ARCTIC MONKEYS Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
( Domino )
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is not the rock record you ’ re looking for . Once you accept this fact , you ’ re free to surrender yourself to the brilliance of the Arctic Monkeys ’ sixth studio record .
It ’ s predecessor , A . M ., was a big burly guitar record that proved to be the band ' s huge breakthrough in the States . So anticipation loomed heavily to build on that previous success with a carbon copy sequel . Apparently , Monkeys ’ frontman Alex Turner had other plans . There ’ s nary a guitar to be found on Tranquility , and when they decide to make a cameo , they ’ re immediately regulated to the back of the mix . Nick O ’ Malley ’ s bass guitar is the lead instrument here . Turner has made a hard left turn , essentially drafting a lounge record with splashes of jazz and pop ornamentation . Like Bowie or even U2 ’ s Achtung Baby / Zooroppa phase , Turner immerses himself in an alternate universe and never breaks character . He ’ s all in . Fully committed .
The songs are all vibe and groove . The hooks are elastic and ninja-like and when they find you , the listener gets seriously ear wormed . There ’ s no finer evidence than the album ' s title track . The music is as weightless as deep space . There ’ s just enough of it for Turner to sing-speak the lines “ Technological advances / Really bloody get me in the mood / Pull me in close , baby / Kiss me underneath the moon ’ s side boob ” in his charming English accent , chewing on every available syllable along the way . “ Four Out Of Five ” is the closest the record gets to a rocker . The serpentine bass line is the spinal cord for a space age lodging commercial that gives the listener just enough
imagery (“ Lunar surface on a Saturday night / Dressed up in silver and white with / Coloured old grey whistle test light ) to compose a short , Kubrick-ian film in their grey matter .
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is destined to be divisive . It ’ s not conducive to a passive listen , and in this instant gratification information age , that ’ s a seriously tough sell . But like any great film or exquisite painting , the songs continue to reveal themselves with every listen . Much like the ever expanding universe it so perfectly uses as its backdrop . Appearing 8 / 2 at Lollapalooza , Chicago
- Curt Baran
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HUNTSMEN American Scrap
( Prosthetic )
Chicago ’ s Huntsmen blend Americana storytelling with the metal muscle of bands such as Neurosis , Red Fang and High On Fire on its debut full-length album American Scrap . On its eight tracks , everything from folk , metal , sludge , doom and stoner rock is explored . The one-plus minute opener , “ Bury Me Deep ,” is where Pink Floyd meets Temple of the Dog , decorated with warm vocals , emotional lyrics and some sweet guitar and vocal harmony interplay . It ’ s the perfect opening chapter to the album , which seamlessly merges into the acoustic guitar pattern of the seven-plus minute “ Pyre ,” which slowly builds from its solemn and moody template with the doomy-ness of Lord Dying and a stoner rock vibe of Fu Manchu . The fantastic a cappella vocal harmonies of “ Canary King ” carries its thought-provoking lyrics about early 20th century coal miners with some throaty vocals , giving the track a vivid cinematic element . Instrumentals “ Interlude A – Shipwrecked ” and “ Interlude B – Insurrection ” serve as eerie segments between the vocal tracks . The post-rock fury of “ Atlantic City " and the shapeshifting “ The Barrens ” play to pleasing results , while the album ' s epic closer , “ The Last President ,” featuring guest vocalist and fellow Chicagoan , Aimee Bueno , tells a chilling story , proving to be the perfect ending to the album .
Appearing 6 / 2 at Reggies , Chicago – Kelley Simms
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FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION Burnt Weeny Sandwich The Roxy Performances
( UME / Zappa )
Originally released as an ambitious and psychotic post-mortem following Zappa ’ s dissolution of the Mothers of Invention , 1969 ’ s Burnt Weeny Sandwich continues the series of premium vinyl reissues from the Zappa catalog . The unhinged carnival music and twisted-classical elements of “ Igor ’ s Boogie ” tip Zappa ’ s hat to hero Igor Stravinsky . The song starkly contrasts the demented , bilingual , and profane doo-wop of opening cut “ WPLJ ” and heartsick album closer “ Valarie ” ( credited to Jackie & the Starlites ), which are ultimately revealed as the most conventional piece on the manic , madcap album . “ Overture to a Holiday in Berlin ” is off-kilter classical music as only Frank could create , warped through innovative studio manipulation . By the time the listener reaches the fullblown head music of “ Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich ,” it ’ s clear that “ WPLJ ” was a head fake . Listening to the slippery and virtuosic guitar , it ’ s obvious that Zappa had come to play , but he hadn ’ t come in search of chart success . Even his slippery , skittering and virtuosic guitar playing is deliberately buried beneath madcap percussion , like someone dumped a truckload of wind-up monkeys down a staircase . “ Holiday in Berlin , Full-Blown ” features Zappa ’ s languid psychedelic Latin / blues excursion , and “ Aybe Sea ” showcases Mothers pianist Ian Underwood ’ s skewed but melodic sensibilities . Stretching to nearly 17 minutes , the album ’ s centerpiece is the proto-progressive , avant-jazz “ Little House I Used to Live In ” wherein Sugar Cane Harris ’ violin recalls the unfettered flights of Mahavishnu Orchestra . The new pressing faithfully restores even the tri-fold " The Mothers of Invention Sincerely Regret to Inform You " poster from the original package . The seven CD box The Roxy Performances includes four concert recordings from December 1973 at Hollywood ’ s intimate nightclub The Roxy , alongside rehearsal and soundcheck audio of songs like the xylophone-forward Mothers ’ favorite “ Uncle Meat .” A studio session includes a run through the first four tracks of 1974 ’ s Apostrophe , including the cosmic funk of “ Don ’ t Eat the Yellow Snow .” Unreleased track “ That Arrogant Dick Nixon ” is a retooled version of “ The Idiot Bastard Son .” The set is a fan ’ s treasure trove running eight hours , spotlighting Zappa in the live environment where he thrived .
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– Jeff Elbel
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ROBERT PLANT & THE SENSANTIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS Live at David Lynch ' s Festival of Disruption
( Eagle Vision )
Following his Grammy-winning venture through American roots music with Alison Krauss and then with the revamped Band of Joy , former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant followed his muse into a fusion of African rhythms and rock ‘ n ’ roll with his band the Sensational Space Shifters . In 2014 , the well-seasoned group released its first album together called Lullaby and the Ceaseless Roar . This film captures a sold-out 2016 performance at David Lynch ’ s inaugural Festival of Disruption in Los Angeles . The set features four cuts from Lullaby , beginning with a version of “ Poor Howard ” introduced by the exotic and reedy twang of Juldeh Camara ’ s nyanyero – an African one-stringed fiddle . Before long , the band careen into a retooled rendition of Led Zeppelin ’ s “ Black Dog ” that has the crowd singing ecstatically before venturing into a mesmerizing jam blending world music and hard rock . The sharp set breezes past in a mere hour , but every moment is packed with invention and musical thrills . Plant and three of his bandmates play frame drums during “ Rainbow ,” as former Cast guitarist Liam “ Skin ” Tyson unravels a sinewy line . Tyson spars with longtime Plant collaborator Justin Adams ’ mandolin during the hypnotic “ Going to California .” Other Zep favorites include “ Babe I ’ m Going to Leave You ,” propelled by the limber bass of Billy Fuller , Dave Smith ’ s muscular percussion , and John Baggott ’ s shimmering Hammond organ . Plant includes his blues roots in the heady mix with a medley of “ Hoochie Coochie Man ,” “ Whole Lotta Love ,” and “ Mona .” The perpetually forward-looking Plant may not wish to revisit Led Zeppelin in the way that classic rock fans would want , but he ’ s clearly in his zone within the sound of the Sensational Space Shifters . He appears energized throughout the set , in fine voice and spirits while providing ample room for his talented band to run . Appearing 6 / 18 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion , Chicago .
– Jeff Elbel
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SLEEP The Sciences
( Third Man Records )
Sleep ’ s surprise release is remarkable for many reasons : it ’ s the band ’ s first fulllength album in 20 years ; it was released on 4 / 20 ; and its themes of cannabis culture seem perfectly timed with the changing attitudes about the drug , both for medicinal and for recreational use . In other words , Sleep has never been more relevant . “ Marijuanaut ’ s Theme ” tells the adventure of an astronaut--an “ inhaler of the rifftree ” - -bound for “ Planet Iommia ,” while “ Giza Butler ” relates the earthbound tale of “ The CBDeacon ” performing daily sacraments , including “ salutations to the cultivators bless the Indica fields / grateful for the yields .” But the lyrics ( not necessarily sung , more like chanted or recited ) are secondary to the riff -- the super-fuzzed-out , repetitive power chords that are the backbone to every Sleep song . The deliberate downstroke picking of guitarist Matt Pike allows each fuzzy chord time to ring out and to resonate . “ Sonic Titan ,” mostly an instrumental composition , builds like other past Sleep songs , such as “ Holy Mountain ” and “ The Clarity ,” with a bare , blusey riff that is tweaked and explored during the song ’ s 12-minute runtime . “ Antarcticans Thawed ,” a song played live for years , is the most glacially paced composition on the album and relies on lyrical allusions to H . P . Lovecraft ’ s story At The Mountains of Madness . The 14-minute track represents the band ’ s most complex arrangement , with more frequent tempo changes and the most freeform , discordant guitar solos on the album . Appearing 8 / 1 at Riviera Theatre , Chicago
28 illinoisentertainer . com june 2018