Short Attention Span Record Reviews, March 2018 Vol. II

CREEP SHOW – Mr. Dynamite
Experimental electronic music supergroup featuring John Grant and Cabaret Voltaire’s Stephen Mallinder among others just have some fun in the studio, end up sounding like Yello doing a Kraftwerk tribute. (6)

DAVID BYRNE – American Utopia
An OK album by someone who has previously been responsible for creating masterpieces is not OK. (6)

JACK WHITE – Boarding House Reach
This guy usually knows what he’s doing but this time WTF? Ambitious but messy, maximalistic in an everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink way, sometimes venturing into R&B, this is the sound of White finally biting off more than he can chew. (6)

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO – Ventriloquism
Bassist/singer/rapper Ndegeocello has been credited with giving birth to the neo-soul genre with her excellent, sexy 90’s debut “Plantation Lullabies”. On her fantastic 12th album she uniquely re-imagines soul and funk radio hits from 1982-95 by Prince, TLC, George Clinton, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Sade etc., giving them a new breath of life. (8)

MONSTER MAGNET – Mindfucker
Look. You know me, Monster Magnet is one of my favorite bands of all time. I’ve repeatedly stated that Monster Magnet albums are like blowjobs (even bad ones are pretty good) and that I can never be objective about this band. (11)

NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS – Tearing at the Seams
Somewhere between a male Sharon Jones with less religion and a good Van Morrison karaoke. (7)

RYLEY WALKER – Deafman Glance
This album won’t be officially released before May but trust me, when it does, you’re gonna see a whole bunch of five-star reviews from all the media that matter – Walker transforms from acoustic folk guy to electropsychedelic weirdo and totally pulls it off. (8)

SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS – Beasts of Burgundy
My man Jimbo Mathus does it again, putting his old band back together – SNZ revive old-time swing/jazz with a punk rock attitude. You cannot not dance to this. (8)

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES – Get Your Fight On!
Great EP featuring alternate versions, re-recordings of Cyco Miko songs, some new stuff, a Stooges cover and Dave Lombardo on the drums. (8)

THE FRATELLIS – In Your Own Sweet Time
The Music Geek has a soft spot for the Fratellis’ brand of shiny happy pop-rock and this is a welcome addition to their catalogue. RIYL the theme song to “Friends”. (7)

THE SWORD – Used Future
If you’re a fan of “Technical Ecstasy”/”Never Say Die”-era Sabbath you’ll love this. But of all Sabbath eras, why the fuck are you a fan of the “Technical Ecstasy”/”Never Say Die” era? (7)