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DAMIAN MARLEY Stony Hill
( Republic )
Bob ' s son is not as prolific as the old man , but with the assistance of his brother Stephen , he knows how to make a statement with familiar themes of Rastafari , Ganja and injustice on Stony Hill . With 2005 ' s Welcome To Jamrock " Jr . Gong " casts off the chains that Bob put on all his kids , that the offspring is just cashing-in on dad ' s name . Stony Hill reinforces the youngest Marley kid would still be one the biggest names in reggae even without the Marley name . Lead single " Medication " a full-out endorsement of " maryjane ," is the best album track , yolksing Damain ' s impeccable flow with his brother ' s falsetto chorus . Damien has also partnered with a Colorado marijuana dispensary to market his brand of Stony Hill weed and edibles . One of Junior ' s strengths is his strong recognition of reggae ' s roots , not only his dad ' s and brother Ziggy ' s legacy on " Picture Perfect " but he samples Dennis Brown and Black Uhuru ' s " Solidarity ," on " Nail Pon Cross ," and " Youths Of Eglington " on " Caution ." Respect due . 18 tracks could be considered too many songs for most artists on one album , but Marley mines the carribean music landscape with skill , featuring roots (" Looks Are Deceiving "), trap (" Here We Go ") disco (" Living It Up ") and dub (" Time Travel ").
Marley has seemed more comfortable when he ' s doing duets with Jay-Z , Skillrex and Nas – as he ' s done over the last decade . But Stony Hill is his prolonged statement that as a solo artist , Jamrock wasn ' t just a fluke , he ' s authentically carrying the family mantle .
– John Vernon
8
Appearing 9 / 4 at North Coast Festival Union Park , Chicago
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DOYLE II As We Do It
( Monsterman )
Guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein ’ s 2013 debut album , Abominator , was an exercise in metal pyrotechnics compared to his tenure with seminal punk horror band The Misfits . On their sophomore effort , As We Die , Doyle and the boys continue their evil ways on its 13 blood-drenched tunes . Doyle ’ s signature guitar tone , including pinched harmonic squeals and distortion-laden riffs , are expertly executed . Opener “ Kiss Me As We Die ”’ s powerful , doom-laden riffs , pounding rhythm and catchy chorus starts the album off perfectly , while the heavy chugs of “ Beast Like Me ” and “ God Of Flies ” follow it with equal ferocity . Pounding , horror-punk riffs permeate “ Witchcraft ” and “ Darkside ,” while the choruses of “ Run For Your Life ,” “ Blood On The Axe ” and the aforementioned “ Witchcraft ” are ultra-catchy . Naturally , most tracks contain a Misfits familiarity with a touch of that Danzig snarl , most notably on “ We Belong Dead ” and “ Dark Gods Arise .” At times , vocalist Alex Story ’ s Anselmo-like growls gives the songs a ' 90s groove-metal flavor . The album finishes strong with the crushing , mid-paced thrasher “ Blood On The Axe ” and closer “ Night of Sin ,” which is the longest and most diverse track on the entire album . As We Die slays from start to finish and you won ’ t be able to find much fault with it .
– Kelley Simms
9
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Appearing 11 / 10 at The Forge , Joliet
SOCCER MOMMY Collection
( Fat Possum ) How ’ s this for opening lyrics of a song :
“ Passed you on a side street / Brushed
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across your wrist like a razor blade ”? And try this verse on for size : “ Not the girl that you thought I ’ d be / My makeup stains all your white tees / Bite my nails ‘ til my fingers bleed / And I can ’ t always hide .” Both come from 19-year-old Sophie Allison and are just the tip of the treasure trove that , as Soccer Mommy , she has served up on her eight-song label-backed debut Collection . Writing and DIY recording her songs in earnest since high school , Collection is mostly comprised of songs Allison originally gave out to friends and fans on cassettes , and songs posted on social media while playing around her hometown of Nashville . This version of Collection is beefed up with a full band backing and the fuller , richer sound of a pro studio . This , in turn , makes the album sound less like an album of “ sad girl songs ” ( a common pigeonholing comment perhaps derived from one of her DIY cassettes being titled Songs for the Recently Sad ) than the work of an assured artist who comes out of disappointments more empowered than bitter . This much-anticipated debut is putting more fuel on the fiery buzz she ’ s been generating . And her recent decision to put aside college for the time being to concentrate on her band and music makes her upcoming first national / transatlantic tour one of the most anticipated events of the summer . Appearing 9 / 14 at Subterranean , Chicago
– David C . Eldredge
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7
BARB WIRE DOLLS Rub My Mind
( Motorhead Music )
From the rhythmic marching , to the gritty Sex Pistols-influenced riffs , to Isis Queen ’ s alluring vocals , Greece ’ s Barb Wire Dolls kick off their third full-length album Rub My Mind with a bang on its raucous opener “ Back in the USSA .” On their 13 punk-inspired tracks , BWD create vibrant , pop-infused punk with a hint of sleaze rock . On “ If I Fall ,” the bouncy bass lines and guitar melodies compliment Queen ’ s soaring vocal harmonies during the infectious chorus , while the slower , Indie rock-esque ballad “ Desert Song ” combines somber melodies with a New Wave-ish / Joe Jackson vibe . “ Call Me ” is not a Blondie cover song , but rather a playful , pop-punk tune decorated with Queen ’ s seductive , squealing vocals and angst-ridden lyrics . “ We Are Champions ” highly chant-able chorus is a scrumptious blend of 70s punk rock with hints of the Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys , combined with the fiery , ' 90s grunge-era crunch of L7 . The raunchy , Cramps-esque rockabilly vibe of “ Contract ” is enticing enough , but it doesn ’ t possess the same high standards as the other tracks do . Although there ’ s not a lot of tempo variation on seven-plus minute closer “ Waiting to be Lost ,” it ' s a pleasing
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ending to the album .
Rub My Mind is highly infectious and mark my words , BWD are one of 2017 ' s great emerging bands .
– Kelley Simms
9
LAURA NYRO ALittle Magic , ALittle Kindness
( Motothead Music )
A Little Magic , A Little Kindness compiles legendary hall-of-fame singer / songwriter Laura Nyro ’ s first two vinyl recordings : 1966 ’ s More Than a New Discovery and 1968 ’ s Eli and the Thirteenth Confession – songs that would be must-have inclusions in any late ‘ 60s- ‘ 70s soundtrack . Lovingly re-mastered in mono from the original masters on two CDs in original sequence ( with the addition of three mono singles ,) both discs boast some six top ten hits exactly as they would have been when Lyndon Johnson was President . Unfortunately , these hits weren ’ t the versions made famous by Nyro ; rather they were charttopping versions by Blood , Sweat and Tears , Barbara Streisand , Three Dog Night and , with three hit singles possibly Nyro ’ s biggest apostles , The 5th Dimension . Fortunately , Nyro received comfortable royalties from her music and , as heard here in her original piano-charged turns . Jesttisoned by a mash-up of what can only be described as Brill Building New York pop , jazz , gospel , R & B , show tunes , rock and soul , the author clearly cut the production template for the success of these and other artists who would cover in her wake . A must-have addition for anyone collecting the canon of American popular song .
--David C . Eldredge
8
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