THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS – Again
Australian band signed to Third Man Records releases sophomore album. Stronger and more streamlined than their debut, this is indie rock with a strong emphasis on the “rock” part. (8)
CREEPER – Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death
Over the top and campy, but also ridiculously fun – like “Floodland”-era Sisters Of Mercy doing songs written in 1987 by Desmond Child. (8)
DRINK THE SEA – Drink The Sea I & II
A supergroup featuring Peter Buck (REM), Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees), Alain Johannes (Eleven), and Duke Garwood (Mark Lanegan collaborator and impersonator) blending rock with Middle Eastern and Asian influences. When it works it’s spectacular, it sometimes gets repetitive (a trimmed-down single album rather than a double one would’ve worked better) but the pure love for making music together always shines through. (7)
ROBERT FINLEY – Hallelujah! Don’t Let The Devil Fool Ya
Gospel/funk by blind septuagenarian expertly produced by Black Key Dan Auerbach. (8)
ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF – Iconoclasts
Her “pop” album is also her strongest and includes duets with Iggy Pop and Ethel Cain. The term “pop” is of course relative and applies only if we agree that stuff released on 4AD in the 80’s (Dead Can Dance, Clan Of Xymox, This Mortal Coil?) were “pop”. (8)
MIDLAKE – A Bridge To Far
Sixth album from Texan psych/folk outfit is one of their strongest. (8)
JUANA MOLINA – Doga
Eccentric experimental pop from adventurous Argentinian artist. Lots of weird synths, ring modulators and loops, it sounds much more fun than it reads. (8)
SNOCAPS – Snocaps
Critical darling Katie Crutchfield, aka Waxahatchee, reunites with twin sister Allison and they bring along a couple of guys for the ride (one of them is MJ Lenderman). Good songwriting, good fun. (8)
MAVIS STAPLES – Sad And Beautiful World
60’s gospel/blues/protest song icon still going strong and this is a great album, featuring interpretations of songs by Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Curtis Mayfield, Gillian Welch, Kevin Morby and others and guest musicians ranging from the legendary (Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Bonny Raitt) to the zeitgeist-y (Katie Crutchfield, Justin Vernon, MJ Lenderman). (8)
FRANK TURNER – The Next Ten Years
Not quite sure how/when I became a Frank Turner superfanboy but this is great – a collection of b-sides, outtakes and live recordings covering the last decade of his career, several of which I haven’t heard before. It’s more on his poppier/acoustic side than on his punk side, but I like that too. (8)
WITCH FEVER – Fevereaten
They made The List with their debut a few years ago, and their second album fulfills the promise, genre-bending (Punk? Grunge? Doom? Riot Grrrl? Post-Hardcore?) and emotionally draining. Only the element of surprise is missing the second time around. (8)
