STACK #180 Oct 2019

MUSIC

REVIEWS

Steel Panther Heavy Metal Rules

Kelsey Waldon White Noise/White Lines A native of Monkey’s Eyebrow Kentucky and now a resident of Nashville, Kelsey Waldon will hopefully get the attention she deserves with this, her latest and fourth album. Recently while on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, John Prine announced her as the newest signing to his label Oh Boy Records – an honour for Waldon, who sites Prine as a major influence both as a performer and songwriter. She is the first new signing to the label in 15 years. It’s obvious from the first listen classic, country twang and a true honky-tonk sound, matched with honest to goodness songwriting. Take Prine’s word for it: she’s one to watch. (ThirtyTigers) Denise Hylands that Waldon is the real deal; vocally she has that natural, Hazmat Modine Box Of Breath Led by singer-songwriter and harmonica virtuoso Wade Schuman, Hazmat Modine surfaced in the late 1990s in NewYork City, embracing the cultural melting pot of their surroundings by mixing horn- driven blues and R&B with touches of jazz, folk and world music, creating an idiosyncratic sound unlike any other band that readily comes to mind. On Box Of Breath , a rock rhythm section anchors songs that feature violins, banjos, flutes, clarinets, tubas and balafon (a South African gourd-resonated xylophone). Schuman's gruff singing and reverb-heavy harmonica flurries add to the appeal of a band with no musical boundaries. (Planet/MGM) Billy Pinnell

Babymetal Metal Galaxy Ah… Babymetal, the originators of kawaii (i.e. “cute”) metal are back, and are sure to grate purists everywhere. Combining metal and J-pop was always going to turn heads; the fact that the movement was led by three teenage girls, now in their twenties, made it even more intriguing. As expected, Metal Galaxy is all over the shop stylistically. It might be too much for some, but if you approach the album with an open mind there’s a lot of fun to be had. There’s a distinctive lack of metal this time around, which might turn some off, but if you're hip to Babymetal it shouldn’t be a problem. (Babymetal Records/Cooking Vinyl) Simon Lukic

Sacred Reich Awakening

That Heavy Metal Rules opens with the most well-known clip from Heavy Metal Parking Lot tells you all you need to know about Steel Panther: obvious, unabashed and self-aware, these last-men-standing of the Sunset Strip will not be killed. Which is a powerful reminder. Some principles and pastimes never go out of style. Getting your eardrums, breaking up, passing out, waking up, and doing it all again is a lifestyle that spans generations and cultures, which is more than you can say for CrossFit. It might not be pretty, but it is loud, making Heavy Metal Rules a record for the age. (Sony) Jake Cleland turnt, mashing tongues, driving fast, blowing out

Sacred Reich were always a cut above most bands when it came to their lyrics. No dungeons and dragons or songs about partying here – they chose a political path and used thrash metal to drive the message home. Their first two albums remain their best, and after 23 years they return with Awakening , their fourth studio album. The band has lost none of their bite and it’s great to hear them take the best of their past and reimagine it in the present. Sacred Reich will not only get your head banging – they’ll also get you thinking in between the breaks. (Metal Blade/Rocket) Simon Lukic

John Coltrane Blue World John Coltrane – who died aged 40 in 1967 – remains one of the most influential saxophonists in music history. Honing his craft in the 1950s as a sideman with Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, he began a solo career that soon attracted a massive following. In 1964 Coltrane was approached by a Canadian filmmaker to record a soundtrack for his upcoming film. Coltrane agreed, and with his classic quartet – drummer Elvin Jones, bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner – he did something unprecedented in revisiting and recording eight earlier works. For the first time, these recordings have been released. They reveal mind-blowing performances by the 'classic quartet' at the peak of their powers. If you only buy one jazz album this year, buy this one. (Universal) Billy Pinnell

The Highwomen The Highwomen The Highwomen are a female country supergroup made up of four individually independent performers in their own right: Amanda Shires, Natalie Hemby, Marren Morris and Brandi Carlile. They pay homage to the all-star legendary Highwaymen of Cash, Jennings, Kristofferson and Nelson – not only in name, but by not playing by the rules when making country music. Equally they share their talents in songwriting and singing, as a powerhouse of doing country like they think it should be done. They highlight mentorship and support of fellow women in songs about everyday life while sounding classically like Parton, Harris and Lynn: women who have led the way. (Elektra) Denise Hylands

Ronnie Burns This Is Ronnie Burns

Ronnie Burns is a pioneer of Australian pop. Starting out in the Beatles-inspired band The Flies in Melbourne in 1964, he went on to have nine Top 50 solo singles. This generous 25-song collection tells a wonderful ’60s story of innocence, emerging sexuality and social commentary. Amongst the pop gems is Burns’ biggest hit, the Johnny Young-penned classic about the VietnamWar, Smiley , which reached number two. And Bee Gees fans should immediately investigate, as this anthology also contains eight tracks written by the brothers Gibb – the last songs they wrote before leaving our shores to conquer the world. (MGM) Jeff Jenkins

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