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)
