TROUBLE / Manic Frustration (1992)

Leaving behind the heavy Doom tones of earlier releases, Manic Frustration saw Trouble embrace a more psychedelic vibe. The riffs are still there but they sound happier and don't drag on as long. Trouble's music sounds like it was made in the 70s and pulled through a time portal into present day (present day being '92). Produced by Rick Rubin's beard, the production is good but oddly lacking bass. It doesn't have a bad song on it, though, unless you're averse to a ballad.
Long out of print, at time of writing, your options are to buy it digitally in lossy formats or get ripped off by a second-hand seller. The latter is the lesser crime.

Songs of Note: Memory's Garden; Come Touch the Sky

Note: All songs lead into each other, so the abrupt cut off evident in the links won't be noticeable on the album.

4 dreams of good times out of 5

THE BLOOD DIVINE / Mystica (1997)

Mystica is dull, uninspired and dull. Did I mention it's dull? TBD were formed by three people who migrated from Cradle of Filth, so I expected something similar. I guess it's nice they aren't a Cradle of Filth clone, but what they gave us with this second release was a sub-par gothic rock album with elements of Cathedral. I like Cathedral. In fact, you'd make better use of your time if you went and listened to Cathedral instead, becuase they're a thousand times better than TBD.

Songs of Note: Visions in Blue; Mystica

1 dull thing out of 5

THE SISTERS OF MERCY / A Slight Case of Overbombing (1993)

The inevitable 'end of an era' Best Of... but it's one that collects all the A-Sides of the Sisters' singles, so it includes stuff that isn't on any of the previous albums, which warrants its inclusion for review. Under the Gun, Temple of Love (1992 - Touched by the hand of Ofra Haza) and some remixes are all new - unless you were lucky enough to have bought the singles at time of release.
It does what very few Best Of... albums do, which is manage to be both a good starting point for new listeners who've yet to be turned onto the dance-friendly gothic beats, and be an essential purchase for existing fans.
It says Volume One on the front, but there never was a Volume Two.

Songs of Note: Temple of Love (1992); Under The Gun

5 fuck yous to the record company out of 5

BRUCE DICKINSON / Tattooed Millionaire (1990)

Bruce's first solo album (made and released while he was still in Iron Maiden… the first time) wasn't what anyone expected. It's generic hard rock. You could place it on your shelf next to something like Aerosmith and they'd probably get along just fine. It has occasional nods to Bowie and includes a Mott the Hoople cover that isn't terrible, but overall it has nothing of the spark that he brought to Maiden or even his own later solo works. His voice is as strong as ever but the music isn't particularly memorable beyond the really rather good opening track.

Songs of Note: Son of a Gun; Gypsy Road

1½ air raid sirens that failed to fire out of 5

CURRENT 93 / Of Ruine or Some Blazing Starre - The Broken Heart of Man (1994)

Despite having 14 tracks, Of Ruine is best considered as one lengthy piece. The music is beautiful, pastoral and mournful; it's expressed through delicate guitar playing, backed up by Steven Stapleton's womb-like sounds and some female spoken word. David Tibet is a modern day Neo-folk troubadour and here he proves that lyric poetry is far from dead. His delivery isn't just in words but in sounds and pitch. The lyrics are dark and insightful and will take many listens before you appreciate the real weight of their splendour. The repetition may bore some people, but personally I adore it's flowing nature, it's like a stream of consciousness kicking into life inside my head.

Songs of Note: Moonlight, You Will Say; Into the Menstrual Night I Go

5 bloody and bruised in a field of stars out of 5

PUBLIC IMAGE LTD / Album (1986)

aka: Compact Disc / Cassette

PiL's 'Pop' album (not to be confused with the 'crap' album, that came later) is their most accessible and most forgiving for new listeners. It's of course percussion-based as always, but less sparse and empty than before - it actually got airplay on the radio. It's essentially a John Lydon solo album, because the usual PiL members were absent, replaced by session musicians and some guest performers (Ginger Baker, Steve Vai, Ryuichi Sakamoto and jazz drummer Tony Williams, among others). It's Pop but it's not, because Lydon's voice could never be accused of fitting completely into that pigeon hole. It's vibrant, full of rousing anthems and is simply a classic 80's album. If Steve Vai had been forbidden from wanking his guitar like he always does, it'd have been a perfect 5 out of 5.

Songs of Note: Rise; FFF

4½ people who need people are the stupidest of people out of 5

DANZIG / Danzig 7:77: I Luciferi (2002)

Glenn (mostly) leaves behind the awful fuzzy sound that he toyed with for a few years and instead embraces a hell of bad lyrics, S+M silliness and recycled riffs that no longer feel like they're played with passion. The trend of making everything louder continues and the blues influence that helped define him is almost completely eliminated; his voice needed that accompaniment to really shine. There are a few moments where he keeps things at a sensible level (Dead Inside), but while it's nowhere near as bad as Blackacidevil it's still not something I'd recommend many people rush out and buy.

NOTE: There was a live album between 6:66 and 7:77, but life's too short to listen to its awfulness more than once, so I skipped it. My ears thanked me.

Songs of Note: Unendlich; Black Mass

2½ snakes and porn stars out of 5

NEW MODEL ARMY / Thunder and Consolation (1989)

Thunder and Consolation was the release that brought NMA to the masses, and saw the beginnings of the folk elements enter into their sound. It still has the same basic punk attitude and classic rock sensibilities as before, but is less reliant on the bass. It instead presents a more traditional song structure. Most artists are lucky to get one perfect album in their career; NMA have three or four of them, of which T+C is one. Let it wash over you and it'll maybe stir you to action, break you out of apathy and encourage you to look at the world in a less passive way.

Songs of Note: Stupid Questions; Green and Grey

5 enough is enough is enough out of 5

MOGWAI - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will [2011]

Scottish post-rock group, Mogwai seem to be aging quite nicely on their 7th studio album, Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will.
Instead of growing into cynical old farts or simply losing interest, they take a more happier route and actually seem to be having just as much fun as they did 15 years ago. Hardcore might not really be breaking any new grounds for Mogwai or any other post-rock group for that matter but it's good enough to merit repeat listens and enjoy it enough granted you don't own their other albums.

3 Lycanthrope Gizmos out of 5

Songs Of Note: George Square Thatcher Death Party; You're Lionel Richie

THE WAR ON DRUGS / Slave Ambient [2011]

After 3 proper releases, The War On Drugs are really coming into their own on Slave Ambient.
A perfect mixture of rustic rock ala Tom Petty & Bruce Springsteen and a heavy dose of dreamlike spacey grandeur of more recent acts like Spiritualized & God Is An Astronaut. A warm sounding album that never really has any sing-a-long choruses or instant hit singles but plenty of instrumental bits and rhythms to make it incredibly interesting and almost euphoric.
This is good ol' fashioned salt of the earth rock n' roll with a coat of post-rock sound design that just makes you feel good. One of the definitive highlights of the year.

5 Tom Petty's in Space out of 5

Songs Of Note: Your Love Is Calling My Name; Baby Missiles

BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH / Noir [2011]

Cinematic hip-hop act, Blue Sky Black Death constantly go back and forth between instrumental albums and vocal albums. Both being just effective as the other, however it's the instrumental ones that are the most universally welcome...and with good reason. Their latest effort, Noir confirms this statement.
They create beautiful dreamlike soundscapes with deeply textured layers of atmosphere and emotion that leaves the listener in awe. It's a strange mood that BSBD creates, almost like you're standing directly between a rain storm and a sunny day.
Sounding like a cross between Nujabes, The Cure and Moby, Noir is easily one of the standout hip-hop albums of the year.

5 Stand By Mes out of 5

Songs Of Note: Sleeping Children Are Still Flying; Swords From Driftwood

ALKALINE TRIO - Damnesia [2011]

Acting as somewhat of a 15 year celebration together as a band, punkers Alkaline Trio released Damnesia, an album of acoustic re-workings of fan-favorites spanning their entire career plus a cover and 2 brand new songs.
Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano's vocals are finally given the recognition they deserve in a more intimate setting, while Derek Grant's drumming seems to be surprisingly restrained. These aren't just direct acoustic translations of their songs, but delicately reworked to fit the unplugged format without sacrificing any of the passion of the originals.
It's not going to win any new fans but it's an absolutely wonderful gift to long-time fans.

4 Violent Femmes out of 5

Songs Of Note: Olde English 8000; I Held Her In My Arms

TV ON THE RADIO / Nine Types Of Light [2011]

After a three year hiatus, soul-rockers TV On The Radio are back and standing in a different type of light than before. Ditching the negative attitude they eminated before, TV On The Radio seems to take a different look on life on Nine Types Of Light. They might be pretty upbeat now but they still fear for the future of the world, just not as hopelessly anymore.
Layered with a breezy ambience over their trademark intricate grooves and comfortable falsetto vocals, Nine Types is a pleasant album to dive into when everything gets a little too gloom and doom.

4 Shedding Skins For The Better out of 5

Songs Of Note: Repetition; Caffeinated Consciousness

TIMBER TIMBRE / Creep On Creepin' On [2011]

Ominous retro-rock outfit Timber Timbre return with their 4th and best effort yet, Creep On Creepin' On.
With songs that blend Nick Cave's crooning with Elvis Presley's cool cat attitude, Timber Timbre's music lends itself to cinematic images of violence and other oddities that wouldn't be out of place in a David Lynch or Quentin Tarantino film. Even though the music is eerie and bizarre it never gets overly loud or offensive making it perfect for relaxing with a cigarette and a drink.
Timber Timbre is really coming into their own and it seems they can only get better.

4 Poltergeists In A Box out of 5

Songs Of Note: Woman; Lonesome Hunter

MAYHEM / Deathcrush (1987)

Owing a huge debt to early Bathory albums, the first Mayhem E.P. has gone down in history as being the first commercial release from the Norwegian Black Metal scene. The eerie production makes it sound like hell is opening up in your front room. It's full of screeching voice, screeching guitars, brutal bass and some early Black/Thrash motifs that would be put to better use on their first full studio album. Drums are by Kjetil Manheim, becuase Hellhammer hadn't yet joined. It's a classic and if you've any interest in Black Metal, then it's worth your time.

Songs of Note: Silvester Anfang; Chainsaw Gutsfuck

4½ severed hands hung out to dry out of 5