Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Baby 81 [4/5] If the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are sick of being compared to the Jesus And Mary Chain, at least they’re doing something about it. While the L.A.-based manic-depressives hunkered down at Robert Johnson’s crossroads, blending Delta blues and gut-rot country into their apocalypse-’80s mope-pop on 2005’s Howl, Baby...
The Nightwatchman
The Nightwatchman One Man Revolution [3/5] Those who prefer the explosive political outrage of the records he made as a member of Rage Against The Machine to the slick apolitical bluster of Audioslave will be thrilled to find guitarist Tom Morello again taking on the issues of the day with a healthy dose of righteous...
Vanna
Vanna Curses [3/5] When your band’s had as many lead vocalists as official releases, the odd identity crisis can be forgiven. Fortunately for Vanna, new frontman Chris Preece helps channel the band’s far-reaching post-hardcore ambitions into something succinct and cohesive-and Curses is all the better for it. The awkward arrangements that shaped 2006’s The Search...
Static-X
Static-X Cannibal [3.5/5] The mere existence of Static-X’s fifth studio album for Warner Bros. clearly implies that somebody out there is anxiously awaiting their latest mechanistic thrash-blast. And based on this sonic evidence, the folks who stopped paying attention after Wisconsin Death Trip have been missing out. The lyrics on Cannibal are basically place-holders, and...
See You Next Tuesday
See You Next Tuesday Parasite [2/5] Well, at least they admit that they’ve “Never Had Sex That Wasn’t Aawkward.” Or that before they die, they intend to “Fuck Me A Fish.” Perhaps best of all they instruct us “How To Survive A Vicious Cock Fight.” Song titles along those puerile, wordy lines recall Daughters or...
Megadeth
Megadeth United Abominations [2/5] Ever since Dave Mustaine got kicked out of Metallica for being too drunk, Megadeth have followed in the footsteps of his ex-bandmates, abandoning thrash and becoming increasingly tepid and more commercial with each post-1990 release. But other than 1999’s Risk, that stupid wrestling-commercial song and a few other regrettable slip-ups, Megadeth...