10/24 – 10/28:

Opeth, Heritage 


Still trying to figure it out! 


 Opeth, “Famine” 


 Electric Six, Heartbeats & Brainwaves 


 The release of a new Electric Six album is cause for celebration. It is, in fact, the soundtrack to its own celebration. Heartbeats & Brainwaves is a more synth-driven album, taking the dance rock we’ve come to depend on and turning down the “rock” part a little. The result is more akin to 2nd album Senior Smoke than most of their catalog: glorious, bombastic, even catchier than usual. And lyrically, Dick Valentine really brought it this time, delivering some of the Six’s more absurd, delightful songs to date in songs like “Gridlock!,” “It Gets Hot,” and “Food Dog.” Electric Six songs that get really excited about mundane events tend to be homeruns, and “Free Samples” is no exception. It’s about getting free samples. Even moody opener “Psychic Visions” offers plenty of fun. The whole album is a great time from start to finish. The first three Electric Six albums are far and away the best, and a big part of that for me is they all sound different. The first is really rock oriented, the second more dance-based, and the third stretched out and tried some new genres. After that, until last year’s Zodiac, they’d mostly settled into a reliable, Fire-esque, dance rock sound. But Zodiac began and Heartbeats & Brainwaves continues a new era of experimentation, and I am all for it. Electric Six are on top of their game right now.


Electric Six, “It Gets Hot” 


 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Living With The Living 


 Upon its release, I thought this album was the apex of Ted Leo’s career. Always known for his sharp, catchy songs with great lyrics, this one trumped everything that preceded it. Of course, he would follow it with The Brutalist Bricks, which was even better, but I didn’t know that at the time. From fiery anti-war rhetoric on “Bomb. Repeat. Bomb” to a more gentle groove on “La Costa Brava” and everything in between (Ok, technically, nothing is between them, as one follows the other on the album, but you know what I mean!), every song is a winner. 


 Ted Leo, “Who Do You Love?” 


 Screaming Females, Baby Teeth 


 The raw, glorious debut of a band that’s only gotten better and better since. Screaming Females recorded and released this one completely on their own, without even a small label behind them. The band’s tight interplay and unique songwriting are already present, but they’re still experimenting with stylistic elements. Screaming Females would go on do to less screaming and rock a little harder in the future, but this is as fine an opening statement as you could ask for. 


 Screaming Females, “Foul Mouth” 


 Yup.
--D