Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Aug 22

RYAN ADAMS – FM
As the title implies, his third album for 2022 is a very radio-friendly affair. There are many Ryan Adamses but this one, the mostly uptempo jangly one, is my favorite. (8)

A-Z – A-Z
Ray Alder and Mark Zonder (A-Z, get it?) team up in new group. Of course it has a strong Fates Warning flavor, of the “Parallels” progmetal/AOR type, and that’s fine. (8)

LEE BAINS & THE GLORY FIRES – Old-Time Folks
If you’re looking for the perfect cross between Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Clash, you’ve just found it! Awesome band, awesome album, produced by David Barbe (Sugar bassist and long-time Drive-By Truckers producer). (8)

BEYONCE – Renaissance
Touted as a masterclass in the history of club music and it probably is, the problem is I really fucking hate club music, and clubs. (6)

SIMON JOYNER – Songs From A Stolen Guitar
Outsider Americana singer/songwriter offers a collection of stark, dark, beautiful songs. (8)

BRANKO MATAJA – Traditional And Folk Songs Of Yugoslavia
An oddity from 1974 by Yugoslavian immigrant, re-released. Playing solo on his custom-made guitar, Mataja created some spookily gorgeous sounds. (8)

CASS McCOMBS – Heartmind
A strange album that’s hard to categorize, somewhere between Americana, psychedelia, and pop. Contrary to most albums that have their best songs at the beginning and the end, this one has its strongest material right smack in the middle. (8)

AMANDA SHIRES – Take It Like A Man
An emotionally raw, deeply personal album from Shires chronicling the ups and downs of her marriage to Jason Isbell (whose guitar playing features on several songs here), it sounds less southern rock and more Memphis soul than her previous efforts. (8)

SUN'S SIGNATURE – Sun's Signature
Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser returns with a strong EP that’ll brings tears of joy to the eyes of 80’s/90’s 4AD fans. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Ladies Sing The Boss: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen
A collection of previously released cover versions of Bruce Springsteen songs by female artists, and sung from a female perspective. Some of them you’ve definitely heard before (e.g. Patti Smith’s “Because The Night”), some you haven’t. Features Lucy Dacus, Soccer Mommy, Cowboy Junkies, Lucinda Williams, Anna Calvi, Emmylou Harris and many others. (7)