ALGIERS – Shook
Impossible-to-pigeonhole band (Post-punk meets gospel? Noise-rock/hip-hop hybrid?) plus lots of high-profile guests on ambitious fourth album that attempts to express the pain and angst of living in this decade and (mostly) hits the mark. (7)
BIG|BRAVE - Nature Morte
Canadian drone/doom/post-metal trio with weird female vocals, it might sound revolutionary to the younger crowd but (Karyn) Crisis and Julie Christmas have been there years before. I did come across the term “Bjorkcore” as a description and it’s not entirely inaccurate. (7)
JARROD DICKENSON – Big Talk
Starting from a country background but ending pretty close to Petty-esque heartland rock, not too far from guys like Todd Snider and Cory Branan. (7)
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS – Eye Of I
A very exciting jazz record breaking barriers with punk rock and noise. This sax player does NOT make smooth sounds for dinner parties. (8)
LUCERO – Should've Learned By Now
I never really got into Lucero even though, at least on paper, they’re right up my alley (i.e. Southern Americana rockers with strong storytelling qualities), but their new album, more uptempo and rowdier than previous releases, might change that. (8)
JESSE MALIN - The Fine Art Of Self Destruction (20th anniversary edition)
Now re-issued with bonus tracks, Malin’s excellent 2003 solo debut saw him leave his glam punk past with D-Generation behind and go into singer-songwriter mode sounding not unlike what the producer of this album, Ryan Adams, himself sounded like 20 years ago. (8)
THE NECKS – Travel
Jazz experimentalists from Down Under and regulars on the geek’s Annual List return with an excellent double album of, well, jazz experimentation. (8)
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS – Land Of Sleeper
Pigs X7 really sound like Orange Goblin X7 on much of this one. (7)
SUNNY WAR – Anarchist Gospel
A nice little folk record with some rock elements, brings to mind Joan Armatrading. (7)
UNTHANK : SMITH – Nowhere And Everywhere
Folk veteran/royalty joins forces with Maximo Park frontman for an album of traditional tunes from Northern England. (7)
VENOMOUS CONCEPT – The Good Ship Lollipop
Supergroup featuring extreme metal’s elite (members of Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, and Cancer) started out having fun with some chaotic hardcore punk, but now expand their sound – the album title is a dead giveaway that this is as un-grindcore as you can get, and there’s quite a bit of melody here plus some kraken-sized riffs and more hooks than a fisherman’s tacklebox, like the bastard son of Killing Joke and AC/DC on steroids. (9)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Steven Wilson Presents Intrigue: Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89
Wilson seems convinced that deep down everything is prog, the same way I at 17 was (only half-jokingly) claiming that deep down everything is metal. He tries to prove it by curating this box set, but apart from including a few obvious choices (Robert Fripp, Peter Hammill, Cardiacs), claiming that The Cure, Sisters Of Mercy, or “Ghost Town” by The Specials have anything to do with prog is stretching it a bit. Still, an entertaining/educating listen. (8)
