Album Reviews

PARCHMAN FARM
Parchman Farm
(Jackpine Social Club)
Sounding like the bastard child of the Black Crowes and the Gun Club, Parchman Farm puts the white-boy blues through its garage-punk paces on its five-song debut EP. In the grand tradition, frontman Eric Shea (formerly of the late, lamented Mover) apes Mick Jagger aping various black bluesmen, a task for which his snarling howl is particularly suited. Guitarist Allyson Baker and bassist Carson Binks trade frazzled classic rock riffs while drummer Chris Labreche keeps the fire lit under his bandmates' asses. Tunes like "Say Yeah" and "Too Many People" are hardly deep philosophical treatises, but they rock hard, and isn't that what's really important? For Parchman Farm, there's no question. Michael Toland [buy it]

PARKER & LILY
The Low Lows
(WARM)
The third album from this NYC duo comes with a story, namely the dissolution of Parker Noon and Lily Wolf's offstage relationship. Now the indie rock underground has the Richard and Linda Thompson analog it's always wanted. (Unless that's X. Or Dead Can Dance.) Sarcasm aside, what really matters is the music, and fortunately it's pretty stellar. Some of the drum machine rhythms get a bit too rickety, but overall the duo's continued refinement of its low-key, noirish sound reaches its apex here. Moody, often mesmerizing songs coolly face disillusionment, disappointment and resignation head on without succumbing to anything approaching despair. Despite its grim chill, The Low Lows is more often than not quite lovely. Michael Toland [buy it]

THE SIRENS
The Sirens
(Get Hip)
Detroit's Sirens have ties to the infamous Demolition Doll Rods (in other words, if she looks like a guy in drag, she probably is), so that automatically gets them attention, but the band's powerhouse glam 'n' B punk rock stands quite loudly on its own. The Sirens blasts through the catalogs of everyone from Roky Erickson, Gerry Goffin and Ike Turner to Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro and Slade for a soul/punk party slathered in leather and lipstick that's simply instant fun. Dig in and dig it. Michael Toland [buy it]

TRANSMISSION0
0
(Go Kart)
As metal continues to evolve into a million different offshoots (and offshoots of offshoots), the only way forward is to gather those DNA strands and refashion them into one beast again. The Netherlands' Transmission0 is one of the best of the new breed, effortlessly weaving threads of hardcore, death metal, progressive rock, Gothic atmosphere and good old fashioned headbanging into a melodic, bristling heavy metal monster that glides as often as it stomps. Alleged titans like Lamb of God and Shadows Fall could learn a few things from 0. Michael Toland Michael Toland [buy it]

WANDERJAHR
Is to Disappear
(Wanderjahr)
Psychedelic rock/pop seems to thrive when separated from the music industry as a whole. Wanderjahr, which hails from Lansing, Michigan, has in Is to Disappear exactly the kind of smart, sharp record it wanted to make, and it did it with no corporate aid (from major or indie) whatsoever. The quintet layers guitars, keyboards and anything else lying around on to leader Mike Clauwaert's sturdy tunes, but the sound is so tightly arranged it's never cluttered. Which isn't to say the band is above frenzied blowouts (see "Mesmerize [Fall Awake]"), but in general excellent songs like "Mother Nature's Gun," "I Give Them a Name" and "The Meeting Place" receive performances that best serves the song. Wanderjahr doesn't necessarily do anything new or innovative here, but with writing and performance this strong, it doesn't need to. Michael Toland [buy it]