> Los Lobos. Tin Can Trust.
Shock.
(3 stars) out of 5
Los Lobos cruise through their beloved East LA 'burbs again, drifting in and out of styles as they might their favourite eating/drinking haunts.
Tales of toil and lament in mid-tempo Latin-tinged roadhouse blues are punctuated by bursts of liveliness in a couple of Spanish-sung numbers.
Ex-Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter lends a songwriting hand to the wistful All My Bridges Burning, and there's a Dead cover (a brawny West LA Fadeaway), but the best moments are manufactured in-house - The Lady and The Rose, the title track, and album high point Yo Canto with its infectious cumbia swing.
Single download: Yo Canto
For those who like: Los Tigres del Norte, Ry Cooder, Marc Ribot
- Paul Mooney
Warner Brothers.
2 stars (of of 5)
It's almost like declaring a fatwa against oneself to write anything negative about Avenged Sevenfold ... but here goes.
After suffering the shock loss of "The Rev" to an overdose, the band have picked themselves up to rock on as a four-piece with Dream Theatre sticks man Mike Portnoy filling in.
Emotional character-building stuff and all that, but Nightmare is still pretty darn tedious.
If you want a band to churn through medleys of your favourite metal bands, then this might be right up your alley.
After plenty of Hetfield-styled yawps, some Goth-tinged tepid ballads and plenty of Mustaine-infused licks, all that's left is mindless shredding.
Single download: Nightmare
For Those Who Like: Metallica, Megadeth, Guns N' Roses
- Mark Orton
Otherland.
4 stars (of of 5)
Just like the multinational cast of Pistol Youth, Steriogram's Brad Carter has crafted a sound that is deceptively complex.
Easy to dismiss on first listen as cloned from the Powderfinger songbook, with a hint of Rivers Cuomo's tender interludes, My Own Private Amsterdam is curiously captivating.
Decisively led by Carter's engaging and often amusing vocals, Pistol Youth aren't all angst-fuelled power chords, as their woeful name suggests.
As pop-rock outfits go, Carter's band of ring-ins all contribute distinctive but subtle nuances, which will reward anyone not obsessed with instant gratification.
Single download: Fragile
For those who like: Weezer, Powderfinger, Manic Street Preachers, Motocade
- Mark Orton
Cherry Tree Records.
4 stars (of of 5)
Though classical reworkings of pop and rock are fraught with the dangers of bombast and indulgence, Sting's efforts with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the New York Chamber Consort, among others, are to be applauded.
A perfectionist he may be, but the British songwriter wisely allows others to take on the compositional duties.
Challenged to match the musicians' sublime performances, he lets rip on some of his great songs (Englishman In New York, Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Roxanne) and thus avoids this being an exercise in textural syrup.
Single download: Roxanne
For those who like: Elvis Costello's efforts with the Brodsky Quartet
- Shane Gilchrist
Yep Roc Records.
3 stars (of of 5)
This post-open-heart-surgery album from veteran folk-rocker Peter Case reflects an enthusiasm to grab the moment.
Hastily recorded live to analogue tape with the help of a handful of simpatico bandmates, Wig! is a rough-edged collage of swamp blues and pub-oriented R&B, exploring traditional themes of the down and out.
The jails, workhouses and various roads to trouble have all been visited before, so there's little to distinguish the album from many others in the field, but this should appeal to those who prefer a no-frills approach to earthy blues-rock.
Single download: Banks Of The River
For those who like: Mississippi John Hurt, Townes Van Zandt, Black Keys
- Jeff Harford
