Against Me! - New Wave (Sire)
The fourth record from Florida’s Against Me! is their first for Sire Records and also the first to feature nothing but rock (as in no “acoustic time wasting” here). But the big thing about this record is that it is produced by Butch Vig, who not only is the drummer in Garbage, but one of the most important producers of our time (he did a little record called Nevermind). Vig finds a way to push their punk sound into new territory on the aptly titled record.
Anal Cunt - Defenders of the Hate (Menace to Sobriety)
More good, clean fun in the form of hardcore from Boston’s AxCx.
Bad Religion - New Maps of Hell (Epitaph)
Release number twenty from BR is a bit of a departure record, but still finds the band pissed at the world. Fans left scratching their heads after Greg Graffin’s solo record with label mates the Weakerthans will be happy to find the band back in punk full force (or as much force as some angry old men can offer).
Caribou - Andorra
The first single from the forthcoming Andorra record features a remix of the track as the b-side. It’s another beautifully-odd piece from the artist we used to call Manitoba.
Chris & Rich Robinson - Brothers of a Feather (Eagle)
Recorded live and collected from the three-night sold out stint at the Roxy in LA, this disc of Black Crowes favourites, b-sides and new material is great for die hard fans and even casual listeners. Classics like “Jealous Again” seem reborn in this truly intimate performance.
Foo Fighters - The Colour & The Shape 10th Anniversary (RCA)
Has it really been ten years since the perfect record was made? The disc that Canadian producer Gil Norton put off to do this one was Matt Good’s Underdogs and I suppose I can forgive him for that, as this is a shining example of what a rock record should be. Diverse in every way with tiny pop songs (“Doll”, “See You”), rock hits (“Monkey Wrench”, “My Hero”), heartfelt ballads (“February Stars”, “Walking After You”) and the epic closer “New Way Home”, it was the perfect sophomore record (and first with a proper band). Now to celebrate the release’s decade long existence, we have six b-sides tagged on. Mostly covers and soundtrack material (“Down in the Park” from the X-Files TV S/T and “Dear Lover” from Scream 2), it now seems like a complete set, though simply tagging on these songs on the same disc seams to cheapen the overall vision that Norton had with the band. A better idea would have been to include a second disc, and to include the popped-up single version of “Walking After You”, which appeared on the X-Files Movie S/T (and had a video directed by David Frickin’ Duchovny).
Fuck The Facts - Collection of Splits 02-04 (Galy)
This disc is a great collection for fans of Canada’s favourite grind-core act. It’s nice to not search all over for those hard to find split releases they did with bands like Feeble Minded and Sylvester Staline. The enhanced disc also takes you to 19 bonus tracks and a video for “Medicated Like A Motherfucker”.
Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta (Side One Dummy)
The gypsy punks are back! A great example of what their live set is, Super Taranta is an insane rock outing that blends Ukrainian influences with New York punk. Clocking in at over an hour, the disc showcases how frontman Eugene Hutz may actually save rock and roll (or at least rock it to death), especially on the epic closer/title track.
Interpol - Our Love to Admire (CAP)
I don’t really dig Interpol, one or two songs usually does it for me, as all their songs sound completely the same to me. But as LeVar Burton used to say, “don’t take my word for it”.
Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist (REP)
The first official Pumpkins record in seven years, it is produced mostly by Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, with Terry Date and Roy Thomas Barker assisting on certain tracks. What we are given is a record with a heavier, focused and more layered guitar sound (“Doomsday Clock”) yet it also has its lighter moments (“Neverlost”). The line up is now rounded out by California musicians Ginger Reyes and Jeff Schroeder, but this is clearly Corgan’s band (and what he wants to be doing). You can’t help but deny it in the video for “Tarantula”, as Corgan tries but cannot hold back a smile. Overall – I’m not sure if the Pumpkins are relevant in the landscape of rock today, I can’t help but wonder how this record would have done if it had been the follow up to Mellon Collie instead of Adore. The main difference is that Corgan has learned to control his manic guitar solos, which at times were the best parts of the records. Basically – this sounds like the Pumpkins record that people wanted in 1998. Oh well, better late than never?
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge)
Britt Daniel and friends return with a record that is somewhat atmospheric and different, yet still familiar to their earlier work. They build up the noise with horns, keys and brilliant guitar work, especially on “Underdogs” and “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb”. Nice to have a full album from the boys, as the last we heard was a few tracks from the Stranger Than Fiction S/T.
They Might Be Giants - The Else (2 CD) (Rounder)
Not that I don’t like children’s music, but it is nice to hear TMBG deliver a great record of quirky pop-rock for adults once more. Twenty years after their debut record, the Grammy winning duo of John Linnell and John Flansburgh still manage to impress on tracks like the fast-paced opener “I’m Impressed” and the catchy “Take out the Trash”. It doesn’t hurt that the pair behind such great records as Odelay, The Fight Club Soundtrack and Paul’s Boutique are producing this one. Lets hope that this quartet (The Dust Brothers and the TMBG) continue their beautiful new friendship.
