STACK #145 Nov 2016

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MUSIC REVIEWS

Dorsal Fins Digital Zodiac

Sleigh Bells Jessica Rabbit

Dorsal Fins have become one of the most bankable live bands in the country, but their records aren’t far behind. With Eagle & the Worm on ice and Saskwatch waiting for a new release, this is Liam McGorry’s driving focus, and hearing the A-Team of him, Ella Thompson (GL) and Jarrad Brown (Eagle & the Worm, VENUS II) back together is thrilling. With vocal duties split between the latter two, Digital Zodiac takes cues from psych and funk and ends up unlike either: blazing crescendos fall away for simmering keyboard lines, squirrelly synths melt against swaggering drum beats, Brown’s crooning dances with Thompson’s soul singing. Digital Zodiac is a wicked tapestry of Dorsal Fins’ respective strengths. (Dot Dash/Remote Control) Jake Cleland

Since reviving the spectacle and glamour of arena rock in 2010 with their blaring debut Treats , Sleigh Bells have been trying to find the softer edges in their sound. Now on their fourth album, they’re almost unrecognizable from the duo that strutted to a track like Infinity Guitars . The blare still rears its head, but they make more use of drum machines and synths, and Alexis Krauss’s expanded vocal range. With verses that sound more Coldplay than KISS and pummelling riffs swapped out for piano ballads, Sleigh Bells prove they’ve ground left to cover yet. (Sinderlyn/Remote Control) Jake Cleland

Jimi Hendrix Machine Gun: The Filmore East 12/31/1969 Esoterica has no greater denomination than Jimi Hendrix – fact. Janie Hendrix, the guitar magician’s adopted sister and operations honcho of the invaluable estate and legacy, is well aware of this; every year or two she pumps out another ‘alternate’ bag of tricks with spatterings of ‘never-

before-released’ and ‘unavailable in its entirety’-style teasers for loyal fans hungry for anything undiscovered in his vast but finite canon. When The Experience disbanded, Jimi took on two new musicians and debuted material over two nights which ended the ‘60s (NewYear's Eve and New Year’s Day, no less) at the Filmore, which was officially released as Band of Gypsys in March 1970. Here we have, quite simply, what it says on the tin… the unabridged debut of this outfit rather than a collection. It’s a time piece, a historical ‘must have’, but it’s not the definitive ideal of what this new incarnation sounded like – rather a curio for the high fidelity elite. But it is Jimi Hendrix: nervous, excited and desperate to deliver something thrilling and new to his unsuspecting audience… it’s there that one can find the joy, alchemy and masterful talent that he had towering over any other performer alive at that moment. (Sony) Chris Murray

NxWorries Yes Lawd! NxWorries is the effortlessly cohesive collaboration of producer Kxwledge (Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly ) and man-in- demand Anderson .Paak. Neither outshines the other; Knxwledge’s production chops are nothing short of trailblazing – think J.Dilla’s Donuts as a comparison – and you haven’t heard anything as smooth as .Paak since Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross were steaming up your bedrooms. Every detail of the 19-track debut is carefully curated, from the samples and dusty drums in Intro to .Paak’s soulful hum in Another Time . Single Lyk Dis is a highlight but the tracks preceding it ( Wngs and Best One ) are rounded but sharp, holy but horny. Scared Money is an ‘80s throwback and the beat on Suede , dare I say it, is perfect. (StonesThrow/Inertia) Tim Lambert

Sting 57th & 9th Clearly reinvigorated and showing an alternate to his lute-playing persona of recent times, Sting is offering rare strength when most peers his vintage have long retired on a boat – although coming across like Nickleback fronted by Bono has a limited (albeit loaded) audience. “This heart’s a lonely hunter”, “Rock stars don’t ever die, they only fade away”, “The future is a just a place we’ve never been…” Really!? This is the same guy who wrote Don’t Stand So Close to Me and So Lonely . No matter – he’s out there sporting a new leather jacket to “jam-out, dude” with Middle America to the faint sound of ‘ker-ching!’ from mainstream radio. It’s slick, safe and will make boomers feel young. Have you heard the new Helmet album yet? (Universal) Chris Murray

Helmet Dead To The World One of the pioneers (alongside Jesus Lizard) crossing between indie, full-force riffs and carnage bordering on metal since 1989 – these guys should sound a little tired. They don’t. This is as fresh and dangerous as one would hope with these guys, who’ve had a relatively agile line-up alongside founder Page Hamilton since 2004. Since Hamilton dabbles in everything from teaching to film and TV scores these days, the album offers much to the ear; Expect The World has an uncanny Mike Patton-meets- Tool flavour while Die Alone has so much groove, swagger, and black aggression you can feel sweat dripping off your own walls. A triumph – you won’t be disappointed. (Sony) Chris Murray

Nekromantix A Symphony Of Wolf Tones And Ghost Notes Nekromantix have been one the most consistent acts on the Hellcat Records roster. Right in time for Halloween, the Denmark trio’s latest is another in a long installment of spirited rockabilly LPs. Again, horror themes abound, thanks to Kim Nekroman’s ability to weave spooky lyricism with coolsie, killer basslines. Nekromantix are always a good time – perfect party fodder – but for some their spooky shtick may have long expired. For me, they’ve never topped the crass corniness of Life Is A Grave & I Dig It! (Hellcat Records) Emily Kelly

NOVEMBER 2016

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