Eagle Mountain-based indie-rock band who have been playing around for the past few months building up a small following, but they haven't really broken out yet. The group released a four-track EP back in September called My Eyes Are Open, which shows a lot of promise but also shows they still have some hills to climb. You can snag a copy of the EP from their Bandcamp page for just $3.

Next up is the latest from SLC hip-hop artist Umang. This guy has come a long way in a short amount of time, going from virtually unknown just a year ago to a name being passed around a shows and battles throughout the scene. His 2011 debut album, The First Impression, left an impression on local radio as it made some appearances on KRCL in the fall. Now, he's back with his sophomore album, Lasting Impressions -- 17 tracks of fine beats and personal lyrics, which the album deserves some high marks on, as many albums from the genre that try to be personal come off very impersonal, almost like a persona is being put on every song. But Umang pulls it off nicely with tracks that almost feel catered to the season. You can download the album for $8 off his Bandcamp page.

Following up a post I made on Saturday, Spell Talk is no more. The band officially broke up in late September, which you can read more about in this blog entry. Let's not rehash but instead get to the point of this: They put out one last release, a six-track EP called Rough, produced by the legendary Terrence DH, recorded in the final couple of months of the band's run. You can download the final release from the band off their Bandcamp page for a “name your price” tag.

Speaking of Terrence DH, his band Danger Hailstorm have a brand-new release out. The group have been pretty quiet on the recording front, but, man, have they broken some speakers along the Wasatch Front! Several accounts from the Utah Arts Festival pegged the band as the loudest at the fest, being heard from two blocks away in the middle of the day. Can't blame them, with heavy hitters like Zak Mason, B.J.Parker and Van Christensen in the band. The band's brand-new single is “You Got It / Priestess,” which you can download from their Bandcamp page for whatever price you feel like. Trust me, it's worth listening to.

Next up from the SLC music scene is Rich Wyman, who was covered pretty well by City Weekly's Frances Moody in last week's issue, which you can still read here. Last week, he released his ninth solo album, Good Company, which you can snag off his website.

Moving to the dubstep a little, Grimblee just put out a brand-new album. I won't delve too much into it, mainly because there isn't much to delve into, but the electronic master is back, after two already successful underground full-length releases, with his third album, Mutilate. And check out that awesome artwork by IHSquared, who has practically become the man's personal artist. You can downlaod it off his Bandcamp page for a “name your price” tag.

Switching back to rock, The Young Electric have a brand-new release out, which will be music to the ears of hardcore Provo fans. The group have been playing their asses off in Utah County, with brothers Riley and Drew Hamnett taking the lead, and Mat Deason and Natty Coleman finishing out the lineup. They've gotten some buzz, even though they are aiming for more radio-rock than your average Provo band. In fact, they're doing everything like a radio-rock band including a music video for the single “Golden” and keeping the rest of the album under tight lock. Their debut album, Machines, hit iTunes this past Tuesday, and there's a release show on the way. If you dig the single, check out the album.

Moving on to release shows, first up is from two people doing two release shows on the same night. Officer Jenny, the alias of singer/songwriter Stephen Cole, will be putting out his fourth EP called Five Songs Written About The Soul Of The Earth. Catchy little title. Cole has been the equivalent of a “coffee-shop darling”; that is, if they had more open mics at coffee shops in Provo. He's put out three other EPs and a full-length titled Grape Canyons back in early 2010. The second entry is another singer/songwriter by the name of Phil Forte, a California transplant who has been running around in the same circles as Cole and making some buzz in his own right. He'll be releasing his debut EP, Acoustic Anthems of My Angsty Youth, which early snippets seem to have an appealing home-strung quality. The two have decided to do a dual release show at Sammy's in Provo tonight with possible special guests. Show kicks off at 8 p.m., and as far as we can tell is free to attend!

Looking at Saturday, let's get the big one out of the way -- the debut album from Book On Tape Worm. City Weekly's Austen Diamond already covered the band in this week's issue, which you can read here. From what I've been able to listen to from the album, this is probably one of the best indi- folk releases you'll see all year; in some people's eyes, it will be a close second-place after November, but more on that later. The band will be taking over Velour for TWO shows in one night to celebrate the release of their album, All The World's A Stage, the first kicking off at 7 p.m. and the second at 9:30 p.m. Ticket prices will vary between shows.

Meanwhile, we'll see the debut release from New City Skyline. The four-piece rock group based out of SLC got their start in late 2007 as a club band, playing what gigs they could as a mid-card band around the city but not having much of an impact until recently, when they started holding back on smaller shows and playing one-shot big-room appearances. There have been recordings here and there, but nothing big until they hit the studio late last year to put out their debut album, On My Own. The band (seen above, photo by Janet Schieving) put out a promo video, but, honestly, there's no real indication as to how good or bad this album will be. It's a shot in the dark for those of you into booming rock. You can catch them at The Complex tomorrow night; as of right now, there's no word on opening acts, if any. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. and is just $10.

And finally, just to bring the noise all the way up, is the debut release from Odium Totus. The group formed in the fall of 2011, taking on the monkiers of Dyingnysus, Lupericus, Khate and R. Sodomizer. Beyond that, there isn't a lot to wrote about the group as they've barely been around a year. Next week, we'll see the release of their debut EP, Nullam Congue Nihil, which is as black metal as it comes, with fierce drums, gritty guitars and gut-wrenching vocals. The band will release the EP on Wednesday, Oct.17 at Bar Deluxe, playing with Blood Purge, Dethblo and Moon Of Delirium; just $5, and the show starts at 10 p.m.

Head out, love music, buy local!