STACK#127 May 2016

MUSIC

REVIEWS

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Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith 30th Anniversary Deluxe Ed Judas Priest’s back catalogue reissue program continues, with 1984 classic Defenders of the Faith getting a makeover – the original album is re-mastered here. As a bonus, fans can enjoy a full live show from Long Beach Arena in Los Angeles, held on May 5th 1984. Purists will stand behind the sound of the original recordings, but this 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition satisfies. Of all the albums Priest released in the eighties Defenders … is my favourite. One listen to Jawbreaker, The Sentinel or Some Heads Are Gonna Roll will give you an understanding as to why. ( Sony Music) Simon Lukic

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Live in Paris As ugly as this sounds... remember when U2 were amazing? They exuded effortless power, depth and control – before saving the world by selling multi-national wares and feeding hollow social debate. That’s what BRMC have now, in spades. Spread over two discs with a bonus DVD of the entire set, disc one is essentially the latest album in studio order; then we get snippets of an enviable career. Having experienced them live, one understands their power, capable of exploding straight into your soul. While this is a far more sombre affair overall (almost The Cure-ish), it’s a grower – Spread Your Love and Whatever Happened to My Rock’n’Roll hit hard, fast and well. (Liberation/Universal) Chris Murray

Built to Spill Untethered Moon It’s been six years between Built to Spill albums, and there’s a new bassist and drummer on board for Untethered Moon ; but the veteran Idaho band feels more comfortable than ever. Frontman and guitar god Doug Martsch co-produces with Quasi’s Sam Coomes, yielding delightfully unpolished results. As usual, Martsch stretches tousled pop songs

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into sprawling marathons punctuated by great woolly jags of guitar soloing. Longtime fans will relish all the familiarity here, especially Martsch’s vocal swings from groggy drawl to nasal sneer. Another Day opens with one of their trademark reeling hooks, while So kicks up sputtering fuzz and Never Be the Same showcases the band’s tighter pop side. But most of these tunes run wild and free, from layered opener All Our Songs to the stoner dankness of eight-minute finale When I’m Blind . The songs can sound quite similar to each other (and to past albums), but C.R.E.B . stands out right away with its genre- crossed reggae slink. Lead single Living Zoo is classic Built to Spill, cramming epic guitar glory into a compact setting. BTS may not be making significant departures, but they’re still masters of untidy indie rock. ( Warner) DougWallen

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Clark Flame Rave

George Fitzgerald Fading Love

Wire Wire Although you wouldn’t have guessed it from last year’s live shows, these seminal art-punks seem much happier chappies these days, and their 13th studio album LP is probably the warmest they’ve sounded in years. If their last LP Change Becomes Us (2013) was built on song sketches dating back to 1980, here they seem intent on recapturing the sweet, melodic tones of Outdoor Miner , the closest thing they probably ever got to writing a pop hit back in 1978. Songs like In Manchester , Burning Bridges and Swallow boast hummable hooks and choruses, while singer Colin Newman sounds positively soothing on most of the songs. (MGM) John Ferguson

Surfer Blood 1000 Palms Surfer Blood have always

By coincidence, this month we have two reviews by two British artists who’ve made Berlin their adopted home. Both have an equally adventurous approach. Clark is certainly known for his control of sound as well as his embrace of chaos, and Flame Rave is complex and absorbing (as Clark always is); a blend of equal parts techno, jazz, soul, hip hop, modern classical and electronic abstraction. These songs were initially written as dancefloor-based material suitable for energetic club gigs, but the emotional range and intricacy of detail make them ideal headphone listening as well. (Inertia) SimonWinkler

George Fitzgerald is well known and respected for his impressive range of work across a number of influential dance music labels. Innovative and tireless in his work, the UK-born, Berlin-based artist is now known as a key figure in the present generation of producers. A defining quality of his work is the bridging of innovative club styles with subtle pop. Fading Love is a brilliant showcase of this approach: a faintly melancholic exploration of modern electronic and dance music across a full album of material. There’s heavy bass, driving house rhythms, and nuanced melodies, all combined to produce an album destined to move you emotionally and physically. (Domino/Univeral) SimonWinkler

mirrored the defining indie rock of decades past, but their third album finds them lighter and dreamier than ever. While it’s still nothing overly distinct, it’s consistently likeable. Returning to their D.I.Y self-recorded roots after a brief major-label stint, the Florida quartet cruise nicely through breathy vocals and chiming guitar hooks. Older fans will get serious flashbacks to the ’80s and ’90s alike, but others will just appreciate the wintry melodies and snappy songs about covered wagons, catacombs, and desert cities. (Caroline/Universal) DougWallen

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