BEST OF THE REST

Other new releases out this month.

KillerStar KillerStar HIGHWIRE

Featuring a veritable glut of Bowie alumni (Slick, Dorsey, Garson, McCaslin), Rob Fleming and James Sedge have produced a record so purposefully reminiscent of post-RCA Dave as to be entirely bereft of personality. A clever AI-esque pastiche yes, but… Move on. 5/10

Lesbian Bed Death Midnight Lust WORMHOLEDEATH

Occupying the time-honoured female-fronted arena where the fine line between ‘sexy’ and ‘sexist’ never seems to matter, trad/gothmetalling, Runaways-echoing LBD sound exactly as you’d expect. That name? Well, it’s hardly going to hurt, is it? Not yet, at least. 7/10

The Blamers Class Living AGITATED

‘Fuck you, Adam, the Devil’s alright,’ sneers Isobella Grist, munching her way through The Apple, opening blurt of Sydney’s Blamers’ primal Class Living debut. Well, if you’re gonna sin, at least make it original. Unvarnished, unapologetic stuff. Fundamentally awesome. 8/10

Meatbodies

Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom IN THE RED

Riffing blissfully, like a relentless shoegazing Gish-era Pumpkins on mushrooms, this fourth symphony-in-psych from LA’s Meatbodies mesmerises with tales of sobriety and redemption (it says here) that sound more unapologetically stoned and out there than ever. 7/10

Andy Blade + Buddies Being Alive Is Fun HOLY DOTAGE

Recently mis-sold by NME as ‘the English Lou Reed’, ex-Eater vocalist Blade’s latest chaotically produced glam-punk confection features ex-Gen X Derwood and an unusually restrained Rat Scabies. It’s all a bit Peter Perrett-goes-Denim, but nowhere near enough. 6/10

Goat Major Ritual RIPPLE MUSIC

Eight noxious slabs of fuzz-toned Celtic doom, this unyeilding debut assault from Welsh trio Goat Major briefly threatens to up its tempo for Power That Be, but rapidly lapses back to a grinding, defining, manic depressive stoner’s pace. Generic to a fault. 6/10

Pet Needs

Intermittent Fast Living XTRA MILE

Boasting a similar post-millennial self-awareness to Art Brut, brotherscentred punk-paced Essex four-piece Pet Needs blend sharp humour with understated intelligence, hi-octane popcore ear worms with flawless chainsaw riff-storms and a timeless, ageless relevance. 7/10

Matt Owens & The Delusional Vanity Project Way Out West URBY

Seamlessly coalescing spectacularly dynamic Craig Finn Americana with the guitar-virtuoso aplomb of Altered Beast Matthew Sweet, ex-Noah And The Whale stalwart Matt Owens hits something of a career zenith with his self-deprecating seven-piece DVP. 8/10

Shadow Show Fantasy Now! STOLEN BODY

It’s said, in all the places it should, that Detroit all-woman trio Shadow Show are flawlessly combining 60s psych and 21st-century alt.pop to excellent effect. And while they sort of are, I dunno, they’re not that great. They harmonise, just. They wah-wah, a bit. Meh? Yeh. 6/10

Andy Jackson AI AJ ESOTERIC ANTENNA

While this fourth from the Pink Floyd producer might be technically flawless, an admirable exemplar of state-of-the-art sonic clarity, its core material tends to fall somewhat short. It’s nice enough – soporific neo-prog, thoughtful wallpaper – but ultimately that’s all. 5/10

Jane Getter Premonition Division World ESOTERIC ANTENNA

Occupying an imagination-piquing sweet-spot between Porcupine Tree prog-metal, technically dazzling fusion and the open emoting of the no-holds-barred solo artiste, Getter boasts a truly impressive Premonition of Steven Wilson, Miles Davis, Testament alumni. 7/10