Album Reviews

AKERCOCKE
Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
(Earache)
Britain's Luciferian sentinel Akercocke evolves (thereby offending Christians twice over) on its fourth album Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone. Alternating clean and monstrous vocals and more blatant use of melody (especially melody adapted from progressive rock) indicate some time spent listening intently to Opeth, but Akercocke's violent energy and general aura of nastiness keeps it firmly in the black metal camp. The dark sexuality is toned down, alas, but the snarling riffs and blazing tunes make up for that. Michael Toland [buy it]

AM SYNDICATE
Empire
(Sickroom)
Austin's AM Syndicate float gently on a bed of classically-influenced, acid-addled instrumentation, occasionally interrupting the meditative vibe with crashing waves of feedback and/or introspective singing. That's when it's not riding the backbeat of a classic acid jam like "Democracy For the World," that is. Sometimes the aggregation's eclecticism sounds unfocused, but that's a common mistake for the first album from a band with this wide a range. Empire is fairly impressive. Michael Toland [buy it]

A SIGN OF THE TIMES
Ascension
(Diaspora)
Like a conduit of African-American music of the past century, the North Carolina ensemble A Sign of the Times channels big band swing, gospel, jazz and R&B into its own widescreen broadcast, adding some considerable Latin influences for spice. Bandleaders Tyrone Jefferson and Michael A. Porter have more musical experiences between them than Tom DeLay has had kickbacks, and it shows in the tight, well-crafted tunes and arrangements. With a strong cultural consciousness and an equally insistent positive outlook, A Sign of the Times makes soul music in the purest sense of the term. Michael Toland [buy it]

BEASTS OF BOURBON
Low Life
(Spooky)
Like a swamp thing rising once more from the depths, Australia's Beasts of Bourbon resurrect themselves for another round of sleaze and carnage. Drawing most of its songs from the 1991 LP The Low Road, Low Life catches the band in its natural onstage habitat, and if the old dog isn't quite the spitting demon it once was, it still leaves nasty bite marks. As singer Tex Perkins, guitarist Spencer P. Jones and crew age, their spite and bile gets more subtle, drilling into you like a virulent cancer instead of coming down like a hammer. Old classics like "Make 'em Cry," "Chase the Dragon" and "Saturated" ooze out like radioactive waste. Only the Beasts could make the Stones' "Cocksucker Blues" even more ugly, AC/DC's "Ride On" more unrepentant and Hound Dog Taylor's joyous "Let's Get Funky" sound like a dire threat. Welcome back! Michael Toland [buy it]

THE BEATINGS
Holding On to Hand Grenades
(Midriff)
The Beatings remember the glory days of 80s alternative rock. No, not the soaring anthems of U2 or the synth pop of Depeche Mode, but the raging guitars, pounding drums and melodic aggression of Mission of Burma, Band of Susans and Eleventh Dream Day. The Boston quartet (where else would it be from?) balances skronk and hooks with the finesse of Michael Motian; vocals move from forceful ranting to sweet croons to unhinged screaming and back again . The group alternates between angry screeds like "This City is Killing Me" and "Scorched Earth Policy" and more whimsical cuts like "Oh Shit, My Phaser's Jammed" and "Remedial Math Rock," all with well-developed melodies that make the tracks more than just noise bombs. There are even a couple of acoustic ditties ("Harry's Wild Ride" and "Don't Flake Now"). There's nothing here that hasn't been done before by the above-mentioned luminaries, but damn, does this six-string storm feel good. Michael Toland [buy it]

ROSANNE CASH
Black Cadillac
(Capitol)
Black Cadillac was recorded over a period of a couple of years, a time that saw the passing of Cash's parents. I suppose people will say this record is rife with mournful grieving-type songs. The lyrics trend on the darker side, but it's tempered with songs like "Dreams Are Not My Home." Nothing in Cash's previous catalogue and certainly nothing on this record prepared me for "The World Unseen." I listened to this song seven times in a row. "I will look for you in morphine and in dreams…" Come on, bring on number eight! I have never really known what to think about Cash's music, but last year I listened to some of her re-released stuff and kind of liked it. I really like this record and hope that this marks the beginning of more productive (and public) phase in her career. Lance Looper [buy it]

CATFISH HAVEN
Please Come Back
(Secretly Canadian)
Please Come Back is a pounding and repetitive record, but if you can stick with it through the first few tracks, you'll be glad you did. Starting with "You Can Have Me," the album, although brief, takes a turn for the better. George Hunter's wailing voice is sincere, and this adds to the live sound. Ryan Farnham's drumming is probably the best part of the record, though there are times when you wonder if he's trying to drown out Hunter&mdash:not that that would be all bad. Please Come Back, while showing flashes of fun, is not quite ready for prime time and I think a more organized approach would produce a pretty darn good record. I'll be looking for Catfish Haven's next album, but this time with a slightly tempered sense of enthusiasm. Lance Looper [buy it]

THE CHOIR
O How the Mighty Have Fallen
(Galaxy 21)
The Choir has been quietly amassing an impressive body of work in the Christian rock arena for over 20 years. I say "quietly" because, outside of a brief surge in popularity in the late 80s, the band isn't on the radar of too many Christian rock enthusiasts anymore than it is secular fans'. Maybe that's because this band doesn't proselytize—Choir music relies more on introspection and personal observation than on preaching and conversion. Besides, the Nashville group's extraordinary ability to spin fragile, atmospheric hooks out of psychedelic pop threads is what makes it special, not any ostensible message. O How the Mighty Have Fallen, the quintet's first album in five years, isn't its best—there are simply too many (admittedly pretty) ballads frontloaded on the setlist, slowing the album's momentum. But the sprightly pop tune "Fine Fun Time," the brooding but hopeful ballad "Mercy Will Prevail" and the beauteous waltz "How I Wish I Knew" (all near the end of the record, curiously) remind us of what a treasure this band is and why even born-again atheists like myself pay attention. Michael Toland [buy it]

JESSI COLTER
Out of the Ashes
(Shout Factory)
I have a new favorite female artist. Jessi Colter is back with a new solo album after nearly twenty years. Out of the Ashes is a blues-heavy record packed with American roots influences and special guests. Colter is joined at one time or another by late husband Waylon Jennings, Tony Joe White and son Shooter Jennings. Her rock-steady tempo of "You Can Pick ëEm" is an especially great tune with a scorching harmonica. The best song though, is "Out of the Rain," written by White and delivered with pitch-perfect timing by Colter. Hopefully we will not have to wait another generation for Colter's next record. Lance Looper [buy it]

THE DEADSTRING BROTHERS
Starving Winter Report
(Bloodshot)
The Deadstrings' self-titled debut album was fairly lackluster, a rote alt.country album. I'm not sure what happened in the years between then and now, but the follow-up Starving Winter Report is a mighty improvement. The band isn't doing anything particularly different this time (though harmony vocalist Masha Marjieh is a nice addition), but somehow Kurt Marschke's songs are stronger and the band's performances more lucid and powerful. The album itself has a warm, dry glow that brings out the best in the whole enterprise. This is the soulful country rock album Ryan Adams needs to make but can't. Michael Toland [buy it]