Short Attention Span Record Reviews, June 26 Vol. II

THE LOUDER STUFF

BIG|BRAVE – In Grief Or In Hope
The Bjorkcore guys are back. (7) 

FUCKED UP – Year Of The Monkey
There’s no band out there like them, being punk/hardcore but sounding like Rush/Yes with ridiculous concepts, 27-minute-long songs, and kicking so much ass. One of their best. (9)

GENGHIS TRON – Signal Fire
A million bands today are trying to do what these guys were doing 20 years ago, which is merge extreme metal with electronica, and none of them can look peak Genghis Tron in the eye – including, but not limited to, The Armed who have two members on loan to the current GT incarnation. (8)

KHEMMIS – Khemmis
Muscular epic doom metal, and one of their strongest efforts. (8)

MUSE – The Wow! Signal
Ridiculously maximalist, overblown sci-fi prog rock with everything turned up to 11. Ridiculously fun as well – if there’s one band active today that can lay claim to Queen’s throne it’s these guys, and it’s amazing how they progressed from “OK Computer”-era Radiohead wannabees to this. Probably their best album since 2006’s “Black Holes And Revelations”. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

BROWN WIMPENNY – Long Live Brown Wimpenny
Mancunians explore/revisit/fetishize traditional English folk. (7)

THE HANGING STARS – Just A Day
Change of line-up (no more steel guitar player) and a change of direction – The Byrds are still a major point of reference but this time around it’s more “Turn! Turn! Turn!” than “Sweetheart Of the Rodeo”, i.e. more jangle than country – I guess having a Teenage Fanclub guy producing has something to do with that. (7)

HORSE LORDS – Demand To Be Taken To Heaven Alive!
If the words like “polyrhythmic”, “math”, “avant”, and “microtonal” turn you off when talking about a rock band, then these guys are probably not your cup of tea. (7)

IBEYI – Offering 
Cuban-French twin sisters return with bass-heavy fourth album and their addictive electronica/world music fusion. (8) 

BRIAN JACKSON & MASTERS AT WORK – Now More Than Ever 
Funk/jazz giant Jackson takes songs from his decades-long collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron and reinterprets them with the help of famous dance producers and some of the best session players in New York. Groovy. (8)

LITTLE BARRIE – Gravity Freeze
A-list Brit session guitarist (has played with Paul Weller, Liam Gallagher, Morrissey, Edwyn Collins, Primal Scream, The The, Black Keys) leads his own band through a stoned, funky, groovy haze. If you liked the Madchester stuff back in the day, you’re probably gonna love this. (8)

BETH ORTON – The Ground Above
When we first heard her in 1996-97, her sound was so revolutionary that a new term/genre was born to describe her: Folktronica. On her 9th album she continues to fascinate, this time sounding like latter-day Talk Talk with the help of some of the best musicians in the world. And, my, that voice! (8)

JON SPENCER – Songs Of Personal Loss And Protest
This guy personified Downtown NYC rock ‘n’ roll in the early 90’s and he’s still doing noisy, quality rock ‘n’ roll in his 60’s. This is actually a bit cleaner and catchier than his glorious past, maybe closer to The White Stripes than to his own Blues Explosion stuff. (8)