Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Mar 25 Vol. II

JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS – The Last Kings Of Babylon
This guy made The List with his previous album, a bonkers sci-fi concept album. He now returns to Earth with a shit-hot record full of country-rock barnburners. (8)

KEVIN DRUMM – Sheer Hellish Miasma II
What the fuck did I just listen to? (-)

LONNIE HOLLEY – Tonky
Post-blues that often moves into Massive Attack-style trip hop by cult artist who remains agile at 75. (8)

IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT – Goldstar
Masked technical death metal virtuosos on their most accomplished album to date, their avant-garde-leaning compositions finally resembling songs rather than just aiming to impress. (8)

JAPANESE BREAKFAST – For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)
Nice, but I still don’t get the hype. (7)

MY MORNING JACKET – Is
21st century hippies bring in A-lister producer Brendan O’Brien who probably shouldn’t have gotten rid of that beloved MMJ reverb. (7)

SANHEDRIN – Heat Lightning
A lady you wouldn’t mess with on vocals and bass backed by a couple of hooligans on guitar and drums, this is traditional heavy metal in its purest form channeling early 80’s Riot and Maiden and all sorts of good stuff. (8)

CANDI STATON – Back To My Roots
Octogenarian soul legend literally goes back to her roots with a solid gospel-influenced record. (7)

TOBACCO CITY – Horses
Young band with two singers, male and female, seeks to recreate the old Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris country rock magic and does a pretty decent job of it. (7)  

STEVEN WILSON – The Overview
After spending years on detours into everything from metal to synth-pop, Wilson goes back where he started and unabashedly embraces 70’s-style space-prog once again. (8)