Black Sabbath - 13

A sizeable offering of doom and dread that re-affirms Black Sabbath's position as metal musics most reliable landmark 

I don't remember hearing much about this album when it came out, which strikes me as odd now considering its relative importance. The other guys from Sabbath had been keeping relatively busy with other projects (most important to me was the excellent The Devil You Know album), but Ozzy wasn't exactly making waves with his solo stuff anymore, although truthfully he stopped releasing good albums after Randy Rhoads died. Maybe 13 came and went quietly because everyone expected a Sabbath reunion to happen at some point and we were just glad to get it over with?

The kings of dinosaur metal aren't so easily fobbed off, however -- 13 is a chunky, full-figured record, clocking in at just under an hour, not counting the bonus tracks (which I stupidly assumed were just part of the normal album unto just now). You might think it'd be a little sad to see these guys recording almost exactly the same album they've been recording for their whole lives, but Sabbath have such an honest and unassuming aura about them that if never feels like they're repeating themselves just to "sell out" or something -- they do the same thing here that they've done on every album: bury you alive in dirty, bluesy riffs while Ozzy wails about eating bread. Wait, what?

Silly lyrics aside (welcome to metal), 13 comes out of the gate strong: "End of the Beginning", "God is Dead?", and "Loner" are an amazing opening set, with "God is Dead?"'s insanely good chorus and "Loner"'s stacked chords that sound straight of 1970. The boys kind of lose steam afterwards and never manage to replicate the chunky goodness of those opening tracks, although "Damaged Soul" comes damn close. There are some quieter ballads breaking up the onslaught that are also pretty weak, and despite "Zeitgeist"'s interesting lyrics the never do more than act as intermissions for the main event -- who listens to Black Sabbath for the ballads, anyway?

The other odd thing about this album is the production, coming to us from the "Lord of the Loudness War", Rick Rubin. While most people aren't a fan of the production on 13 (and as someone who normally hates this "brickwalled" sound) I actually don't mind how this album sounds. The guitar is phat, the drums are big, and you can actually hear the bass! For Sabbath's lower-register sound I think 13 sounds mostly ok, with the weirdest instrument definitely being Ozzy -- he sounds almost too lucid, maybe a bit auto-tuned or something, although since he hasn't sung in a couple dynasties I'm not used to his voice. In any case, 13 is a disc that reassures us that the old fogeys aren't quite out of energy yet.

Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Steven Wilson delivers another solid album of engaging neo-prog on this latest disc, incorporating more noticeable electronic and pop influences

I have conflicted feelings about Steven Wilson. On one hand, I'm a huge fan of his work as a producer (e.g. Pale Communion) and I generally enjoy his work in Porcupine Tree and other bands. On the other hand, I've never been particularly interested in his solo stuff. Not because its bad (it isn't), it just kind of... floats by without much impact. It isn't quiet enough to be ambient and fade into the background nor is it engaging enough to make me sit up and get into it - so basically its exactly like classic '70s prog. Luckily for us, though, Hand. Cannot. Erase is enough of a blend of the poppy, atmospheric stuff he's known for with the knotty, proggy stuff he's also known for that it actually has a shot at pleasing most people.

Whereas Wilson's previous disc, The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories), was pretty solidly prog-rock leaning, Hand. Cannot. Erase. is much more of a pop album. While some of the songs are certainly long (several clocking in at 10 minutes), they act as bridges between the shorter, punchier songs rather than the other way around, which is a nice change of pace. The electronic influence is plain to hear as well -- HCE trades in the Mellotron and Hammond organs of yesteryear for drum machines and more modern-sounding keyboards, making for an interesting contrast to Wilson's previous albums. The songwriting is mostly up to par for Wilson (which is very high), although the album does drag a bit in the middle - "Routine" probably could've been a few minutes shorter, and the sequence of "Home Invasion" into "Regret #9" into "Transience" might've been a bit punchier had they been combined into a single, edited piece. The longer songs just aren't as effective at demonstrating Wilson's expertise at arranging hooky vocal lines and power-chord-y compositions, a talent that is frankly unmatched in modern progressive music besides, maybe, Leprous.

That said, Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a solidly enjoyable album with most of the strengths and weaknesses of Wilson's past work. Will it sway you if you didn't care for him before? Probably not, but you'll definitely like some of the songs. Will you like it if you already like his stuff? Yeah, you will.

Casualties of Cool - Casualties of Cool

                     
  Haunting, catchy, spacey and dark, Casualties of Cool is an intriguing blend of richly textured traditional bluegrass and out-there electronica

While its tempting to make overblown comparisons to past legends when discussing a promising release from a young group, its usually in everyone's best interest if us critics practice some restraint to avoid sending our collective hopes on a perpetual roller coaster ride. So while I don't think Devin Townsend is the Neil Young of our modern age, Casualties of Cool is just another indication of his wide musical interests (and abilities).

I'm not the first to draw a line connecting the two - while Young has had a couple decades' lead time, Townsend has released a staggeringly large amount of music in the years he has been active, including several unconventional releases that mirror Young's experimental period in the 80s. The success of those experiments is another topic, but its hard to think of another singular artist who has pursued his own musical vision with such earnest effort (and a similarly anti-industry stance).

And so here we have his latest effort, Casualties of Cool, a (trust me, I can't believe I'm writing this either) progressive bluegrass album created with help from a cadre of guest musicians - most prominently the vocal work of  Ché Dorval, who previously assisted Townsend on 2009's Ki and is featured much more prominently here (almost more than Townsend, actually).

Casualties of Cool is ostensibly a concept album - I won't "spoil" anything for you story-wise, but I wish you luck in following it, as even with the lyric sheet I wasn't sure where the actual story was. It certainly isn't Operation Mindcrime, but just the songs taken at face value are plenty strong enough. Townsend and his crew have crafted an ingenious blend of catchy foot-stompers (Daddy, The Code), spacey ballads (Flight, The Field), and strange electro-prog blends of the two (Deathscope, Mountaintop). The atmosphere is somber, and the music exudes a sense of comfort and maturity that imbues Townsend's best work, and trades in the juvenile zaniness of Ziltoid or Deconstruction for a more restrained sound with a more trance-like sound, reminiscent at times of The KLF (Deathscope) and Above and Beyond at moments (Moon).Ché Dorval's haunting and ethereal vocals are the star of the show here, giving off a breathy, noir-ish aura that is as alluring as it is chilly, with a Julee Cruise-like sense of distance. The atmospheric use of samples, audio effects, and additional instruments (including some excellent saxophone work) is just icing on the very rich cake that is Casualties of Cool. A brilliantly unassuming passion project of this quality and length is unfortunately rare, and Casualties of Cool is well worth the time invested.

Leprous - Bilateral

Unassuming and quietly confident, Leprous solidified their position as the leading producers of ridiculously catchy bizzaro metal

Most of the time when I review something here, its because I think that the album or game or whatever is somehow interesting enough to warrant writing about it. In Leprous' case, not only do I think Bilateral (and their other, also excellent albums) is worth talking about but I'm trying to put into words the fact that I've been listening to Leprous consistently, every day, for the past few weeks. Sometimes just one album a day, sometimes two - they really put the hook in me, which is kind of relieving in a way as I had been worried I would never really "get" them. Man, do I get them now.

Bilateral is, at its core, a progressive album - odd instruments and sounds (Spanish horns, funny keyboards, etc.), longer songs, and strange lyrics (seriously, take a look) are all here, as you would expect. What makes this album (and all of Leprous' material, really) stand out is the way in which these genre standbys are deployed in such a competent way. Basically what it comes down to is that these guys know how to write a goddamn song, make it interesting and memorable and melodic, and still clock in under eight minutes - which is very impressive considering how easy and annoyingly commonplace it is for bands these days to write ten minute long jerk-off fests that go nowhere. But thats another topic entirely, so whatever.

Why do I think Bilateral is so strong? Because it features the concentrated effort of dedicated musicians to pull off while still incorporating maddeningly catchy hooks and choruses. Songs like "Painful Detour", "Cryptogenic Desires", "Thorn", and the title track have as many "guaranteed to stick in your head for days" moments (or more) as a standard pop act - right up there with bands like King's X and Galactic Cowboys in that area, which is a pretty damn nice change from the usual stuff. Like those aforementioned bands Leprous have a solid mix of metal and prog going on, and they go back forth between clean and harsh vocals - more heavily utilizing cleans, with the screaming serving as a nice bit of palette-cleanser throughout the album as they shift from bite-sized, straight-ahead rockers (title track, "Waste of Air"), longer, proggier tunes ("Forced Entry", "Painful Detour"), soft-ish, richly harmonized ballads ("MB. Indifferentia", "Acquired Taste"), and their own European quirkiness ("Restless", "Thorn", "Cryptogenic Desires"). Every song on this album is memorable and distinct, and new ideas come and go so quickly that it always feels fresh and slickly constructed. Bilateral is quirky without being mawkishly so, fresh without being pretentious, and immensely listenable without sacrificing complexity. An impressive and absorbing record from start to finish.

 

Revocation - Deathless

As intricately constructed as any of their previous works, Deathless sees Revocation focusing on stronger hooks and tighter songwriting than ever before, with brilliant results  

Every so often a band comes along that captures the fickle hearts of the metal community, is hoisted aloft on their flabby shoulders and is proclaimed as the new poster child of the genre, and with Deathless, Revocation seems like a group that everyone seems to like (hint: it's cause they're really good).

If you've heard a Revocation album before, you have a good frame of reference for what Deathless is all about (Skeletonwitch is acceptable substitute). Revocation's songs tend to be longer and proggier than the 'Witch's, but both bands produce material in a grab-bag style of genres including thrash, black, death, tech, prog, and more, culminating in a kind of metal melting pot that defies easy classification, although I will risk over-simplification and just call Revocation technical death-thrash for now (really rolls off the tongue, eh?).

You may have heard rumors of Deathless being "simple" or "straight ahead" compared the Bostonians' earlier efforts - and I would say those rumors are mostly true. There aren't any banjos or horn sections, and what the disc lacks in experimentation it makes up for with sheer polish and songwriting flair (plus enough sweet guitarmonies to make Tom Scholz jealous). From the title track's blues-infused guitar solo to the filthy riffage (and wrist-snap-inducing drumming) of "Scorched Earth Policy", to the instrumental "Apex" (think "YYZ" if it had been written by Kerry King) and the powerful closer "Witch Trials" and its sublime outro.

With Deathless, Revocation make it clear to everyone within earshot that even after 4 albums, that they don't plan on slowing down or phoning it in anytime soon. A truly committed outfit with a talent and work ethic that the rest of the genre could stand to learn from -- these guys are well worth your support.

Dream the Electric Sleep - Heretic

I recently stumbled onto these guys (thank you Bandcamp) and man am I glad I did. Dream the Electric Sleep is a.. um... progressive shoegaze (?) band from Kentucky that just released their 2nd album, "Heretics". Their first album came out in 2011 so they're still pretty new, and they're making some pretty cool tunes, so check them out.

So yeah, progressive shoegaze? Yeah, that probably isn't the best way to describe them, but they aren't just straight-up prog rock or full-on shoegaze -- try to imagine Steven Wilson's talent at building atmosphere, paired with a healthy dose of indie rock chutzpuh and a proclivity for trance-like compositions: think Dark Side of the Moon-era Pink Floyd with a post-rock indie tinge to it. These guys have progressed considerably as songwriters since their debut album Lost and Gone Forever. as every one of these songs have their own sonic identities that help them stand alone without standing apart.

Literally every song has its own melodic hook, similar to Haken's Aquarius where each song had one big vocal motif/idea that the song revolved around, but on a smaller scale - there aren't really any solos, and the composition of the music itself is much stronger than usual. No bullshit noodling or filler, just well-done music for the low, low price of free. Give em' a shot.

David Crosby - Croz

Richly textured and brilliantly realized, Croz sees David Crosby at the top of his game - maybe not at the peak, but damn close

This one's been cooking for a while - I remember listening to Croz last winter when it was released and enjoying mostly the same parts of it that I do now. Why it took me a whole year to write about it, I'm not sure, but here goes. One important caveat beforehand, though: I'm not really a huge David Crosby fan. I listened to If I Could Only Remember My Name once, but don't really remember any of it, and my tastes have always ran more towards Neil Young and Stephen Stills when I'm in the mood for this kind of stuff, so I'm not well qualified to compare Croz to his past work and tell you whether it holds up or not (I suspect it does, for what that's worth).

Anyway, Croz is David Crosby's first solo record in 20 years, which sounds insane before you remember that he didn't just drop off the face of the earth in '93 - he had been playing shows with CPR and the reunited CSNY off and on for the last 10 years or so, so he wasn't completely inactive. He's been around the block a few times, and Croz reflects that passage of time in a way that I can only relate to Elton John's most recent album, The Diving Board. Both discs come from bona fide superstars in their twilight years (Crosby more than John, certainly) and exude an atmosphere of slight melancholy countered by a kind of elegance earned from the accumulation of years; but whereas John is still an entertainer at heart, Crosby is unafraid to lay himself bare and soak his feelings into the music.

What's ironic about Croz, then, is how not bare the album sounds. Every track is packed with additional instruments and sounds that make songs around 3 minutes long feel double that length, and multiple listens are practically demanded by Crosby and his band's meticulous assembly work. The songs themselves aren't terribly varied -- mostly mid to slow tempo ballads, with a few foot-tappers stashed inside to keep your blood pumping. Where Croz really impresses is with the variation within that small musical map, from "Holding Onto Nothing"'s beautifully subdued trumpet solo, to James Raymond's keyboard flourishes during the closing of "The Clearing", all the way to more well-hidden elements like Mark Knopfler's fretwork on "What's Broken" all combine to form some wonderfully powerful folk rock with some of the best lyrics I've ever heard, period (seriously). I never thought that the first time I heard the phrase "Cognitive dissonance", it would be coming out of David Crosby's mouth among phrases like "Molecules go flying by" and "A slice of time/curling, peeling/back from the edge of a knife".

All that being said, Croz isn't without flaws: while the music is certainly well executed and written, it's definitely the weakest link here - some of the songs meander a bit too much for their own good, like "Slice of Time" and "Morning Calling", and even Crosby's excellent vocals can't quite pull them back out of the quicksand. The record also sounds very tight - almost too tight, so if you're a fan of more organic sounding recording techniques you might be put off by squeaky clean everyone sounds.

Those missteps can't hold Croz back from being a truly incredible record, though - just like the man that created it, the flaws are as big a part of what it is as the good parts.