THE LOUDER STUFF
BLACK CROWN INITIATE – Violent Portraits Of Doomed Escape
This album is to “Blackwater Park”-era Opeth what Mikael Akerfeldt’s “clean” stuff is to Steven Wilson. (8)
CREEPER – Sex, Death & The Infinite Void
British horror punks move away from their AFI/Misfits-derived shtick and try to approach the ambition of My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade”, almost get there. BTW the album intro features Patricia Morrison who used to play in The Sisters Of Mercy and later married The Damned’s Dave Vanian, if you’re into semiotics. (8)
ENUFF Z’NUFF – Brainwashed Generation
Another strong power pop/hard rock album from the Chicagoan veterans, sort of like a Cheap Trick/ELO hybrid. Special guests include Mike Portnoy and Ace Frehley. (7)
HUNTSMEN – Mandala Of Fear
The general idea of blending Mastodon-style modern progressive metal with psychedelic Americana elements is interesting, but at 84 minutes long this could certainly use a haircut, or at least a trim. (7)
INTER ARMA – Garbers Days Revisited
Covers albums really only make sense if they mess with the originals and this metal band does good, not only adding extra crunch to songs by some of the band’s heavier influences (Ministry, NIN, Husker Du, Venom, Cro Mags), but also totally re-imagining non-metal tracks (Tom Petty, Prince, Neil Young). (7)
ALAIN JOHANNES – Hum
A deeply personal piece of work, born from pain and loss but sounding cathartic, from the quintessential musician’s musician. (8)
NOFX & FRANK TURNER – West Coast Vs. Wessex
Fun split album with the two acts covering each other’s songs. (8)
STEVE VON TILL – No Wilderness Deep Enough
Neurosis guy (the one with the bigger beard) on new solo album sounds like Nick Cave’s 2010’s electronic soundscape stuff. (7)
THE STOOGES – Live At Goose Lake: August 8th, 1970
Soundboard recording of legendary, very loud, and extremely messy “Fun House”-era concert unearthed half a century later and officially released. Priceless for the converted, too obnoxious for newbies who’d be better off starting with the studio albums. (-)
JOHN ZORN – Baphomet
40-minute long Zorn composition played by Simulacrum, the Hammond-led power trio he put together to blend death metal and jazz in ways that will blow your mind. (8)
THE OTHER STUFF
THE CHICKS – Gaslighter
Star country pop female group The Dixie Chicks change their name in light of current events, recruit AAA-list contributors (uber-producer Jack Antonoff, St. Vincent’s Anne Clark) and come out of a 14-year hiatus with an album that will appeal to Taylor Swift fans who can get past the heavy, divorce-related lyrical content. (8)
SHIRLEY COLLINS – Heart’s Ease
The Grande Dame of English folk is back. She’s 85 and sounds about twice as old and I mean that in the best possible way. (7)
RAY WYLIE HUBBARD – Co-Starring
Guest star-studded album from outlaw country’s could-have-been 70-something features people like Ringo Starr, Don Was, Joe Walsh, Chris Robinson, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Ashley McBryde, Larkin Poe etc. and kicks some serious ass. Don’t know if this qualifies as country music, it sure sounds more like swampy southern rock to my ears. (8)
LANA DEL REY – Violet Bent Backwards Over The Grass
Not a proper album but an audiobook of poetry set to music, it’s influenced by the Beats (Ginsberg, Kerouac) and fits quite nicely into the Del Rey canon. (7)
MY MORNING JACKET – The Waterfall II
Better than 2015’s “The Waterfall”, an album it doesn’t sound very much like. I’ve always compared MMJ to the Grateful Dead because of their jam band-ness, but this time around they’re doing more of a Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev thing. (8)
MARGO PRICE – That’s How Rumors Get Started
Country’s rising star goes Rock and discovers her inner Stevie Nicks on fantastic, Sturgill Simpson-produced third album. (8)
TAYLOR SWIFT – Folklore
First she goes from country whiz kid to pop superdiva, and now she goes after the hipster/beardo crowd by surprise-dropping a gorgeous indie goth folk album with a cover that looks like a Norwegian black metal demo, produced by that guy from The National and including a duet with that guy from Bon Iver. (8)
