Short Attention Span Record Reviews - Sep 2015 Part III

THE LOUDER STUFF

BOYSETSFIRE – Boysetsfire
Fierce but melodic post-hardcore heroes release a fantastic album, almost as good as “After The Eulogy”. (8)

DEAFHEAVEN – New Bermuda
Hipster metallers take it easy on the post-rock atmospherics this time around focusing on their black metal side, still look like altar boys. Sounds much better the third time you play it, ask me again after three more spins. (7)

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL – Zipper Down
Περνάμε καλά κι αυτό βγαίνει στον κόσμο. (7)

GRAVEYARD – Innocence & Decadence
Enough already with the fucking 70’s worship. (6)

HORISONT – Odyssey
Did I say fucking 70’s worship? This is for fans of Uriah Heep, Rainbow (1st album only), Thin Lizzy etc., but the singer’s no Dio or Byron and the lyrics are no Lynott. (6)

KYLESA – Exhausting Fire
Kylesa have been gradually instilling their southern groove metal  with more melody, and this is their most melodic album yet. (7)

MUSTASCH – Testosterone
Hook-laden, good-times hard rock from the band with the best band name ever. (7)

MY DYING BRIDE – Feel The Misery
Dude, will you lighten up already? (7)

SABBATH ASSEMBLY – Sabbath Assembly
More metal than the weird religious cult stuff they did before but still, if you play this backwards make sure you’re holding something you can kill goats with. (6)

TESSERACT – Polaris
They keep changing singers more often than I change underwear (i.e. approximately once a year) and now Daniel Tompkins is back. If you liked the previous ones you’re gonna like this one as well. (7)

VI – De Praestigiis Angelorum
Members of Antaeus, Aosoth and Aborted create unholy black metal racket and make Deafheaven look like altar boys – oh wait. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF
 
CHRIS CORNELL – Higher Truth
Listening to a Cornell solo album in 2015 is like stalking an old girlfriend from 20+ years back on social media, you secretly hope that she might still be able/willing to give you pleasure but it won’t happen buddy plus you’re an idiot. (6)

DAVE ALVIN & PHIL ALVIN – Lost Time
Deep blues cuts by Big Joe Turner, Blind Boy Fuller, Leadbelly and others interpreted by the brothers from the Blasters. (7)

DRUNKEN PLAYER – The Bible And The Blues
Hillbilly barstool poets mix it up with blues, doowop, rockabilly, and country gospel. (7)

JOHN GRANT – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
Pure genius. (9)

LANA DEL REY – Honeymoon
Lots of style and quite a bit of substance, so far this is probably Del Rey’s best set of torch songs for the terminally hip. (8)

MERCURY REV – The Light In You
Outsider pop cult heroes return after a 7-year hiatus, not much has changed in the meantime. (7)

PATTY GRIFFIN – Servant Of Love
Fantastic veteran Americana songwriter and former Robert Plant collaborator/love interest expands her sound with some jazz and Middle Eastern elements. Simply beautiful. (8)

RYAN ADAMS – 1989
He actually manages to make a Taylor Swift album sound like a Ryan Adams album. (8)

STEEP CANYON RANGERS – Radio
Great bluegrass sextet, made famous for backing comedian Steve Martin (an excellent banjo player) and Eddie Brickell on their musical adventures, hold their own on this fun album inorporating folk, blues and pop elements to their sound. (8)

THE NECKS – Vertigo
Minimalist experimental jazz trio, one 44-minute improvisation, induces trance state but could be challenging for those with short attention spans. (8)