Keiji Haino and SUMAC "American Dollar Bill – Keep Facing Sideways, You’re Too Hideous To Face On (Thrill Jockey)"
Preeminent Japanese multi-instrumentals and in your face provocateur Keiji Haino has teamed up with preeminent heavy metal weirdos SUMAC to record a punishing, bonkers bit of what I’m going to refer to as free metal. What is free metal? Well, think free jazz, and add heavy metal. Makes sense, right? So the sound is somewhere between John Zorn’s Naked City and Mike Patton’s more esoteric efforts. American Dollar Bill – Keep Facing Sideways, You’re Too Hideous To Face On (Thrill Jockey) was recorded in a studio in Japan without any preplanning, all the musicians are improving here. Shout out to all of those writers who are paid by the word–IS THAT STILL AT THING?–and check out the epically titled “What have I Done? (I Was Reeling In Something White and I Became Able to do Anything I Made a Hole Imprisoned Time Within it Created Friction Stopped Listening to Warnings Ceased Fixing my Errors Made the Impossible Possible? Turned Sadness Into Joy) Pt. 1.” (That’s right, there is a part two)
Ought "Room Inside The World (Merge)"
Ought is back with their third LP, but their first for Merge Records. Which means that Room Inside The World is our (meaning BRM’s) first real introduction to the band. Had we heard the buzz? Yes. Had we heard tunes we liked by them? Yes. Had we listened to an entire album before? No. Did we now? Yes. Do we love it? We sure do! What’s it sound like? Hmm… imagine if Antony and the Johnsons, Radiohead, Grizzly Bear, and Panda Bear (sorry, that’s all the bear bands allowed in this blurb) all formed a supergroup in an attempt to cover only tunes by The Jam. Yeah, it’s a heady mix of influences. The result is a beguilingly current look at indie rock of the ‘90s. It’s deadly serious and silly at the same time, which is a rare, but welcome, combo. Check out the bouncy distress of “Disgraced In America.”
Superchunk "What A Time To Be Alive (Merge)"
Q: Who is mad? A: Everyone. Q: Fair point, but who is specifically mad? A: Superchunk are mad. And like all the best artists they are channeling their anger in the best possible way via the jams. First a limited edition single of “Break The Glass” that raised money for SPLC. Now a full length of music that is unfortunately the soundtrack of 2018. Don’t believe me?? FAKE NEWS? Listen to the title track “What A Time To Alive” and if you aren’t either slam dancing around your house, calling a senator, running for office, or at LEAST singing along you are not ready to fight. And you should be.
Tal National "Tantabra (FatCat)"
When people ask me what I think the next big thing is gonna be in rock music, I like to say “who knows? But chances are it isn’t gonna be American.” When I say such things (besides thinking about how lovely my voice sounds) I’m always thinking in a very World Music/David Byrne sort of way. That dude knows what’s up. So does Tal National. The latest from the Nigerian rock band Tantabra (FatCat) finds them further stretching what us in the west would consider “rock” music. African grooves and key signatures, mixed with guitarist Almeida’s super hot licks, and a rotating carousel of vocalists (8 to be found on this record, one for each of the tracks). I would not be surprised if the “next big thing” sounds a lot like Tal National. So get ahead of the curve and start grooving to the joyous “Akokas.”