THE LOUDER STUFF
BETTER LOVERS – Highly Irresponsible
Metal supergroup featuring members of Every Time I Die, Dillinger Escape Plan and Fit For An Autopsy and if you’re wondering what this sounds like, the fact that everyone comes from a band whose name is 3 words or longer is a dead giveaway of what this sounds like. (8)
ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM – To Shoot Another Day
This is eccentric and quirky in a very English sort of way. It also rocks like a motherfucker and kicks serious ass. (8)
HARVESTMAN – Triptych Part 3
If you listen to this three times in a row you’ll fail a drug test. (8)
KINGS OF MERCIA – Battle Scars
Jim Matheos indulges his love for AOR and comes across as a more muscular/metalized “4”-era Foreigner. (8)
SCHAMMASCH – The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean
No longer a black metal band, Schammasch go full-on prog on this one, so I’d say it’s much more Ihsahn than Emperor. (8)
SLOWER – Rage And Ruin
The “world’s slowest Slayer tribute band”, led by Fu Manchu guitarist, wisely branches out into original material before the novelty wears out. It’s doomy, it’s sludgy, it kicks booty, and it still includes a couple of slowed-down Slayer covers. (8)
THE OTHER STUFF
ANNA BUTTERSS – Mighty Vertebrate
Session bass player extraordinaire (Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Bright Eyes, Aimee Mann…) returns to first love, jazz, on instrumental solo album, but with a post-rock flavor. (8)
JENNIFER CASTLE – Camelot
Really good Canadian singer-songwriter with pop sensibilities, just found out about her, I should check out her back catalogue. (8)
THE CURE – Songs Of A Lost World
I was never a big fan of The Cure. No wait, let me rephrase that, I used to fucking hate The fucking Cure. But I’ve grown older and so did Robert Smith, and he’s aging gracefully, and I’m getting more depressive, so I actually sort of like this. Maybe it’s the massive keyboards and snare drum and Revees Gabrels’ guitar that make this sound more like a Peter Gabriel album than “Seventeen Seconds”, I dunno. (8)
THE FALLEN LEAVES – Simple Songs For Complex People
A couple of old punks from Subway Sect have some fun playing catchy garage rock as a hobby. If you’re ever in London UK, try to catch ‘em playing live in a pub. (8)
PAUL KELLY – Fever Longing Still
The “Australian Springsteen” moniker feels just about right. (8)
AMYTHYST KIAH – Still + Bright
You’ve probably heard Kiah before if you’ve been paying attention to the Geek’s recommendations and listened to Our Native Daughters a few years back. But this album is just fantastic, still playing within the wider “Americana” scope but with a rock intensity. (8)
LONE JUSTICE – Viva Lone Justice
Great could-have-beens and one of the most exciting live bands of the mid-80’s, who featured the best female singer of their generation. Not really a proper reunion album, it’s more a collection of old abandoned recordings with some fresh overdubs, and it’s oscillating wildly between rock and country like they always did. Includes some great and eclectic covers (Undertones, MC5, Dolly Parton…). (8)
LAURA MARLING – Patterns In Repeat
Marling uses her motherhood experience as a springboard for a beautiful album, more serene than “Once I Was An Eagle”, “Semper Femina”, or “Song For Our Daughter”, all of which have made The List before, and she might make it this year too. (8)
THE NECKS – Bleed
Ambient jazz gods return with a good, but not transcendental album. They won’t be making The List this year. (7)
WILLIE NELSON – Last Leaf On The Tree
He’s 91 and has nothing left to prove but he still manages to remind us that he’s one of the greatest interpreters of other people’s songs ever. This time around he tackles Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, even Beck and the Flaming Lips, and makes every track his own. His son Micah’s (who also serves as producer here) “Wheels” and Buffalo Springfield’s “Broken Arrow” sound like nothing he has ever done before, and that’s quite a feat for someone who’s released 76 solo albums in his life. (8)
CHUCK RAGAN – Love And Lore
Punk legend and Hot Water Music frontman focuses more on his folkier side on this solo album, songwriting still great and hook-filled. (8)
