Album Reviews

ACID KING
III
(Small Stone)
You'd think maturity would be anathema to detuned bong metal, but if III is any indication, you'd be dead wrong. Acid King has been stomping stages for a decade now, and has only gotten better. Lori S's guitar caresses the Sabbath-style melodies even as it masturbates your bowels, and her singing has lost some of its gravel and gained sensual polish. The rhythm section keeps the groove movin', even if it's at a drowsy dinosaur's pace. "Heavy Load" and "Into the Ground" should make the sludge top 40, but it's the muddy cosmic howl of "War of the Mind" that reiterates just what a great band Acid King is. Michael Toland [buy it]

A NORTHERN CHORUS
Bitter Hands Resign
(Sonic Unyon)
A Northern Chorus constructs beautiful cathedrals of sound on its third album Bitter Hands Resign. The Canadian quintet gently layers guitar upon cello upon guitar atop a sedate but firm rhythm section, working its dynamics carefully, letting wave after wave wash over you without bombast. The band masters the magic of sculpting sound, but there's more to ANC than just pretty arrangements. All this melancholy beauty comes in service of actual songs; whether wallowing in misery ("This Open Heart") or tentatively seeking hope ("Don't Think of Collapse"), the group utilizes its assets to each tune's best advantage. Gorgeous and affecting, Bitter Hands Resign strokes the heart and French kisses the eardrums. Michael Toland [buy it]

THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX
3
(MeteorCity)
I gotta come clean: I was really skeptical about the continued viability of the New Jersey power trio the Atomic Bitchwax once it lost guitar god Ed Mundell completely to his day job in Monster Magnet. 3 proves my lack of faith disturbing. Former Core leader Finn Ryan fills Mundell's shoes quite ably, providing not only the prerequisite hot solos and molten riffage, but also his soulful voice as well. Bassist Chris Kosnik and drummer Keith Ackerman respond to the new blood by sounding more inspired than they have since…well, ever. Inspired riffs flow as like beer, Kosnik hits new peaks as both singer and writer and the energy level could light up all of Hoboken. "Dark Chi," "Going Guido" and "You Oughta Know" smoke like a forest fire. "The Passenger" slays, despite an annoying electronic vocal filter; the snarky libretto both shakes its head sadly at Mundell's departure and gives him the finger on the way out. "Half As Much" throws the rules out the window for an almost avant-garde take on the whole cosmic stoner rock thing. <3> is going to be the riffmonster to beat this year; Queens of the Stone Age rocks like this only in their dreams. Michael Toland [buy it]

AUTUMN'S GREY SOLACE
Riverine
(Projekt)
Autumn's Grey Solace returns with Riverine, its strongest pledge of allegiance to the Cocteau Twins/4AD sound yet. Scott Ferrell paints layer after colorful layer of crystalline, lush guitarscapes, using gentle but firm rhythms as a canvas and reverb and echo as his palette. Erin Welton sings her poetic lyrics in the voice of a benign spirit, returned from the next world to help us get through this one. For the most part, her predictions are dire; tthe lyrics of "Outlive" ("Will I have a chance to run?/Before the stars explode"), "Cold and Empty Constellations" and "A Tangle of Scars" seem to disagree with the bright sounds enveloping them. But AGS does kick against the pricks on occasion. "Sorrow Ashes" shakes its fist against organized religion ("Who are they/To tell me I'm okay/Who is anyone?"), while "Human Shell," wrapped in the duo's catchiest pop tune yet, declares "In the middle of this war/I'm a primal force." In the deceptively depressed world of Riverine, things are bleak but never hopeless. Michael Toland [buy it]

BLACK BONZO
Black Bonzo
(B&B)
What kind of contempt do so many Swedish musicians have for contemporary music that they cleave so tightly to bygone eras? If you heard Black Bonzo's self-titled album blind, you'd think it was a long-lost 70s classic unearthed. The quintet revels in old-school progressive and arena rock, with Nicklas Åhlund's analog keyboards and Magnus Lindgren's warm, forceful singing leading the way. Retro in the very best way, tunes like "Fantasyworld," "Freedom" and the magnificent "Lady of the Light" are the progeny of a genuine love affair with 70s sounds, and the band's enthusiastic embrace of melody makes even the most mold-threatened passage go down sweetly. The burning passion and loving craft put into Black Bonzo makes it more than just an exercise in nostalgia, bringing it into the level of heartfelt revival. Michael Toland [buy it]

THE BLACK HALOS
Alive Without Control
(Liquor and Poker)
Over the course of the last decade, Vancouver's Black Halos have evolved from a second-rate Dead Boys homage to…a first-rate Dead Boys homage. OK, that's unfair, as the band definitely grew beyond its humble beginnings on its last album, the ravenous but melodic The Violent Years. Alive Without Control, the quintet's new disk after a hiatus and lineup shuffle, recaptures some of the old Stiv Bators-like chaos, while continuing the development of tunesmithery. "Broken" and "Third World U.S.A." rip like hell, with Billy Hopeless' very Stiv-like rasp leading the way, while "Exit Stagefright" and the surprisingly soulful ballad "Mirrorman" boast melodies bordering on power pop. The band splits the difference on "Last Call At the Toothless Saloon," "Three Sheets to the Wind" and the title track, cutting the hooks with enough sleazy aggression to make the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs smile. (No wonder the Cheetahs' Frank Meyer is a fan.) The record closes with an ass-murdering cover of Tom Petty's "I Need to Know" that would probably leave the toothy one goggle-eyed. Pure rock & roll, 100 proof. Michael Toland [buy it]

JIM BOGGIA
Safe in Sound
(Bluhammock)
Jim Boggia's debut for Bluhammock records works the room of pop music standards. Equal parts addictive hooks and smooth melodies, Safe in Sound is a smartly crafted record. The songs are instantly catchy, thanks in no small part to Boggia's casual vocal style. "Let Me Believe" stands as a sparkly example of the attitude of the rest of the record, fun and undeniably pop.Lance Looper [buy it]

CIVET
Massacre
(Disaster)
About ten years ago, classic rocker Joan Jett collaborated with members of the Riot Grrl nation to update her sound and reconnect with the youth. Massacre is what she was trying to sound like. This quartet of women barely out of their teens keeps its punk as raw as hamburger fresh from the meatgrinder, Ms. Liza Graves' tobacco-stained larynx leading the charge. "Handgun & Cocaine" experiments with acoustic guitar and an almost poppy melody, but it's the exception. "Extra," "Murder 944" and "Bleed & Burn" run on pure anger, pain and frustration, smashing hooks against the wall and rhythms into the ground. As fast and hard as punk gets without crossing over into hardcore, Massacre takes nervous negative energy and rocks it into the night. Michael Toland [buy it]

CRYSTAL PISTOL
Crystal Pistol
(Alert)
After a dozen-plus years of angst-ridden alternative rock, the specter of Guns 'N Roses has risen from the ashes of its own excesses to infect underground guitar rockers everywhere. Forget Velvet Revolver, though—if you really want a stiff dose of streetwise sleaze punk, get Crystal Pistol. These grungy dandies come from Canada and thus have no illusions about taking over the world. They simply throw every gram of commitment they can squeeze out of their emaciated bodies into the fist-pumping hooks and broken-throttle energy of tunes like "XXIII," "No Fun City" and "Rockstar." "Live Fast" twists the classic punk credo into a warning ("Live fast/Die young/And bury my friends one by one") and "Salt of the Earth" proves the Pistols can write a love song without having to resort to power balladry. Crystal Pistol waves the G n' R flag, then uses it to wipe its sweaty brow. Beat that, Axl. Michael Toland [buy it]

GREY DELISLE
Iron Flowers
(Sugar Hill)
Grey DeLisle establishes herself as the premier roots rock eccentric with Iron Flowers. She's not doing it alone, of course—the support from her husband Murry Hammond (also of the Old 97's), roots music demigods Greg Leisz, David Mattacks and Don Heffington and producer Marvin Etzioni is essential. But it's DeLisle's 21st century folk songs and high art hillbilly delivery that puts "Right Now," "The Bloody Bucket" and a marvelous interpretation of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (cast as a tribute to its author, Freddie Mercury) into their own rarefied realm. Even the dirty blues rock of "Blueheart" and the country melancholy of the title track bend to their mistress's will. DeLisle has always been a remarkable artist, but Iron Flowers is the record that will be remembered as the breakthrough. Michael Toland [buy it]

DJ SPOOKY THAT SUBLIMINAL KID & DAVE LOMBARDO
Drums of Death
(Thirsty Ear)
If you think a collaboration between turntablist DJ Spooky and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo called Drums of Death would be heavy on rhythm, you'd be right. But that's not all that's going on here. Spooky and Lombardo are joined by Meat Beat Manifesto multi-instrumentalist Jack Dangers, Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid and, on several tracks, Public Enemy leader Chuck D for a metallic, structured take on hip-hop that embraces riffs and textures as much as beats. Energy-spewing cuts like the D showcase "B-Side Wins Again (2005)" and the six-string slathered "Kultur Krieg" work for either dancing or rocking out. "Terra Nullius (Cyborg Rebellion on Colony Planet Zyklon 15)" even dips into Lombardo's home turf. At no point on any of the tracks does it sound like the participants are just fucking around. Drums of Death grooves and rocks. Michael Toland [buy it]

DONOVAN'S BRAIN
A Defeat of Echoes
(Career)
Donovan's Brain is one of America's unlauded psychedelic rock treasures. On the band's fifth album, there's much more going on here than just incense and peppermints. The effervescent power pop of "City Morning," the acoustic ephemera of "The Little Prince" and the soaring chorus of "So Far Gone" (somebody's been listening to the Coffee Sergeants) join the swirling textures and snaky melodies of "When You're Falling," "Rezolution" and the title track. Melody is, in fact, the guiding principle here, tying the record together regardless of arrangement. Why the word "defeat" is in the title of such a triumph I'll never understand. Michael Toland [buy it]

ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN
Burn Bright, Burn Fast!
(TKO)
According to legend, Jersey's power rock outfit Electric Frankenstein has been hording the best songs written for its past records with the intent of using them all in one big blowout. Burn Bright, Burn Fast! is that explosion. It's hard to say whether these tunes really represent EF at its best, but that's only because the band's fireball punk & roll has always been amazingly consistent. Sure enough, BBBF! rocks like a motherfucker; catchy tunes like "Life in Rewind," "Just For You" and the title cut sound pumped up with hormones borrowed from the Hulk. As is also the band's wont, a few covers (the Cars, Flo & Eddie, the Music Machine's "Talk Talk") get a sound thrashing at the hands of the band's naked aggression and Steve Miller's psychotic larynx. Is this EF's best album? Beats me. But it's a killer rock & roll record regardless of its ambitions. Michael Toland [buy it]

THE EROTICS
Rock N Roll Killing Machine
(Cacophone)
The follow-up to the band's shit-hot All That Glitters is Dead, Rock N Roll Killing Machine betters its celebrated predecessor in a mere six songs. Mike Trash and his sleazy crew are at their best here, blending glam rock, metal and punk into a fragrant stew that will satisfy the taste buds of fans of Kiss, the Dead Boys or the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs. Big guitars, bigger hooks and Trash's crushed charcoal snarl give rockers like the demanding "I Wanna Be Somebody," the cheerfully vulgar "Drink, Fight, and F*ck" ("Tonight's gonna end with a four-letter word!") and the smashing title toon a character that thrives on rock & roll. Taking his writing to the next level, Trash even gets sincere on "Only a Fool," a power ballad that beats anything by Aerosmith or Guns 'N Roses all to hell. Get that mini-skirt and those air guitars ready, folks. Michael Toland [buy it]

DAVID FRIDLUND
Amaterasu
(Hidden Agenda/Adrian)
David Fridlund leads the great Swedish pop band David & the Citizens. His first album under his own name, Amaterasu has less of the Citizens' nervous energy and more careful craft. Thus the burning nastiness of "Then I Will Miss You" is amplified by its lilting, acoustic arrangement, while the weary cynicism of "Satellite" and the horrifying despair of "Before It Breaks" are only enhanced by the dramatic piano balladry. Fridlund is a master of setting soul-sucking darkness to irresistible melody, and the ingenuity of his pop-friendly arrangements never makes the bitter too sweet for tunes like "Insomnia," "3 Pictures (Of You & You & You)" and "Circles." The bossa nova piano pop of "The Past Floats Like Stones" tentatively offers hope, but balances it with death. Only the instrumentals, the lovely "Intro" and the bouncy "Knives," dispel the gloom, and then only briefly. Brilliantly enticing and poetically damned, Amaterasu is a great record, but not one for the faint of heart and spirit. Michael Toland [buy it]

C. GIBBS
Parade of Small Horses
(Eastern Spurs/Dren/Rubric)
Parade of Small Horses, the fourth record from C. Gibbs, is basically a survey of modern American roots. Blending folk, bluegrass and moody country, Gibbs covers a career of musical flavors. The disk zigzags from dark crooning on tunes like "Ferdinand" and "Devil's Water" to brighter fare such as "Tenhorse" and "Duplicate Machines." Gibbs' vocals also lend diversity to the record. One minute he's brooding and dark, the next he's screeching with excitement. Gerald Menke's steel guitar on "Tenhorse" is a thing of beauty, worth the price of the CD all by itself. The rest of the music follows dutifully with polished sounds throughout. Parade of Small Horses is a full and rich record and if you have even a passing interest in the genre, this is a record you should add to your collection. Lance Looper [buy it]

GOMEZ
Out West
(ATO)
Gomez is a universally acclaimed band that's somehow flown under my radar, but I couldn't ask for a better introduction than Out West. An old-fashioned double-live album recorded before an enthusiastic crowd in San Francisco's Fillmore couldn't be more appropriate, as Gomez is as much a classic rock band as any holdover from the 70s. The British quintet (plus guest percussionist/keyboardist) seems equally versed in rootsy arena rock and spiky postpunk, with the occasional electronic insert, and arranges its songs to emphasize the interplay of three guitars and three voices. I wish the singers meshed better on their harmonies—the guy that sounds like Eddie Vedder tends to overpower the others—and that the band's melodies were stronger. But this is honest rock & roll, played with skill and confidence. If you're curious about Gomez, this is the place to start. Michael Toland [buy it]

HATE ETERNAL
I, Monarch
(Earache)
Hate Eternal is one of the two "Hate" bands (the other being Hatebreed) garnering more acclaim than nearly all the other extreme metal bands combined. The sound of the band's third chunk of gristle is pure, glistening aggression. Savagely slashed guitar riffs, relentless drum thunder and leader Erik Rutan's impossibly voracious growl give no quarter, and ask for none. There's an ever-so-slight touch of actual groove in the rhythm arrangements, giving the trio a tighter focus than most of its bull-in-a-china-shop peers. Check "Faceless One," as classic a hit of instrumental death/black metal smoke as you're likely to hear. Michael Toland [buy it]

HEAP
On the Cheap
(Rave On)
Considering that New York spawned the contemptible Strokes, it's hard to imagine it being a city with a genuine rock & roll revival hitting its streets. But bands like the Compulsions, Tiger Mountain and the Izzys are making the boroughs safe for loud guitars, easy hooks and passionate sincerity once again, and Heap is ready to take advantage of the spotlight. Songwriter Tim Heap's group (with some help from ex-Rattlers/STOP! guitarist Mickey Leigh) draws from the same sources as its bretheren—the Stones, Johnny Thunders, the more rocking side of power pop—but with a more blatant dash of roots rock. But don't let comparisons and distinctions distract you from great songs like "Vague," "Backsliding" and "No Shame"—if you dig good singin', good playin' and the feel of a throbbing heart in your hands, you're gonna dig Heap. Michael Toland [buy it]

HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS
Heels 'n' Wheels
(Get Hip)
So many bands combine sweet pop melodies and muscular guitar crunch and come up with crap. The High School Sweethearts, however, produce effortless jewels. "Sweet Thing," "Afterschool Special" and "Not Coming Back" rock hard without ever letting the catchy tunes slide; Cynthia Santiglia's tough-girl-with-a-heart-of-gold voice fits the material perfectly. The band covers glam-era David Bowie ("Moonage Daydream"), early punk icons the Avengers ("Thin White Line") and, most surprisingly, elegant dirtbag rockers the Dogs D'amour ("Don't Ask Me to Say I Love You"). That mixture may give a clue to the aesthetic employed here. Even if it doesn't, think kick-ass guitars and upbeat hooks and the crisp, crackling Heels 'n' Wheels is a no-brainer. Michael Toland [buy it]

HOGNOSE
¡El Sombrero!
(Arclight)
Hognose's last record was a solid if unspectacular slice of heavy rock cake. Apparently somebody lit a sizzling fire under these Texas boys' collective ass, because ¡El Sombrero! kicks the debut into the corner and lays waste to the entire house. Thicker guitar sounds, harder-hitting rhythms and, most importantly, more memorable riffs pound "MeadowLark," "Weedbilly" and "Huntin' Rake" right through your ribcage and make toothpicks from the splinters. The shockingly sedate (even when it cranks the volume at the halfway mark) instrumental "Muffin" gives just a bit of a breather, but the record roars back to its old tricks soon enough. And don't miss the beautifully grunged-out Pink Floyd cover that pops up unexpectedly at the end. Michael Toland

THE HOTEL ALEXIS
The Shining Example is Lying On the Floor
(Broken Sparrow)
The Hotel Alexis' latest record boasts some pretty good songs, with lyrics that are at once heartbreaking and uplifting. The record, however, gets bogged down in the ridiculously depressing tone of the music. Tortuously slow, you find yourself waiting for the lyrics. The voice of Sydney Alexis is smooth and washed in feeling, but even the smoky vocals are buried by the tone of the record. Had the tempo been sped up a beat, the songs would be fine. But there is just something irritating about a disk FULL of overly-slow songs. Lance Looper

HOWLING DIABLOS
Car Wash
(Alive)
Detroit's Howling Diablos are better known for who they know (Uncle Kracker, George Clinton, Ahmet Ertegun, who put them in the Sun Records tribute film) that what they do. But the cracker quintet honed its raw, funky blues rock backing the likes of Albert Collins and Johnny Adams in Detroit clubs, so it knows its business. Nobody's going to mistake Car Wash for a Muddy Waters record, but bandleader Tino Gross's raspy growl, Mike Smith's gnarly bottleneck guitar and the rhythm section's deliberately primitive thump keep it far away from the universe of Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Sheperd. Plus the Diablos cover RL Burnside's "Gone So Long," which automatically gives 'em a third leg up in a juke joint world. Michael Toland [buy it]

LORNA
Static Patterns and Souvenirs
(Words On Music)
This is a hauntingly ethereal record. Sharon Cohen's vocals are absolutely angelic, although a little on the dark side. The songs are soft and slow and hopelessly melancholy. The instrumentation is sparse, adding to the desolate tone and slow pace. The songs sound good; the mixture of Cohen's feminine voice with other vocals sounds swell. My instinct tells me the record weighs itself down unnecessarily, but after a couple of spins I came to appreciate the quietness of the record. While it will not make into heavy rotation with me, I can see giving it a spin from time to time. Lance Looper [buy it]