THE LOUDER STUFF
THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX – Scorpio
After a few line-up changes the Atomic Bitchwax today is essentially Monster Magnet minus Dave Wyndorf, and that tells you pretty much everything you need to know about this album. (7)
BLUES PILLS – Holy Moly!
She’s got a nice voice. (6)
KING BUZZO WITH TREVOR DUNN – Gift Of Sacrifice
Weird but great acoustic stuff by Melvins/Mr. Bungle/Fantomas-related supergroup (superduo?). (8)
METALLICA & THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY – S&M 2
Just like the first collaboration with the San Fran Symphony, the only thing this pretentious horseshit (worse than “Lulu” BTW) achieves is to take the edge off some of the best heavy metal songs ever written and reaffirm how poorly Lars rates as a musician vs. real musicians. (6)
NAPALM DEATH – Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism
Name one more metal band whose 16th album is among their 3-4 best. One. (9)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – NWOBHM Thunder: New Wave Of British Heavy Metal 1978-1986
Excellent 3-CD compilation, sequel to another compilation released in 2018. You get the stuff you’d expect (Saxon, Venom, Diamond Head, Tygers, Raven, Blitzkrieg, Samson, Demon, Girlschool…) plus a lot of forgotten gems. (9)
THE OTHER STUFF
KATHLEEN EDWARDS – Total Freedom
Canadian folk-rock singer/songwriter returns eight years after calling it quits, and the opening song on her brilliant new album includes the lyric “We bought a rock and roll dream, it was total crap”. Just so you know what you’re getting into. (8)
FANTASTIC NEGRITO – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet
If you’re going to play Blues Rock in the 21st century, you’re better off going Fantastic Negrito’s iconoclastic way rather than following Blues Pills’ shallow traditionalism. (8)
JERRY JOSEPH – The Beautiful Madness
Veteran roots rocker, virtually unknown but idolized by people like Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers) and Jason Isbell, tries to reach a wider audience. Hood produces, his DBT act as backing band, and former Trucker Isbell also shows up on a track or two. Recommended if you like, well, DBT and Jason Isbell. (8)
THE MAVERICKS – En Espanol
Genre-bending/blending Tex-Mex mariachi country rock, this time sung in Spanish. A good record. (7)
NEW MOON JELLY ROLL FREEDOM ROCKERS – Vol. 1
Ad-hoc roots rock supergroup – basically a bunch of guys who were touring together back in 2007 and just sat down in the studio of one of the guys (Jim Dickinson’s Zebra Ranch), had a few drinks, and improvised a set of blues standards, a couple of originals, and some Jimi Hendrix. Recorded live, no rehearsals, no overdubs, collected dust on a studio shelf for several years and released now. A bit messy but fun. (7)
MARIA SCHNEIDER ORCHESTRA – Data Lords
Most of us jazz ignoramuses (ignorami???) were superficially introduced to Maria Schneider through her 2014 collaboration with David Bowie so I’m not familiar with her previous work, but “Data Lords” sounds like a revolution in big band music that stands on the shoulders of giants like Gil Evans and Stan Kenton. Most intriguing jazz release I’ve come across since Kamasi’s “The Epic”. (9)
STICK IN THE WHEEL – Hold Fast
English folk revisionists try too hard to sound “modern”. (6)
GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS – All The Good Times
Home-recorded acoustic covers Americana album by partners in life and art is like sitting on their porch. (8)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Willie Nile Uncovered: 40 Years of Music
A tribute album to Nile was only a matter of time – the guy is in his 70’s, virtually unknown but widely respected by every single singer/songwriter who’s ever listened to his stuff and the quintessential NYC troubadour. Elliot Murphy, Graham Parker, Nils Lofgren, Emily Duff and a bunch of others pay their respects on this honest but uneven collection. (7)
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