THE LOUDER STUFF
CHRISTIAN MISTRESS – Children Of The Earth
These guys have previously released a couple of albums I truly love, among the best heavy metal of the 2010’s. This time around they add some hippy-ish moments to their NWOBHM sound, like Diamond Head covering Jefferson Airplane. (8)
CRYPTOSIS – Celestial Death
An interesting combination of prog, blackened death metal, and thrash, with keyboards. People will make comparisons to Vektor and Blood Incantation but I’m old enough to remember Nocturnus. (8)
THE MEN – Buyer Beware
A great American punk rock album, if we are very specific about the definition of “American punk” so its history starts with The Sonics, morphs into the Dead Boys, evolves into The New Bomb Turks and The Bronx, and then stops before it becomes Against Me! or Turnstile. (8)
PAINKILLER – The Equinox
A follow-up to “Samsara” which was released just a few months ago, by legendary grind/noise/jazz trio (John Zorn, Bill Laswell, Mick Harris). More electronic/drum ‘n’ bass than their early 90’s incarnation, just as extreme. (7)
VENAMORIS – To Cross Or To Burn
Mrs. Lombardo releases strong goth/trip hop album featuring her husband and his friends (Alex Skolnick, Gary Holt) like you've never head them before. (8)
THE OTHER STUFF
PATTERSON HOOD – Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams
Drive-By Trucker goes solo on an autobiographical album. Lots of guests from the wider Americana universe, great songwriting, and arrangements that are much quieter than DBT (with the exception of one track, “The Van Pelt Parties”, where he’s backed by Wednesday, the most DBT-influenced young band out there). (8)
JASON ISBELL – Foxes In The Snow
On his first post-divorce album Isbell leaves the band out of it and goes solo acoustic, just him and his guitar. Some great songs here (“Eileen”, “Gravelweed”, “True Believer”…), but I like him even more with The 400 Unit doing the E-Street Band thing behind him. (8)
ANTHONY JOSEPH – Rowing Up River To Get Our Names Back
If you like “Holy Terror”-era The Last Poets when their spoken word was backed by a world-class funk band featuring Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Bill Laswell, then check out this London-born poet’s latest. (8)
BOB MOULD – Here We Go Crazy
Mould often gets called the granddaddy of The Pixies and Nirvana and on this late-career gem he indeed finds the perfect balance between noisy guitars and bittersweet melody. Again. His most instantly gratifying since the Sugar days. (8)
THE TUBS – Cotton Crown
Wow. Put Richard Thompson, Johnny Marr, and Bob Mould in a blender and you’ll get this. I dunno, the combination of jangly guitars and heavy lyrics does something to me. (8)
