METAL
Nile – Vile Nilotic Rites Nile has been my favorite death metal band for a long time, and I have been anxiously awaiting this album’s release since their very first teaser of new material over a year ago. Holy shit was it worth the wait. Relentless is the first word that comes to mind. I thought this once before (with Those Whom the Gods Detest), but did Nile somehow get even faster?! I haven’t compared BPM’s, but it sure feels like it. At the very least, this album definitely contains the fastest palm muted guitar riffing I’ve heard from them. My eyes were bugging out of my head, and I was grimacing all over the kitchen upon first listen at 6:30am on release day.
The exit of long-time guitarist and songwriter Dallas Toler-Wade left some fans nervous that their favorite member of the band had left. But his replacement, Brian Kingsland, has added a new flavor to Nile’s signature sound, and I think it’s a good thing for the overall growth and longevity of the band. (Plus, Dallas’ band Narcotic Wasteland is incredible, so fans can still hear his playing and writing there.) In addition to some of the most furious Nile songs ever, they also venture out into new compositional territory on a few tracks. New harmonic colors, including some mournful doom-like lead guitar melodies in one later track, and vocals from Kingsland and bassist Brad Parris all give this album a unique place in Nile’s incredible discography. Metal album of the year. — 10/10
NY in 64 – Safety NY in 64 is an instrumental, progressive, post-metal/hardcore/rock band that belongs to the East of the Wall / Postman Syndrome family. If you aren’t familiar with those names, a brief summary: “The Postman Syndrome is an unpredictable, risk-taking alternative rock/alternative metal outfit who changes moods frequently and thrives on intricate melodies as well as brutal aggression.” (allmusic.com bio) Since splitting up in 2006, the members have played in a number of groups with each other, mostly notably East of the Wall. The musicians in this extended family have a unique approach to melody, harmony, and structure that comes through in all of their projects. I personally think this album could be even better with some vocals, but the music is already dynamic, mature, well-written, and engaging as it is. If I was trying to introduce someone to this family of bands it’s not where I would start, but it is a welcome addition to the collective catalogue. — 8/10
Wilderun – Veil of Imagination Do you miss the old Opeth? If so, Wilderun just may scratch that itch. This is basically Still Life / Blackwater Park-era Opeth with added symphonic enhancements (strings, woodwinds, choir, etc). On one hand, it’s incredibly grand, majestic, well written, and superbly performed. On the other hand, this sounds WAY too much like Opeth. Almost every riff, chord progression, groove and lead guitar line sounds like it could have been lifted straight from unreleased tracks from the Still Life and Blackwater Park sessions. Even the death metal AND melodic vocals are very similar to those of Mikael Akerfeldt. If these guys can manage to find their own sound, they could be fantastic. But I don’t think I need to listen to this again, because two Opeth albums in this style are enough for me, and I like what that band has been doing lately. — 6/10
Cradle of Filth – Cruelty and the Beast (Re-mistressed) I like some Cradle of Filth albums, and this is one of them, though I haven’t listened to it in a really long time. This remix/remaster sounds way better than the original. Particularly the drums, which sounded pretty bad on the original. I won’t bother reviewing the music since the album is 21 yrs old (!!!) If you love this classic album, it’s worth another listen with a much better mix. — 8/10
Cannabis Corpse – Nug So Vile I enjoyed the last Cannabis Corpse album. In fact, it was the first album of theirs that I cared to listen to all the way through. Ray Suhy (who I am most familiar with from his time in East of the Wall) had joined for the writing of that album, and his contributions definitely raised the overall quality of the music. Ray is no longer in the band, but their songwriting and production still remains better than the earlier albums. It’s straight-forward death metal. Not reaching to push, or even approach the current boundaries of extreme music, but it gets me nodding my head. It won’t get a whole lot of replays, but I still cared enough to listen all the way through. — 7/10
JAZZ
Most of the jazz reviews this week are very short because I didn’t have a chance to really give them my full attention. So I didn’t give them a rating, and just gave the general idea of the sound.
Virgil Donati – Ruination This is almost equal parts jazz fusion and metal, but I’m putting it in the jazz section because I think it would appeal to a larger percentage of jazz fans. Virgil Donati is a jaw-droppingly virtuosic drummer, and his band members are equally masterful with their instruments. 6 of the 10 tracks on this album are incredibly complex jazz/metal fusion compositions, with sections of individual improvised solos over chord changes, trading 4’s, vamps, etc. Endlessly syncopated patterns across changing time signatures, metric modulations, and some blazingly fast shredding from every musician (drums, guitar, bass, keys). The other 4 songs (tracks 2, 3, 7, & 8) feature guest vocals from a cheesy prog rock singer. The music on these 4 songs is not all that different from the other tracks, and I’d much rather just hear them instrumental.
Chelsea McBride’s Socialist Night School – Aftermath Cinematic modern big band. Jazzy, mid range male vocals. Emotional. Most tracks around 8 mins, give or take. Sometimes a little sappy, but still beautifully orchestrated
Levitation Orchestra – Inexpressible Infinity Big band fusion prog rock.
Lorenzo Feliciati & Michele Rabbia – Antikythera Ethereal, moody, haunting soundscapes. Bill Laswell grooves. Guest piano, trumpet with heavy echo. Spacey guitar.
The Funky Knuckles – Delicious Shredding electric jazz funk fusion.
RnB / SOUL
Sudan Archives – Athena Sudan Archives is the brilliant, badass, and soulful Brittney Parks. The violinist/singer/songwriter/producer creates a highly unique blend of left-field RnB, hip-hop, electronic, and West African folk music (particularly the fiddling style). Her first two EP’s are fantastic and I was very excited to learn of her coming full-length just a week ahead of its release. Not surprisingly, Parks expands her musical reach while retaining everything that made her EP’s so great. The violin and vocal melodies convey such deep emotion, intellect, and strength, and the production is rich and imaginative. I can’t gush enough about this album and artist. Most likely my (non-metal) album of the year. —- 10/10
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka I’ve been a big fan of Michael Kiwanuka since his debut album Home Again (2012). He was the rare artist playing in a throwback/retro style that sounded 100% authentic; like he’s an old soul that played the same kind of music in a past life. His vocal melodies felt like you knew them already, and the production was spot-on for the kind of 60’s soul he was playing. 2016’s Danger Mouse-produced Love & Hate saw Kiwanuka stepping somewhat into the present with great success. Album #3 (also with Danger Mouse) continues in that direction, and I whole-heartedly approve. Adding a little more fuzz guitar, psychedelic rock, and orchestral accompaniment to his timeless blend of soul and folk suits Kiwanuka well. Beautiful music. —- 9/10
UMI – Love Language – EP I prefer my RnB warm and organic, jazzy, and with not a trace of trap beats or auto-tune. There have been a number of young, promising artists releasing EP’s that fit that description this year. Add UMI to the list. At 4 songs in 12 minutes, it’s a quick and easy listen. Check it out. —- 8/10
HIP-HOP
Gang Starr – One of the Best Yet I have no interest in the vast majority of modern hip hop, so it’s always refreshing when the occasional release comes along that appeals to me. Any fan of 90’s hip-hop should be excited that one of the genre’s most influential artists just released their first new album in 16 years. Admittedly, I don’t know Gang Starr’s catalog well, but this sounds like it could stand alongside any of their classic material and not seem out of place. Strings, pianos and old soul/RnB samples are all over the beats, just the way I like it. —- 8/10
INDIE ROCK
Mappe Of – The Isle of Ailynn Lush, intricate, orchestral indie folk. Think Bon Iver + Fleet Foxes + Sufjan Stevens. Some parts seem a bit derivative, but it’s performed beautifully and passionately. — 8/10
Omni – Networker I love the band Television and their revolutionary album Marquee Moon. Clearly, Omni does too. And they pull off their own Television-inspired guitar noodlings quite well. This is a case of very obvious influence that doesn’t bother me as much because I don’t think I’ve ever heard another band that sounds quite like Television. So one new band with this sound is welcomed. And the vocals are more slacker indie rock than the post-punk/beat poet vibe of Tom Verlaine, so it’s not like a carbon copy (I’m looking at you Wilderun!) —- 7.5/10
Rodan – Hat Factory ‘93 Rodan was a short-lived but highly influential avant-garde indie/math rock band from the early 90’s. I was only vaguely familiar with them before listening to this recently rediscovered album-length demo. I suppose if you’re just learning of the band then the more appropriate place to start is with their lone proper full length, Rusty. But then again, this demo came first, and shares a lot of the same songs. Either way, the music still sounds vital, and if you like Slint, Chavez, or old Sonic Youth, it’s worth your time. —- 8.5/10
Vetiver – Up On High Laid back, indie folk-rock. I saw Vetiver opening for Dawes a while ago, and they were alright, but I like this new album better than I liked their set back then. Sometimes I listen to an album and not a whole lot jumps right out at me and catches my attention, but I still find myself wanting to keep listening again to pay attention closer. This is one of those albums. Good songwriting and thoughtful arrangements. —- 7.5/10
ROCK
Jeff Lynne’s ELO – From Out of Nowhere If you’re not familiar with ELO, just go listen to their greatest hits. But for the fans interested in what Jeff Lynne’s been writing lately, there are some songs here that could actually hold their ground next to the ELO classics. Lynne’s voice sounds great, too. The album is uneven, with the first 5 songs being much stronger than the last 5, but it’s not a flop! Impressive for an artist this far past their “classic period.” The strongest songs have that familiar Beatles-esque quality in the chord changes and melodies that a lot of classic ELO has. —- 6.5/10