BEST OF THE REST
Other new releases out this month.
Weezer OK Human CRUSH MUSIC/ATLANTIC
Orchestrated, analogue, packed with typically smart, reliably unshakeable River Cuomo compositions, this is Weezer’s social media/lockdown-atuned Pet Sounds. An unlikely masterpiece. 9/10
Reach The Promise Of Life ICONS CREATING EVIL ART
Swedes with huge ambition, Reach tap into Muse for falsetto grandeur, Queen for megarock majesty (with a hint of knowing naffness) and Lady GaGa for earworm-driven chutzpah. Immense. 8/10
Evert Snyman Hot Mess MONGREL
Coming across like a hyper-psychedelicised one-man QOTSA, Johannesburg’s Snyman (Ruff Majik) is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who writes as brilliantly as he jams (with himself). Recommended. 8/10
Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs Real One DINE ALONE
Like Springsteen before, Sam Coffey’s Iron Lungs, so fresh from the garage they’re still exhaling carbon monoxide, make honest bluecollar rock epic with the sheer breadth of their ambition. 7/10
The Lickerish Quartet Threesome Vol 2 LOJINX
With enough ideas in its four constituent parts to fuel a respectable double prog concept work, this celestial blurt of perfect cerebral pop (worthy of an on-form XTC) verges on being too good for its own good. 8/10
The Straddlerz The Straddlerz SELF-RELEASED
Power-packed, lick-laced sleaze from a Modena-based, Bowery-born duo of Argentinian vocalist Linda Filippin and Italian guitarist Michael Reynal. Shrill thrills and killer skills to more than pay the bills. 7/10
White Void Anti NUCLEAR BLAST
Nordic complexity ahoy as this dense combination of alumni from Borknagar and Ihsahn with blues and electronica protagonists produce a seething miasma of concepts, nagging hooks and dark, unrelenting power. 7/10
Black Pistol Fire Look Alive BLACK HILL
A genre-averse, future-proof blues duo for the 21st century, guitarist/ vocalist Kevin McKeown and drummer/bassist/synth player Eric Owen twist rock tropes through a heavily grooved R&B filter. May contain disco. 8/10
The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries Suns Out Guns Out MATADOR
Preppy East Coast indie trio (Shellac’s Bob Weston, Kahoots’ Elisha Wiesner, Codiene’s Chris Brokaw), back after a seven-year hiatus, further dislocate pop norms with engaging edgy darkness. 7/10
Nik Turner & Youth Interstellar Energy YOUTH SOUNDS/CADIZ
Former Hawkwind sax legend and Killing Joke production maestro join forces with experimental sonic explorers the Space Falcons for trippy, kosmische-laced grooving. Roll up, roll up! As it were. 7/10
Tamar Aphek All Bets Are Off KILL ROCK STARS
A sultry, smouldering, non-committal vocal meanders over bass-heavy backdrops as jazzy beats paradiddle haphazardly, Farfisa organs blurt and Israel’s ‘guitar goddess’ twangs with an audible pout. 5/10
The Snuts W.L. PARLOPHONE
A game of two halves, with the schizophrenic West Lothian quartet veering between spiky, guitar-toting indie chancers and tear-choked commerce-pop emoters. Could please all. Or none. 6/10