Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Before The List Edition

ANDERSON .PAAK – Oxnard
Dr. Dre executive produces, Kendrick Lamar guests, so .Paak is officially G-Funk/hip-hop royalty now. (7)

CHRIS CORNELL – Chris Cornell
Comprehensive posthumous 4-disc box set featuring tracks by Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog, Audioslave, his solo career, rarities and 11 unreleased tracks proving that this guy’s voice was the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll weapon. A must-have even if you already own most of this stuff. (9)

CONCEPTION – My Dark Symphony
Well we don’t really have Queensryche anymore, do we? (7)

DAN REED NETWORK – Origins
Four new songs and four old hits re-recorded live in the studio by a band once described as “Bon Jovi meets Prince”, but here sounds more like “Chic meets King’s X”. (7)

JD McPHERSON – Socks
Fun Christmas-themed rockabilly originals by McPherson will surely bring a smile to your face. (7)

LARKIN POE – Venom & Faith
This is not your father’s blues record, it’s a wild stomp through the muddy banks of the Mississippi river with Dr Martens on. (9)

LAURA JANE GRACE & THE DEVOURING MOTHERS – Bought to Rot
Against Me! leader’s side project releases fantastic album combining her day’s job’s emotional punk with 70’s Bowie/Reed glam rock elements and her complicated personal life. Funny and devastating at the same time. (8)

MUSE – Simulation Theory
In case you ever wondered what would’ve happened if Giorgio Moroder had produced a Queen album between “The Game” and “Hot Space”. (7)

NEMANJA RADULOVIC – Baika
Classical music for people who don’t listen to classical music, Serbian star violinist takes us on a wonderful Eastern-flavored journey featuring compositions by Khachaturian, Rimsky-Korsakov etc. (8)

REO SPEEDWAGON – The Early Years 1971-1977
I have a soft spot for these guys and this 8-disc box set is a treasure for all classic rock fans – the band’s first 6 studio albums, some of them hard to find, plus 1977’s double live. Forget the 80’s ballads, this is the meat ‘n’ potatoes rock you cannot not love. (8)

SMITHEREENS – Covers
Vastly underrated and presumably sadly missed since Pat DiNizio’s death, The Smithereens’ likely swan song has the power-pop quartet covering its favorite songs. Previously available on iTunes, first time on CD, plays like the coolest jukebox ever. (8)