Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Oct 22

THE LOUDER STUFF

BEHEMOTH – Opvs Contra Natvram
The high-quality and misspelled majestic death/black metal we’ve come to expect from Nergal and co. never disappoints. (8)

CLUTCH – Sunrise on Slaughter Beach
It’s Clutch. It’s groovy and it rocks. (8)

DROPKICK MURPHYS – This Machine Still Kills Fascists
With co-vocalist Al Barr sidelined for family reasons, the rest of the Murphys go acoustic and use unreleased Woody Guthrie lyrics for an album that sounds un-Murphys-like and very Murphys-like at the same time. (8)

FRAYLE – Skin & Sorrow
Pretty good gothic doom metal with female vocals that fortunately take a 4AD ethereal direction rather than the dreaded soprano route. (7)

GOGOL BORDELLO – Solidaritine
A new band with only Hutz and violinist Ryabtzev remaining from the classic line-up but you wouldn’t be able to tell – it’s a very energetic effort, their most punk rock record since “Gypsy Punks”. (8)

KINGS OF MERCIA – Kings Of Mercia
Following August’s A-Z album Jim Matheos also releases a non-Fates Warning melodic hard rock album with vocals by FM’s Steve Overland who brings a strong AOR flavor to the proceedings, sounding very much like Lou Gramm in places. Classy rhythm section (Joey Vera & Simon Phillips), great guitar tone, quality songwriting. (8)

THE MARS VOLTA – The Mars Volta
Does not sound like The Mars Volta at all – gone are the extreme prog-punk pyrotechnics of the past, this time around they go for Santana-influenced, almost-conventional rock. (7)

MELVINS – Bad Moon Rising
Like Forrest Gump said, Melvins albums are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you're gonna get. This one contains, among other things, a 14-minute exercise in downtuned sludge weirdness called “Mister Dog Is Totally Right”, two of their catchiest songs ever (“It Won’t Or It Might”, “Hammering”), and a guest appearance by Earth’s Dylan Carlson. (7)

SLIPKNOT – The End, So Far
Not afraid to expand their sound and experiment, this time around Slipknot often put melody above heaviness and step up as tunesmiths. It sounds nothing like Stone Sour, by the way. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF
    
AL-QASAR – Who Are We?
Paris-based band raises hell on strong debut album, with a little help from friends like Jello Biafra and Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo adding oomph to Middle Eastern-flavored psychedelic rock. (8)

DR. JOHN – Things Happen That Way
New Orleans tradition meets country on the great Mac’s posthumously released farewell album. (7)

THE GODFATHERS – Alpha Beta Gamma Delta
Remember these guys? They were playing real British rock ‘n’ roll in the late 80’s when no one else was doing it. New line-up with only vocalist Peter Coyne remaining, but a surprisingly good album – looks at “Birth, School, Work, Death”, or at least “More Songs About Love & Hate”, in the eye without being embarrassed. (8)

JESCA HOOP – Order Of Romance
Hoop likes to hide her deep and eclectic musicality behind a childlike playfulness. (7)

MAKAYA McCRAVEN - In These Times
Jazz drummer/producer creates a gorgeous piece of work, going beyond “pure jazz” to incorporate all kinds of black music elements into his style. (8)

BETH ORTON – Weather Alive
The Queen Mother of what we’ve come to call “folktronica” is back with a beautiful, haunting self-produced record. (8)

SUEDE – Autofiction
I haven’t paid any attention really to these guys since Bernard Butler left the band in ’94 but this is an excellent album, more post-punk than the glam-infused Britpop I remember. (8)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Sep 22

THE LOUDER STUFF

FLOGGING MOLLY – Anthems
The world’s second best Celtic-punk band is back and, just like the world’s best Celtic-punk band, nowadays they increasingly sound like The Pogues. That’s a good thing, by the way. (8)

THE HU – Rumble Of Thunder
Me – What’s the name of the band playing now?
My mate – Hu.
Me – The name of the band.
My mate – Hu.
Me – The band playing now.
My mate – Hu is playing now.
Me – That’s what I asked you, who is playing now!
My mate – That’s what I said!
Me – You said who?
My mate – I sure did.
Me – So tell me the name!
My mate – Hu.
Me – The name of the band.
My mate – Hu.
Me – The band playing now!
My mate – Hu!
Me – For fuck’s sake, are you a mongol or something?
My mate – No, but they are.
Me – Who?
My mate – Yes.
Me – What do you mean Yes are mongols, they are the greatest prog band of all time! But I’m not talking about Yes, I’m talking about THIS band playing now, the metal one with the weird instruments.
My mate – Hu.
Me – Fuck it, I give up.
(7)

KING’S X – Three Sides Of One
An impressive return to form for the Beatles-infused progressive hard rock trio, especially given the 14-year hiatus and serious health problems of all members – of course they can never top “Out Of The Silent Planet”/“Gretchen Goes To Nebraska”, but then again no one can. (8)

MACHINE HEAD – Of Kingdom And Crown
I’m torn between this guy’s annoying opportunism and his ability to write a mean fucking metal song when he wants to. In any case, this is probably his best album since “The Blackening”. (8)

OZZY OSBOURNE – Patient Number 9
Tons of guests (Iommi, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Zakk Wylde, Josh Homme…), and a welcome “Bark At The Moon”/“The Ultimate Sin” pop-metal vibe on most tracks. (7)


THE OTHER STUFF

THE AFGHAN WHIGS – How Do You Burn?
Their best post-reunion album, “How Do You Burn?” is a dark, energetic, eclectic piece of work that firmly establishes the Whigs within the top tier of 90’s college rock survivors. (8)

EZRA FURMAN – All Of Us Flames
The trans Bruce Springsteen is back with a new album that proves she really is The Boss. (8)

TOMMY McLAIN – I Ran Down Every Dream
Legendary swamp-pop musician from Louisiana is 82 and hasn’t released an album in 40 years, but guests like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Ivan Neville, and Van Dyke Parks are helping out on this one and it’s fantastic. (8)

MUSE – Will Of The People
A hodgepodge of Gary Glitter glam, Queen pomp, metal shredding, and disco beats, extremely populist but quite fun. (7)

DANIEL ROMANO'S OUTFIT – La Luna
Canadian Americana/indie cult hero goes full-on Townshend and creates epic rock opera. Miraculously, he pulls it off. (8)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Aug 22

RYAN ADAMS – FM
As the title implies, his third album for 2022 is a very radio-friendly affair. There are many Ryan Adamses but this one, the mostly uptempo jangly one, is my favorite. (8)

A-Z – A-Z
Ray Alder and Mark Zonder (A-Z, get it?) team up in new group. Of course it has a strong Fates Warning flavor, of the “Parallels” progmetal/AOR type, and that’s fine. (8)

LEE BAINS & THE GLORY FIRES – Old-Time Folks
If you’re looking for the perfect cross between Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Clash, you’ve just found it! Awesome band, awesome album, produced by David Barbe (Sugar bassist and long-time Drive-By Truckers producer). (8)

BEYONCE – Renaissance
Touted as a masterclass in the history of club music and it probably is, the problem is I really fucking hate club music, and clubs. (6)

SIMON JOYNER – Songs From A Stolen Guitar
Outsider Americana singer/songwriter offers a collection of stark, dark, beautiful songs. (8)

BRANKO MATAJA – Traditional And Folk Songs Of Yugoslavia
An oddity from 1974 by Yugoslavian immigrant, re-released. Playing solo on his custom-made guitar, Mataja created some spookily gorgeous sounds. (8)

CASS McCOMBS – Heartmind
A strange album that’s hard to categorize, somewhere between Americana, psychedelia, and pop. Contrary to most albums that have their best songs at the beginning and the end, this one has its strongest material right smack in the middle. (8)

AMANDA SHIRES – Take It Like A Man
An emotionally raw, deeply personal album from Shires chronicling the ups and downs of her marriage to Jason Isbell (whose guitar playing features on several songs here), it sounds less southern rock and more Memphis soul than her previous efforts. (8)

SUN'S SIGNATURE – Sun's Signature
Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser returns with a strong EP that’ll brings tears of joy to the eyes of 80’s/90’s 4AD fans. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Ladies Sing The Boss: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen
A collection of previously released cover versions of Bruce Springsteen songs by female artists, and sung from a female perspective. Some of them you’ve definitely heard before (e.g. Patti Smith’s “Because The Night”), some you haven’t. Features Lucy Dacus, Soccer Mommy, Cowboy Junkies, Lucinda Williams, Anna Calvi, Emmylou Harris and many others. (7)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, July 22 Vol. II

BLACK MIDI – Hellfire
A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, the third album by these weirdos is a cacophonous yet addictive mess that’ll seriously fuck with your head. (8)

IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT – Spirit Of Ecstasy
An extreme metal/jazz hybrid that won’t sound as revolutionary as its creators think to people familiar with John Zorn’s early 90’s projects like Painkiller and Naked City. WTF Award Of The Month goes to Kenny G.’s guest spot. (7)

LIZZO – Special
An excellent feel-good party album that feels like a fresh update on the early 80’s soul-funk of Michael Jackson and the Pointer Sisters. (8)

LERA LYNN – Something More Than Love
With folk/country roots but taking a more pop-friendly direction on “Something More Than Love”, Lynn’s new album comes across like a noir Kacey Musgraves. (7)

DAVID MICHAEL MOORE – Flatboat River Witch: 1994-2015
An introduction to the work of Moore, a mad scientist-type who builds his own instruments called things like the schizoid zither and the boing box, this is a delightful compilation album that defies categorization but will appeal to fans of cool outsiders like Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart, and Dr. John. (8)

JOHN MORELAND – Birds In The Ceiling
Moreland is a competent songwriter but by infusing his Americana with elements of electronica he muddles it up a bit this time. (6)

NINA NASTASIA – Riderless Horse
This is so sad it’s like Townes Van Zandt was reincarnated into a woman whose main goal in life is to create something more suicidally depressing than Lou Reed’s “Berlin”. In other words, it’s great. (9)

OCEANS OF SLUMBER – Starlight And Ash
Progressive doom/death metal band pulls an Anathema and goes full atmospheric alternative rock with electronica flourishes and a total focus on the melodic vocals. If you ask me it’s all for the best, but for a lot of the old fans I expect it’s, well, anathema. (8)

THE SADIES – Colder Streams
Probably their swan song since Dallas Good recently passed away, also probably the best album ever by this great, underrated Canadian band which is supposedly alternative country but often sounds like the best psychedelic rock band you’ve never heard of. (8)

TY SEGALL – Hello, Hi
Garage rocker takes a back-to-basics approach this time around – lots of acoustic guitars, staying away from the “everything but the kitchen sink” production approach of recent albums like “Freedom’s Goblin”, and it works. (8)

JACK WHITE – Entering Heaven Alive
More subdued than “Fear Of The Dawn” released earlier this year but the songwriting’s actually better, this album reminds everyone that Jack White is still a rock force to be reckoned with, and will be for years to come. (8)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, July 22

ALEXISONFIRE – Otherness
I never really got into emo so I wasn’t into these guys when they were sort of famous 15-20 years ago and I can’t compare “Otherness” to their previous albums, but as a standalone piece of work it fucking rules: Heavy, melodic, catchy and, well, emotional. Oh, and is it just me, or anyone else thinks that “Sans Soleil” could be a Sade song? (8)

AMENRA, CAVE IN, MARISSA NADLER – Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol. III
Vol. III? Vol. III??? Why didn’t I know about the other two??? So, on this one, each band/artist tackles three Townes songs, and it’s on Neurot Recordings. Be forewarned though, it’s sounds more like Townes than like Amenra or Cave In. (8)

ARGENT – Hold Your Head Up: The Best Of
About time people rediscover this underappreciated progressive rock band from the late 60’s/early 70’s featuring Rod Argent and Russ Ballard – sounding in places like their organ-wielding contemporaries (Procol Harum, Uriah Heep), and in others like a cross between Queen and Kansas but predating both. (8)

NICK CAVE – Seven Psalms
Seven spoken-word “prayers” with Warren Ellis providing ominous ambient sonic background. Interesting, but not a must-hear addition to the Nick Cave canon. (7)

CONJURER – Pathos
Brilliant musical magpies, Conjurer pick up whatever they like from different metal genres (doom, death, black, sludge, post-hardcore) and create something totally their own. (8)

ERIC HILTON – Lost Dialect
For the most part, sounds like demos/ideas for the next Thievery Corporation album. (6)

RANDY HOLDEN – Population III
I discovered Holden’s LOUD proto-metal electric guitar monument “Population II” years ago via Julian Cope and his fantastic record reviews and, what do you know, a sequel comes along half a century later? This one goes to (11)

TEDDY & THE ROUGH RIDERS – Teddy & The Rough Riders
Produced by Margo Price, this album by a new country-folk-rock band will bring back memories of the Flying Burrito Brothers. (7)

ANDREW WEISS & FRIENDS – Sunglass & Ash
Taking his cues from Paul McCartney, Badfinger, and Elvis Costello, Weiss offers a 24-track double album filled with little power pop gems. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Blowing Free: Underground & Progressive Sounds of 1972
I love Cherry Red box sets! This 5-hour, 4-CD collection is a rocktastic affair featuring everyone you can think of from 1972: EL&P, Atomic Rooster, Edgar Broughton Band, Barclay James Harvest, Curved Air, Rare Bird, Family, Nektar, Hawkwind, Yes, and that’s just a partial tracklisting of CD1. (9)

METAL!!! ΗΜΙΧΡΟΝΟ!

Kαθώς φτάσαμε στο μέσο της χρονιάς κι επειδή μπορείς να βγάλεις τον Geek από το μέταλ αλλά δεν μπορείς να βγάλεις το μέταλ από τον Geek, είπα να φτιάξω μια ενδιάμεση λιστούλα με τους 10 καλύτερους metal και metal-friendly δίσκους του 2022 μέχρι τώρα. Η παρακάτω σειρά είναι αλφαβητική (ναι, το άκουσα το Meshuggah):

CAVE IN – Heavy Pendulum
Μπάντα μοναδική, συνδυάζει τη hardcore βαρβαρότητα που χαρακτηρίζει το ευρύτερο παρεάκι τους (Converge κλπ.) με μία γνήσια αγάπη για πιο «κουλτουριάρικα» ακούσματα (Rush, Radiohead) σε ένα άλμπουμ που κανείς δεν περίμενε μετά το θάνατο του Caleb Scofield, ίσως το καλύτερό τους από την εποχή του μνημειώδους “Jupiter”.

DEATHSPELL OMEGA – The Long Defeat
Παρόλο που είμαι πλέον πολύ μακριά από τη «σκηνή» για να παρακολουθώ εξελίξεις, συζητήσεις, κόντρες, θεωρίες κλπ., γνωρίζω ότι οι απόψεις διίστανται γύρω από τις πολιτικές πεποιθήσεις των Deathspell Omega και ότι το νέο τους άλμπουμ δίχασε μουσικά. Προσωπικά πάντως είμαι πεπεισμένος ότι το συγκρότημα δεν αποτελεί όχημα έκφρασης ακραίων πολιτικών θέσεων, και ότι το νέο τους άλμπουμ είναι με διαφορά ο καλύτερος black metal δίσκος του πρώτου εξαμήνου του ‘22.

DREAM WIDOW – Dream Widow
Το νέο metal project του Dave Grohl έχει περισσότερη πλάκα από τους Probot αλλά είναι εξίσου πορωτικό, και σε καμία περίπτωση δεν είναι παρωδία – αν δεν έχεις ψυχή και αυτιά αληθινού μεταλλά, ΔΕΝ ΜΠΟΡΕΙΣ να παίξεις έτσι. Και καθώς ο Grohl είναι καλύτερος συνθέτης και πιο ευφυής άνθρωπος από το 99% των «true» μέταλ μουσικών, το άλμπουμ χτυπάει λίστα.

GHOST – Impera
Και τώρα θα απαντήσουμε επιτέλους οριστικά στο αιώνιο ερώτημα: Είναι ή δεν είναι μέταλ οι Ghost;
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Στα παπάρια μας, ο δίσκος γαμάει.

HELLACOPTERS – Eyes Of Oblivion
Οι Hellacopters είναι η «διανοούμενη» μπάντα του Nicke: Οι επιρροές τους είναι το Detroit hard rock των MC5 και του Alice Cooper, η αλήτικη ποίηση του Phil Lynott, οι Damned, οι Radio Birdman, πράγματα δηλαδή που συνήθως αποτελούν τα σκληρότερα ακούσματα όσων δεν ακούνε μέταλ. Επειδή όμως ο ίδιος και οι φίλοι του προέρχοναι από τη πιο βρωμερή γωνία των σπλάχνων του metal, κανείς δεν τολμά να αμφισβητήσει τα μεταλλικά τους διαπιστευτήρια – σε αντίθεση με τις περισσότερες μπάντες αυτής της λίστας, τώρα που το σκέφτομαι.

KORN – Requiem
Μου πήρε σχεδόν 30 χρόνια αλλά είμαι πλέον αρκετά ακομπλεξάριστος ώστε να παραδεχθώ ότι οι Korn είναι καλή, και κυρίως σημαντική, μπάντα. Βασικά πήραν 3 δίσκους του 1992 (“Angel Dust”, “Meantime”, “A Vulgar Display Of Power”) και σα νέοι Δρ. Φρανκενστάιν έκοψαν/έραψαν ένα τέρας απόλυτα δικό τους δημιουργώντας ολόκληρη σχολή. Το “Requiem” μένει πιστό στην παραπάνω φόρμουλα και εξακολουθεί να ακούγεται φρέσκο τρεις δεκαετίες αργότερα – πόσοι άλλοι μπορούν να παινευτούν για κάτι αντίστοιχο;

RAMMSTEIN – Zeit
Οι Γερμανοί προβοκάτορες επέστρεψαν με ένα άλμπουμ επικά γκροτέσκο, γκροτέσκα επικό, και τόσο τούμπανο από χιτ-άρες όσο οι κυρίες στο βίντεο του “Dicke Titten”. Ίσως είναι καλύτερα πάντως που το 99% των οπαδών τους δεν καταλαβαίνει γρι από τους στίχους τους, οι οποίοι έχουν συνήθως πολύ περισσότερο βάθος από όσο θα περίμενε κανείς βασιζόμενος στους βλαμμένους και τρομερά πιασάρικους ινταστριαλοντισκομέταλ ρυθμούς τους.

SOUL GLO – Diaspora Problems
Είμαι αναγκασμένος να τους συγκρίνω με τους Bad Brains, όχι όμως επειδή είναι (κατά κύριο λόγο) μαύροι και πολιτικοποιημένοι αλλά επειδή παίρνουν το hardcore punk και του αλλάζουν τα φώτα με επιρροές από άλλα μουσικά ιδιώματα, πετώντας ταυτόχρονα τη σοβαροφάνεια του ιδιώματος στα σκουπίδια με το σουρεαλιστικό τους χιούμορ. Όσο για τις φωνητικές ερμηνείες του Pierce Jordan, ο τύπος απλά δεν παίζεται. 

VEIN.FM – This World Is Going To Ruin You
Αν οι Slipknot είχαν ξεπηδήσει από τη hardcore σκηνή και όχι από death metal ρίζες, πιθανότατα θα ακούγονταν σαν τους Vein.fm σε αυτό, το δεύτερο άλμπουμ τους. Έχει την ίδια ένταση, όλα στο κόκκινο, και είναι εξίσου τρομακτικό με το “Iowa”, δίνοντας σου την εντύπωση πως έχυσαν (κυριολεκτικό, όχι μεταφορικό) αίμα στην ηχογράφησή του. Κάποιοι παίζουν πιο γρήγορα, κάποιοι πιο χαμηλοκουρδισμένα, κάποιοι με πιο δύσκολες αλλαγές τέμπο ή με πιο πολλές τσιρίδες, αλλά όσον αφορά την ψυχή ΑΥΤΟ είναι το πιο ακραίο άλμπουμ της χρονιάς μέχρι στιγμής.

ZEAL & ARDOR – Zeal & Ardor
Κι ενώ στις ΗΠΑ διαφαίνεται πλέον η ολοκληρωτική Trump-ική επικράτηση των δυνάμεων του SCOTUS επί των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων, ο Αμερικανοελβετός Manuel Gagneux συνεχίζει να χτίζει τη μυθολογία των Zeal & Ardor γύρω από μία εναλλακτική πραγματικότητα όπου οι σκλάβοι στην Αμερική του 19ου αιώνα αγκαλιάζουν τον Σατανά αντί για τον Ιησού, παντρεύοντας το black metal με την Αφροαμερικανική μουσική παράδοση – ένα gimmick που αρκούσε για να μας τραβήξει την προσοχή πίσω στο 2016, αλλά θα είχε ξεφτίσει στον τρίτο δίσκο αν τα ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙΑ δεν ήταν τόσο γαμηστερά.

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, June 2022 Vol. II

DAN REED NETWORK – Let’s Hear It For The King
Reed’s white-boy funk rock (Bon Jovi meets Prince?) gave us a couple of solid albums back in the day, but three decades later it sounds a bit dated. (6)

THE DREAM SYNDICATE – Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions
I love these guys, especially when they go into a hypnotic Velvets/kraut groove like they do quite often on this album. (8)

MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD – Follow Your Heart
I loved the Beatnigs (late 80’s) and the Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy (early 90’s) and the first Spearhead album (mid 90’s) so much when they came out that, decades later, I still loyally check out every Franti release, but this pop-soul-EDM light stuff he’s doing nowadays doesn’t do much for me, unfortunately. (6)

S.G. GOODMAN – Teeth Marks
Kentuckian artist goes beyond country ballads and incorporates grungy rock elements in her sound, resulting in one of this month’s more exciting releases. (8)

MJ LENDERMAN – Boat Songs
It starts off with the best Weezer song in decades and continues with a decent southern rock ditty, the third track is alt-country, the fourth is in Dinosaur Jr. territory, and so it goes. (7)

NOVA TWINS – Supernova
Lots of hype around this one, mainly from UK-based publications who are always thirsty for something homegrown that’s newsworthy, but the truth is they’re not the new RATM, or the new Clash, or the new Prodigy, or the new anything significant, they’re just loud and look good and got some promising hooks and apparently that’s enough nowadays. Go ahead, call me a boomer. (7)

GREG PUCIATO – Mirrorcell
Ex-Dillinger Escape Planner shows off his diversity, moving with ease between Ozzy-esque mid-tempo rockers, Soundgarden time signatures, Massachusetts post-hardcore sludge, and electrogoth atmospherics. (7)

PORCUPINE TREE – Closure/Continuation
Prog-rock giants return after a 12-year hiatus with a slightly underwhelming effort – the long songs tick all the prog boxes, but they're somewhat lacking in the hooks department which is what made Porcupine Tree so great back in the 90’s and 00’s. (7)

RUBBER OH – Strange Craft
Pigs X7 guitarist in space rock experiment and I’m tempted to say “PIGS… IN… SPACE!!!” here, but really it sounds nothing like his day job, it’s more like Spiritualized jamming with XTC which is sort of awesome. (8)

JOAN SHELLEY – The Spur
Much revered folkie releases acoustic album of songs written during COVID lockdown on a farm with a baby on the way, performed with her husband on guitar. Some will find all this bucolically romantic and beautiful, others will cut off their ears with a rusty nail clipper out of sheer boredom. (7)

BARTEES STRANGE – Farm to Table
This is a nice record. “Nice” is the strongest word I can come up with to describe this indie rock/r&b hybrid, but that’s maybe because I’m 25 years older than your average music journalist who worships this. (7)

 

P.S. Stay tuned. Since we're halfway through the year I'm hoping to put together a special "halftime report" within the next few days, so check for updates.