Looking for some new tracks to load on your device, or to pop on your vintage-replica record player? Check out these new albums.
Hear These, Now!
Temples: "Volcano"
(Fat Possum)
Three years ago, Temples took dead aim at T. Rex, early David Bowie and Pink Floyd, and crafted a slab of fuzzy, rockin' British psych on the album "Sun Structures."
On "Volcano," its follow up, the English quartet continues to explore '60s/'70s psych sounds, contemporizing them with synths and acoustic guitar.
Standout tracks on the appealing disc include the continually rising "Certainty," the baroque orchestral "I Wanna Be Your Mirror," the chiming "Mystery of Pop" and "Roman Godlike Man," the album's most "Sun Structures"-like song that directly links Temples to its past and to the psychedelic rock that inspired it.
3.5/5 stars
Ryan Adams: "Prisoner"
(PAX AM/Blue Note)
Based on the lyrics on "Prisoner," it's clear Ryan Adams' breakup with Mandy Moore tore him apart. On the positive side, the split inspired Adams to produce his best album in years.
The sound is rooted in '80s mainstream rock, bare bones, but filled with big guitars and big hooks, leavened with Adams' distinctive vocals. The songs are tunes of regret and hopelessness with hints of recovery.
That said, there are no details of the breakup on the disc, no name calling or anything else that could make for gossipy fun. That's a positive as well, making the songs more universal, while giving Adams the opportunity to once again show how good he can be.
3.5/5 stars
Sleater-Kinney: "Live In Paris"
(Sub Pop)
Occasionally, live albums truly capture a band at a career pinnacle, delivering a peak performance. Sleater-Kinney's "Live in Paris" is one of those albums.
Recorded in March 2015 by the powerhouse indie/punk outfit that had just reunited after a decade, the album delivers a 48-minute energetic blast of the band's ultra-smart songs, propelled by Janet Weiss's drumming and Carrie Brownstein's hard-riffing guitar.
Corin Tucker brings the vocals with verve and passion, really making the mix of songs from the band's 2015 album, "No Cities to Love," and older classics come alive. Top tracks include "Surface Envy," "Entertain," "Dig Me Out" and, my fave, "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone," but it's all killer, no filler.
4/5 stars
Ty Segall: "Ty Segall"
(Drag City)
The prolific Ty Segall has cranked out album number 23 and his 10th solo release in the last decade with "Ty Segall," his second self-titled affair.
A 10-song sampler of his explorations in garage rock, it's got a little bit of everything, from the glam stomping opener "Break a Guitar," to the shaking psychedelia of "Freedom," to the 10-minute, never dull sprawl of "Warm Hands (Freedom Returned)," a workout that spins together pop passages, heavy guitar and some pyschedelia.
There's some country-tinged pop, a couple rock slammers, the gorgeous, acoustic-rooted '60s popper, "Orange Color Queen," and a sweetly swinging goof, "Take Care (To Comb Your Hair)" – all which manage to somehow come together and make sense.
3/5 stars
