ACE FREHLEY – Origins Vol. 1
Frehley ruins some of my favorite songs by Cream, Steppenwolf, Thin Lizzy etc. because he can’t sing to save his life. (5)
BEASTWARS – The Death Of All Things
Mostly sounds like Jesus Lizard buttfucking High On Fire, and that’s a good thing. (7)
BEYONCE – Lemonade
Beyonce takes the pop world by surprise – again. And, even putting speculation about the state of her own marriage aside, this is still a brave record, touching upon subject matter that other artists of her stature wouldn’t dare go near. (8)
GRAND MAGUS – Sword Songs
Heavy fucking metal, plain and simple. (8)
JOHN ZORN – Painted Bird
Another instrumental jazz-metal album, the 4th in 12 months by Zorn’s latest ensemble. If you liked the previous three you’ll like this one too. (7)
KYLE CRAFT – Dolls Of Highland
Oh! This is so great! Imagine a redneck version of Ziggy Stardust bringing some glam rock extravaganza to the swamps of Louisiana, if you don’t like this you’re an idiot. (8)
LERA LYNN – Resistor
After portaying the only watchable character on True Detective’s second season, Lynn returns with her highly enjoyable third album which sounds like Sharon Van Etten paying tribute to Sheryl Crow (or vice versa). (8)
PJ HARVEY – The Hope Six Demolition Project
All PJ Harvey albums by default get an 8, minimum. But her most political one is disappointing as it puts too much emphasis on the message and too little on the medium, i.e. the songs. (6) but (8)
POSIES – Solid States
Too many synthesizers for a Posies record. (6)
SERJ TANKIAN – 1915
Soundtrack to a movie referring to the Armenian genocide. Sounds nothing like SOAD, in case you were wondering. Features a number of Greek musicians for some reason. (7)
SONICS – Live At Easy Street
Seattle septuagenarian garage rockers show their youngster guests like Eddie Vedder how to do this right. (8)
STRUMBELLAS – Hope
Do NOT listen to the lead single, “Spirits” – you’ll never be able to get that epic chorus with the unison vocals out of your head and you’ll end up becoming an indie rock fan with a big beard. You have been warned. (7)
STURGILL SIMPSON – A Sailor's Guide to Earth
This is not country music, you can no longer stick that label on Simpson. This is the genius of Otis Redding and Roy Orbison viewed through a Nashville prism, and it’s gorgeous. (9)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Brown Acid: The Second Trip
Vol. II of this fantastic compilation series featuring totally obscure American proto-metal bands. Appropriately released on 4/20. (8)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Why The Mountains Are Black: Primeval Greek Village Music 1907 – 1960
Look, I can see that Third Man Records put a lot of painstaking research into creating a compilation of Kalamatiana, Hasapika and Tsamika that non-Greeks might find interesting, but I’m a Greek who grew up on rock ‘n’ roll and it’s Orthodox Easter and this stuff is negatively charged to an impossible degree so fuck you and your klarina, Jack White. Just… fuck you. (-)
CHEAP TRICK – Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello
They’ve been called heavy metal, the American Beatles and everything in between, but they’re just a great rock ‘n’ roll band and 40 years after their debut they still deliver. (8)
DALEK – Asphalt For Eden
A welcome return after a 7-year hiatus, Dalek once again blends hip-hop and industrial noise in this dark, moody monster of an album. (8)
DEFTONES – Gore
Thank God for the 90’s. (8)
KAADA & MIKE PATTON – Bacteria Cult
Norwegian classical/avant-garde composer teams up with workaholic lunatic for another album filled with playful cinematic soundscapes. (7)
KEL ASSOUF – Tikounen
With one foot in the Sahara and the other in the urban jungle, Kel Assouf take Tinariwen’s Tuareg blues and turn the heaviness up a couple of notches. (7)
LINCOLN DURHAM – Revelations of a Mind Unravelling
This is a guy who describes himself as a “Southern gothic punk gospel revival one-man-band” and you know what, I think he nailed it. (8)
LOW FLYING HAWKS – Kofuku
Sludgy doom metal from Mexico featuring the drummer from the Melvins and some rather off-key vocals. (6)
MAMIFFER – The World Unseen
Husband/wife team of Faith Coloccia (Pyramids) and Aaron Turner (Isis) sounds like Hydrahead pretending to be 4AD. (7)
PETER WOLF – A Cure For Loneliness
I axiomatically declare that J. Geils Band is the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band that ever existed and this is a pretty decent solo album by their frontman. Includes a bluegrass version of “Love Stinks”. (7)
PROTEST THE HERO – Pacific Myth
Canadian progressive metal band explores new business model, releases subscription-based series of 6 singles though Bandcamp which, combined, make up this EP. It’s pretty great, just like everything PTH has released from “Fortress” onwards. (8)
ROBBIE FULKS – Upland Stories
Country/folk underdog releases yet another album full of compelling characters and interesting stories about his homeland. (7)
SAM BEAM & JESCA HOOP – Love Letter For Fire
Iron & Wine’s Beam and wonderful Californian songstress Hoop create collaborative duets album. This is pop songwriting at its best and the backing band features some of the best players in the world, like bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing, Fiona Apple) and violinist Eyvind Kang. (8)
TIM HECKER – Love Streams
I always fall for this, I read a bunch of glowing reviews by Brooklyn hipsters giving 8’s and 9’s to some ambient minimalist avant-garde electronica shit and then spend valuable hours listening to it trying to figure out what the fuck they like so much about it. (6)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Dust On The Nettles: A Journey Through The British Underground Folk Scene 1967-72
Fascinating 3-CD collection chronicling the UK’s acid folk scene. You get the stars (Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span), you get the cult heroes (Comus, Vashti Bunyan), you get the obscurities, you even get a psychedelic cover version of “Ena Nero Kyra Vaggelio” retitled “Glass Of Water”. (9)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Southern Family
Hotshot Nashville producer Dave Cobb brings together some top country & Americana stars (Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown, Brandy Clark etc.) and compiles excellent concept album about life in the American South. (8)
WILLIE NILE – World War Willie
Try to imagine Bruce Springsteen having never made it big – oh wait, that’s Southside Johnny. OK then, try to imagine Lou Reed being less of an asshole and having a better sense of humor, or The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn still holding steady 20 years from now – basically, Willie Nile distills the very essence of rock ‘n’ roll storytelling and you need this album. (8)
