Short Attention Span Record Reviews Sep 2017 - Back To School Edition Pt. II

THE HARDER STUFF

BALL – Ball
Superfuzzed heavy psych-rock from a bunch of Swedes who won’t reveal their identities, so it’s either someone we know or someone trying to pull a Ghost. In any case, this rocks. Hard. (8)

DALEK – Endangered Philosophies
Dalek was Death Grips before Death Grips. Dalek is better than Death Grips. Dalek is back. (8)

FOO FIGHTERS – Concrete & Gold
In one ear, out the other. (6)

HOT WATER MUSIC – Light It Up
Melodic, anthemic punk rock with choruses that beg to be screamed out loud while hugging your best mate. I’m 49 and this stuff still moves me to tears. (8)

MARILYN MANSON – Heaven Upside Down
“The Pale Emperor” was great and very different from anything MM had ever done before. This year’s follow-up is more like a throwback to the “Antichrist Superstar”/“Mechanical Animals” sound of 20 years ago. (7)

MASTODON – Cold Dark Place EP
4 unreleased tracks, 3 from the “Once More ‘Round The Sun” sessions and 1 from the “Emperor Of Sand” sessions, more laid back but totally awesome in their epic epicness. Seriously, this stuff is better than both albums, or perhaps easier to digest since the EP’s only 22 minutes long. (9)

MATT CAMERON – Cavedweller
Soundgarden/Pearl Jam drummer Cameron pulls a Brant Bjork and releases poppier solo album. Good stuff, fans of his bands will love it. (7)

THE BRONX – V
They call themselves “The Greatest Punk Rock Band In The World”. They’re not, but they certainly play like they believe it. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares
A bunch of proto-metal bands from the late 60’s/early 70’s that I’ve never heard of (Xarhanga, Novaks Kapelle, Whistlers Mother, Brass Alley…) doing bad drugs and turning the fuzz up to 11. Pure gold. (9)

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM – Thrice Woven
A very welcome return to their black metal roots after the unfortunate ambient/faux-Tangerine Dream experiment of “Celestite”, this is one of the best metal albums you’ll hear this year. Great guests (Anna Von Hausswolff, Neurosis’ Steve Von Till) add an extra dimension. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

AMADOU & MARIAM – La Confusion
New album from Malian husband & wife Afro-blues duo. Too many keyboards and electronics on this one, losing some of the immediacy that had made 2005’s Manu Chao-produced “Dimanche A Bamako” such a great album. (7)

ANTIBALAS - Where The Gods Are In Peace
Brooklyn-based Afrobeat 12-piece collective that has supplied the likes of Arcade Fire, The Roots, Mark Ronson and The Black Keys with session players returns with funky new album. Sounds very African and very New York at the same time. (7)

BEDOUINE – Bedouine
Promising debut album from young Syrian singer-songwriter living and working in L.A., featuring an impressive list of collaborators who have previously worked with Beck, Norah Jones and Devendra Banhart. Fans of Natalie Prass should check her out. (7)

DAN REED – Confessions
Not having heard a single note from Reed since 1991 I was still sort of hoping I’d get some funky hard rock when I decided to give this a spin, but instead I got 10 sugary ballads which is 9 sugary ballads more than I can take in one sitting. (5)

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR – Luciferian Towers
Canadian post-rock nine-piece continue their apocalyptic-sounding quest to eliminate the evils of capitalism. (8)

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER – Hallelujah Anyhow
Similar in style to last year’s “Heart Like A Levee”, this is good country rock with soul overtones a-la Van Morrison. (7)

KRONOS QUARTET & TRIO DA KALI – Ladilikan
Classical string quartet joins forces with traditional Malian musicians for an exquisite, soulful set. This is a better Westernized reinterpretation of Mali’s rich musical tradition than the Amadou & Mariam album. (8)

TEXAS GENTLEMEN – TX Jelly
Ace Texan backing band steps out on its own after playing with everyone in country and rock from Kris Kristofferson to Leon Bridges to Nikki Lane. (7)

TOM RUSSELL – Folk Hotel
It’s hard for the father of Americana to top 2015’s “The Rose Of Roscrae”, his masterpiece, but Russell takes a shot at it and comes pretty damn close. (8)

WILLIE WATSON – Folksinger Vol.2
Former Old Crow Medicine Show member releases second solo folk/blues/gospel/country album playing well-worn standards with sparse acoustic instrumentation – his version of “Gallows Pole” is particularly strong. (7)