Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Jul 2021 Vol. II

 

THE LOUDER STUFF

LEE AARON – Radio On!
Look, I was a teenage metalhead in the 80’s, OK? I’m entitled to like Lee Aaron even if she’s always sounded more AOR than Metal Queen. (7)

MAYHEM – Atavistic Black Disorder/Kommando
EP featuring outtakes from the “Daemon” LP plus a bunch of hardcore punk covers including guest appearances from two of the band’s ex-vocalists (Messiah and Maniac). The Discharge & Dead Kennedys songs alone are worth the price of admission. (8)

MORDRED – The Dark Parade
I kept telling you back in 1989-90 that this was a great band but you wouldn’t listen then, would you? Well, you better pay some attention now because this is some great fucking funk/rap metal. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

RODRIGO AMARANTE – Drama
Brazilian residing in L.A. attempts to update the bossa nova tradition, infusing it with elements from a bunch of different genres. (7)

NATACHA ATLAS – The Inner And The Outer
Beautiful, bold, meditative EP blending elements of Arabic music, jazz, hip hop, and electronica. (8)

RODNEY CROWELL – Triage
Another masterclass in songwriting from the Americana veteran. (8)

JACKIE LEVEN – Straight Outta Caledonia: The Songs Of Jackie Leven
Compilation of songs by unknown Scottish singer/songwriter. I’d never heard of the guy before so this is a revelation – the guy is as good as Elvis Costello. (9)

LITTLE STEVEN & THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL – Summer of Sorcery Live! At the Beacon Theatre
A very fun rock & soul party from The Boss’ main sideman on 3 CDs, featuring a 13-piece backing band and special guests like the God Peter Wolf (J. Geils Band). Perfect for blasting extremely loud on a Summer night. (8)

KATHERINE PRIDDY – The Eternal Rocks Beneath
The Next Big Thing in English folk and already championed by giants like Richard Thompson, on a very strong debut album. (8)

THE SECRET SISTERS – Quicksand
4-track EP from this excellent country/Americana duo. Their groovy cover version of Fiona Apple’s “Heavy Balloon” will put a smile on your face. (8)

VARIOUS - May The Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute To Roky Erickson
Fantastic posthumous tribute album featuring Billy Gibbons, Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Gary Clarke Jr., Ty Segall, Lucinda Williams (she kicks so much ass on this one!), Chelsea Wolfe, Mark Lanegan and others. (9)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Jul 2021

AT THE GATES – The Nightmare Of Being
Solid effort by much-copied Swedish melodic death metal pioneers but they’ll never be able to get rid of the “Slaughter Of The Soul” measuring stick, no matter how many saxophone solos and orchestras they experiment with. (7)

BEARTOOTH – Below
An excellent, catchy slab of hardcore-infused modern heavy metal. (8)

LUCY DACUS – Home Video
I thought Julien Baker was going to be this year’s Phoebe Bridgers but apparently there’s some serious competition from Dacus. No wonder the three of them were in a band together. (8)

VINCENT NEIL EMERSON – Vincent Neil Emerson
A new Texan singer/songwriter and a good student in the school of Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clarke, Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell (the latter, not coincidentally, serving as producer here). (7)

BOBBY GILLESPIE & JEHNNY BETH – Utopian Ashes
Primal Scream guy and Savages girl conceptually attempt a Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris thing, and it works. (8)

JOHN GRANT – Boy From Michigan
Deeply personal, in places disturbed and disturbing, often funny – in other words, classic John Grant. And I’ll take his vintage synth sounds over synthwave any day, even if many songs on this album run a couple of minutes too long. (8)

ANGELIQUE KIDJO – Mother Nature
The undisputed Queen of Africa passes the torch by unselfishly inviting a bunch of up-and-coming African artists as guests on this environmentally focused World music album, and it’s so good that I could even forgive the Sting collab, maybe. (8)

JOHN MURRY – The Stars Are God's Bullet Holes
A sarcastic, tortured poet in the Lou Reed tradition, this guy will fuck you up if you pay too much attention to what he’s singing about. Produced by John Parish. (8)

THE RECORD COMPANY – Side Project
Blues rock trio does covers, some expected (Willie Dixon, Big Mama Thornton), some not (INXS, Cypress Hill). RYIL The Black Keys. (7)

FAYE WEBSTER – I Know I'm Funny Haha
Yet another female singer/songwriter doing this emotive soft rock/country/easy listening folkish thing. A pleasant listen but seriously, I’m beginning to have a hard time telling them apart. (7)