Short Attention Span Record Reviews, May 25 Vol. II

EZRA FURMAN – Goodbye Small Head
Defiant and vulnerable, Ezra’s new album finds the artist expand the sound palette by re-introducing strings and electronica elements to the beloved “trans/gay Springsteen” formula. (8)

GANAVYA – Nilam
If you appreciate Arooj Aftab’s work then you should definitely check out Ganavya, and “Nilam” is an excellent starting point. (8)

GRAILS – Miracle Music
Cinematic post-rock from the masters of the genre. If you haven’t yet discovered the ultimate chill-out band, now’s the time to do so. (8)

TOM HICKOX – The Orchestra Of Stories
I have no idea who this guy is and what else he’s done so far in his career, but discovering this album has been a great gift: Excellent character-based storytelling reminiscent of Richard Dawson, sung in a beautiful rich baritone and supported by a full orchestra. It sounds like absolutely nothing else. (8)

THE MAYFLIES USA – Kickless Kids
I love jangly power pop, and these guys are really good at it. An unexpected but welcome return. (8)

PELICAN – Flickering Resonance
Instrumental post-metal from the masters of the genre. If you haven’t yet discovered, etc. (8)

MARC RIBOT – Map Of A Blue City
One of the great, unique guitarists of the last fifty years explores singer-songwriter territory that reminds me of his sometime boss, Tom Waits – not so much in sound or subject matter, but definitely in originality and out-of-the box-approach to making music. (8)

SLOW MOTION COWBOYS – Wolf Of St Elmo
A new take on cosmic country/americana by a really talented songwriter. If you’re into Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price etc. you should definitely give this one a spin. (8)

STEVE VON TILL – Alone In A World Of Wounds
Neurosis guy goes back to gothic Americana after 2024’s three dub albums as Harvestman. It’s a beautiful, dark, haunting piece of work. (8)

WITCHCRAFT – Idag
It’s much better than “Black Metal” and “Nucleus”, probably better than “Legend” too, and as fuzzy and riff-tastic as their first three albums on Rise Above. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – The Magic Forest: More Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975
Another one of those really fun Cherry Red compilations – three CDs chock-full of what the title implies, featuring a few recognizable names (Sandy Denny, Family, Pentangle, Roy Harper…) and a whole bunch of people you’ve never heard of unless you’re a 70-year-old crate-digging hippie from the East Midlands or something. (9)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, May 25

 

THE LOUDER STUFF

BEHEMOTH – The Shit Ov God
A grandiose black/death metal statement, and probably their best since career-high “The Satanist” which had made The List. (8)

PROPAGANDHI – No Longer Young
Canadian punk/metal heroes who have made The List in the past, repeatedly, return with another excellent slab of technical, thrashy social commentary. (8)
    
PUP – Who Will Look After The Dogs?
A slight departure from the sound of their previous albums, the Canadian pop-punk quartet’s fifth sounds a bit like Jeff Rosenstock (who also guests on a track here) or a punkier Weezer. (8)

SWAMI JOHN REIS – Time To Let You Down
Ass-kicking pedal-to-the-metal blasts with a very strong sense of melody from a punk rock lifer (he fronted the excellent Rocket From The Crypt in a previous century). This rules! (9)

RODEO BOYS – Junior
A fantastic hard-rocking heartland punk record that falls somewhere between Mannequin Pussy’s “I Got Heaven” and The Distillers’ “Coral Fang”. (8)

SLEEP TOKEN – Even In Arcadia
Look. I do understand the appeal to a certain demographic, of course, and they do have some interesting stuff in here such as the delicate/crushing dynamics of album opener “Look To Windward”. But I find the Auto-tuned R&B vocals annoying, the saxophone solo funny (not in a good way), the backstory/mythology boring, and the lyrics too emo. (6)  

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Yeah Man It’s Bloody Heavy!!
Rise Above digs really deep for demo tapes and one-off acetate discs recorded between 1969-1976, featuring 10 UK proto-metal bands you’ve never heard of before – I certainly hadn’t. (11)


THE OTHER STUFF

CAR SEAT HEADREST – The Scholars
Former lo-fi indie darlings embrace their inner arena rock stars and go full-on “Quadrophenia” with an awesome, explosive rock opera. (8)

COUNTING CROWS – Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!
I really loved these guys back in the 90’s but then lost touch with their work – until now with this, a wonderful album that seamlessly blends Americana-flavored melodies, a Beatlesque pop sensibility, and “Born To Run” epicness. (8)

LOTTI GOLDEN – Motor-Cycle (Reissue)
A lost 1969 cult classic and one of the first concept albums ever recorded, this is a semi-autobiographical tale of life in the bowels of the NYC counterculture of the period. The music is an epic mix of rock, soul, and avant-garde, sort of like Dusty Springfield doing Jesus Christ Superstar in the style of the Velvet Underground. I love this! (8)

SŌON – Actions Made Audible
Electronic music legends Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto) and Adi Newton (Clock DVA) join forces and use lots of samples and analog sounds for something really trippy and hallucinogenic. (7)

KASSI VALAZZA – From Newman Street
Her name might sound like a high-end brand of espresso coffee but her music is not a jolt of energy – it’s rather subdued country folk with some psychedelic guitars scattered here in there, more like a really nice cup of herbal tea. (8)