Short Attention Span Record Reviews - November 2014 Vol. 2

The Louder Stuff

BLOODBATH – Grand Morbid Funeral

The best Morbid Angel album since 2000. (8)

MONSTER MAGNET – Milking the Stars: a Re-Imagining of Last Patrol

Milking the fans, not that I’m complaining. (7)

PRIMORDIAL – Where Greater Men Have Fallen

Poetry. Passion. Pride. Metal. Epic Epicness. (9)

TOURNIQUET – Onward To Freedom

Excellent progmetal album with an “animal rights” concept and an impressive list of guests, including every musician ever dubbed “white metal” (Stryper, Trouble, King’s X) plus Ed Asner. ED FUCKING ASNER. The person I turned out to be probably has more to do with Ed Asner and “Lou Grant” than with my parents. (8)

The Other Stuff

AGAINST ME! – Antiquiet Sessions 19

Live acoustic EP including a Waterboys cover. Nice, but we prefer them when they rawk. (7)

ALAIN JOHANNES – Fragments And Wholes, Vol. 1

Too late to become the superstar he fully deserved to be, musicians’ musician Johannes nevertheless releases his strongest work since Eleven’s “Thunk”. If you’re into the poppier end of that whole QOTSA/Chris Goss/Desert Sessions spectrum, you’re gonna love this. (8)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – The Album Collection Vol 1. 1973-1984

(10)

JANDEK – Houston Saturday 2011

I have no explanation as to why I keep getting drawn back to Jandek’s catatonic strum ‘n’ mumble but yes, I listened to the whole thing again. Twice. (dzndprflt)

ROBERT WYATT – Different Every Time

Sorry but I just don’t get it, I guess I’m an REO Speedwagon kind of guy. (-)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Truckers, Kickers, Cowboy Angels: The Blissed-Out Birth of Country Rock, Volume 1 1966-1968

International Submarine Band featuring a young Gram Parsons, Buffalo Springfield, Lovin’ Spoonful, Everly Brothers, Byrds, Youngbloods, Dylan, The Band, Beau Brummels, Dillards… this is such a fantastic collection of beautiful music. Can’t wait for the already scheduled Volumes 2-7! (9)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records

Probably my favorite record company at the moment, supposedly alt-country specialists but in reality a magnet for great artists who consistently defy categorization (Ryan Adams, Waco Brothers, Neko Case, Old 97’s, Cory Branan, Sadies, Alejandro Escovedo, Lydia Loveless…), Bloodshot celebrates its 20th birthday by inviting an eclectic bunch (from Superchunk to Chuck Prophet) to cover their favorite songs off its catalogue. (8)