Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Oct 22 Vol. III

THE LOUDER STUFF

DISTURBED – Divisive
I finally figured out what bothers me about these guys: Almost every song is the same song, especially the vocal lines on the uptempo ones. But at least it’s a good song. (7)

GOAT – Oh Death
Masked Swedes on new and exciting stoned ‘n’ fuzzy psychedelic rock adventure, female vocals still grating. (7)

THE OTOLITH – Folium Limina
Like the proverbial phoenix, The Otolith rises out of Subrosa’s ashes with a superior slab of doomy post-metal featuring, of all things metal, a twin violin attack. Awesome. (8)

SAHG – Born Demon
Shades of Sabbath (naturally) and 80’s Ozzy on a solid heavy metal album. Best of all is their cover of an old Norwegian hit, “Heksedans”, in their native tongue. (8)

SERJ TANKIAN – Perplex Cities
I won’t stop repeating this: Cut the crap and get the band back together. (7)

WITCH FEVER – Congregation
Probably the most exciting punk debut to come out of the UK in a decade. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

ARCTIC MONKEYS – The Car
Lots of strings and pianos make this album sound much closer to his other band, The Last Shadow Puppets, or even Burt Bacharach, rather than the anthemic rock Arctic Monkeys of the first five albums. (7)

CORY BRANAN – When I Go I Ghost
A great heartland American rock ‘n’ roll record, probably Branan’s best. Buddies Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem) and Jason Isbell help out. (8)

DRY CLEANING – Stumpwork
Last year’s breakout stars return with a decent follow-up sticking quite closely to the original formula – coolly and slightly annoyingly talking (not singing) over angular Pavement-style guitars and Gang Of Four English white boy funk. (7)

SOUAD MASSI – Sequana
Former frontwoman of Algerian metal band Atakor, now exiled in Paris to avoid death threats by fundamentalists, releases a fantastic album where traditional Berber music meets chanson, rock, American folk, and even bossa nova, with producer Justin Adams (guitarist in Robert Plant’s band) doing a great job. Includes a stunning Arabic version of NIN’s “Hurt”. (8)

SLOAN – Steady
It’s a glorious year for power pop. (8)

TAYLOR SWIFT – Midnights
Look, in the 20-year-old debate about rockism vs. poptimism it’s been fairly clear which side my bread is buttered on. But I do have a soft spot for Swift, and this is another wonderful Swift album. (8)

THE UNTHANKS – Sorrows Away
A beautiful British folk album by a band featuring two sisters who sound absolutely magical on vocals. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen
Released on famed jazz label Blue Note, this is a very good tribute album featuring a crack band of jazz musicians with Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Sarah McLachlan, Mavis Staples and others taking turns fronting it. (8)