MUSIC
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Now Hear This A fresh crop of promising releases, from power pop to punk by Alan Sculley X Alphabetland
Lucinda Williams Good Souls Better Angels
Just when a lot of fans figured X One of music’s best songwriters, had reunited as only a touring band, Williams has returned with Good the group has made its first new Souls Better Angels, an album that album in 35 years, Alphabetland. cracks open some new ground for Considering the group’s first five this veteran artist. For one thing, albums still stand as some of the this is Williams’ most topical album best punk albums ever, X has a lot (although the lyrics, written with her to live up to on the new album. And husband, Tom Overby, are often preCatholic Action Fizz Fuzz Cable Ties Alphabetland delivers on the expec- sented from a personal perspective). Celebrated By Strangers Palmyra Far Enough tations, as Exene Cervenka, John In “Bad News Blues,” she bemoans Anyone for some electro-synth Now here’s a duo that really lives What you think of Cable Ties Doe, Billy Zoom and DJ Bonebrake the media and the people who shape garage rock? That might be the genre up to the description of power pop. and Far Enough may have a lot to show they haven’t lost a step (and its messages, with both sly humor Scotland’s Catholic Action is creat- On Palmyra, Dandy and Dawn do with how you view singer Jenny in fact play better and tighter than and insight. “Shadows & Doubts” ing with Celebrated By Strangers. Brown of Fizz Fuzz achieve a huge McKechnie. Her wailing vocals ever), while sounding very much takes aim at social media and how Rather than raucous guitars (although sound with songs built around big sound a bit like Sleater-Kinney’s like they did in the early 1980s. The it allows for people to quickly judge guitars are very much present), the guitars (which by the way, are fuzz- Corin Tucker or Kristin Hersh — foursome proves they can still crank and change opinions about their tarsongs here often favor synthesizers free), deliberately paced powerhouse only with perhaps even more force on a pair of hyper-speed songs — gets. “Wakin’ Up” is a harrowing or electronic instrumentation. Most drums and vocals that stretch toward and volume. Often, the powerhouse “Delta 88 Nightmare” and “Good- look at domestic violence from a of the time, the approach works the heights. What’s also big are the singing heightens the tension in the bye Year, Goodbye” — as well as woman who’s fighting her way back. because these songs have catchy pop hooks that populate such stand- music, but she pushes the limits the hard-charging “I Gotta Fever” Musically, the new album marks pop melodies, a good energy and out songs as “Loose Lips,” “Here- toward distraction on “Sandcastles” and “Water & Wine” (a song where a departure from an overall trend instrumental parts and solos that by,” “Dear Old” and “Collapse.” and “Anger’s Not Enough.” Usu- X’s long-standing rockabilly influ- toward balladry that began with Wilenhance the songs. Just check out Even a slower-than-slow track like ally the vocal lines are melodic ence resurfaces). Those are just a liams’ 2007 album, West. This time the bouncy, cheery hooks and the “Shame” becomes a power ballad enough to carry things, and on songs few highlights from this consistently out, Williams has stepped back to ear-grabbing instrumental section of in the best sense as Fizz Fuzz places like “Hope,” “Pillow,” “Tell Them strong 11-song outing. Since the the down-and-dirty blues roots she the song “Yr Old Dad.” Other tracks the verses within a spare, eerie back- Where To Go” and “Not My Story,” original foursome reunited in 2004, showed on her early albums. The (“Sign Here,” “People Don’t Protest drop that sets up a loud instrumen- the guitar riffs hold their own along- their shows had featured songs from bluesy tone gets set with the openEnough”) are pretty addictive with tal segment where the guitars and side the vocals and provide a second the original five albums, and playing ing cut, the defiant “You Can’t Rule their spry melodies and snappy rock drums rumble to a molten climax. dose of melody. Meanwhile, churn- back catalog songs can only go on Me,” a rolling, rough-edged track, AD PROOF tempos, too. It’s a refreshing change Where most power pop is nothing if ing bass lines and drums put plenty for so long before a band starts to while “Down Past The Bottom” is from someCypress electronic and synth acts, not peppy, the way Fizz Fuzz builds of horsepower into the songs. It’s Ad seem like a nostalgia act. 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While there are still a ISSUE: ing unique PLEASE synthetic sounds than PROOF other instrumental parts648-2245 is a novel ASAP frequently thrilling — onslaught of evant —and good — as ever. few quiet ballads (“Good5/14/20 Souls” and NOTICE: FAX THIS TO (805) writing songs with fully formed mel- approach to guitar pop. It’s as if Big hooky punk-flavored rock. But Far “When The Way Gets Dark”), the odies and something more than a Star or the Beatles invaded Black Enough isn’t for the faint of heart. shift to an edgier sound is welcome. catch phrase to say lyrically. Thank- Sabbath, and this seemingly unholy Good Souls Better Angels is Wilfully, for as modern as this album marriage of clashing musical styles liams’ most satisfying album since sounds, Catholic Action is old school turned out more harmonious than 2003’s World Without Tears, and a enough to make sure an actual song anyone would have expected. spirited reaffirmation of her considis at the heart of each track on Celeerable talents. brated By Strangers.
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