Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Short Attention Span Record Reviews – In The Armpit of Arabian Summer Version



The Loud Stuff

ABRAMIS BRAMA – Enkel Biljett
As a rule non-English speaking old-school hard rock sucks but these guys miraculously sound just fine in Swedish. I don’t understand a single word of course, for all I know they might be reciting the Muppet Show chef’s recipes. (7)

ANTEMASQUE – Antemasque
Despite being basically the same band, it doesn’t sound like the Mars Volta at all. You can actually tap your foot and sing along to this without a PhD in Quantum Physics! (8)

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – IX
Godammit Pepper, surely you’ve got enough riffs for two bands? Come back home now, these guys are no fun without you anymore. (5)

EVERY TIME I DIE – From Parts Unknown
Wow! Just, like, wow! And this coming from someone who doesn’t particularly like screaming metalcore. (9)

JUDAS PRIEST – Redeemer Of Souls
Full of clichés and the lyrics are really stupid but what did you expect, “OK Computer”? This is Judas Priest for fuck’s sake, it’s supposed to be full of clichés and really stupid. (7)

ORIGIN – Omnipresent
Brutal but very technical death metal. Handle with care, this is pretty extreme stuff. Not for the weak of heart or the wimpy of musical taste. (7)

THINE – The Dead City Blueprint
Well, with Anathema trying to be Porcupine Tree, someone had to step up and be Anathema. (7)

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOMCelestite
Forget black metal and guitars, this is ambient, all analog synths. Sounds more like Tangerine Dream than like Xasthur. I think Tangerine Dream is fucking boring. (5)


The Other Stuff

LANA DEL REY – Ultraviolence
Hype aside, this is a pretty decent Chris-Isaac-meets-Cowboy-Junkies album. Fantastic single (“West Coast”), relatively limited amount of filler. (7)




NOURA MINT SEYMALI – Tzenni
Reshaping Mauritanian folk music into pentatonic desert blues, funkier than Tinariwen and with a voice as old and wise as time, this lady has just released the World Music Album of the Year. (9)






SHABAZZ PALACES – Lese Majesty
Weird and wonderful experimental hip-hop. Be warned: You can’t dance to it, you can’t lowride to it and you can’t pimp to it. This is more Jaz-Z than Jay-Z. (8)

WILLIE NELSON – Band Of Brothers
Country music’s answer to Lemmy Kilminster is unstoppable. 150 years old, smokes a ton of weed every day and his 500th album still sounds great. (7)

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