Album review overview: Phear, Baths and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
Phear – Save Our Souls
The Canadian thrash/power metal band recently released “Save Our Souls.” You can hear influences from bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Metallica. The lyrics deal with topics including PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), self-reflection, and the state of today’s world. The grimly sung words in songs like “Save Our Souls” fit perfectly with these themes. The up-tempo “New World Error” contains surprisingly light elements. The tightly played parts in “Lease on Life” create an interesting contrast with some “drawn-out” words. The positive lyrics address personal change. “On Thin Ice” also weaves in calmer passages. In the live bonus track “Delusions,” you can hear Phear’s energy. This album features plenty of (screaming) guitar work, an excellent rhythm section, and strong vocals. The stereo distribution in the headphones is well done. Due to the verse-chorus structure, some parts are somewhat predictable. Still, both vocally and instrumentally, it’s well put together. The choruses, in particular, stay pleasantly stuck in your head. (Esther Kessel-Tamerus) (7/10) (Golden Robot Records)
Gentry Blue – Fragments
Nashville-based band Gentry Blue has released their first album. When we think of Nashville, country music is often the first thing that comes to mind. That’s not this group’s style. Gentry Blue is a throwback to the 60s and 70s with their mix of pop, prog, and art rock. The production style and vocals from frontwoman Lydia Gentry-DeBonis contribute significantly to this. There’s also wonderful guitar work, though it’s a shame that in “Collide” the solo ends just as it seems to be getting going. “82 On A 55” leans toward 60s pop with all its characteristics, before things get heavier with the title track and “Blackberry Bitter.” In other words, there’s plenty of variety. This debut album leaves you wanting more, especially for retro music lovers. (Rik Moors) (7/10) (Lydbo Records)
Brian Felix – Level Up
This will be a challenge in the record store – where do you file this “Level Up”? In the jazz section? That wouldn’t do justice to this double album. Organist/keyboardist Brian Felix squeezes out twelve new original compositions in almost every imaginable genre, demonstrating among other things that the Hammond B3 fits practically anywhere. Of course, there’s jazz, nicely mellow in “Gathering,” but we hear so much more. The swinging “Lip Service,” for example, with a solid dose of salsa. Or the deep, groovy funk in pieces like “Hippopotamus” and “W 18th Strut.” Dr. Lonnie Smith would have praised it. Rightfully so, as there’s an incredible amount to enjoy on this tour de force, with two pieces deserving special mention. There’s the titan battle between Felix and Tim Fischer’s guitar in “Zen Circles,” an absolute highlight of the album. The same goes for “Joey & Larry,” a tribute to Hammond heroes Joey DeFrancesco and Larry Young. DeFrancesco passed away in 2022 and was responsible for the Hammond revival in jazz in the early nineties. Young died in 1978 at the far too young age of 37 from pneumonia, but by then had already built an impressive legacy through collaborations with artists including Miles Davis (“Bitches Brew”) and Jimi Hendrix. Brian Felix knows: without DeFrancesco and Young, “Level Up” would never have seen the light of day. It doesn’t matter which bin this double album ends up in. It will find its way to enthusiasts. (Jeroen Mulder) (8/10) (Slimtrim Records)
Patterson Hood – Exploding Trees & Airport Screams
Like a truck suddenly veering off the highway, Patterson Hood departs from Drive-By Truckers’ familiar route with his fourth solo album. The heir to Muscle Shoals’ musical tradition trades roaring guitars for the subtle touch of piano keys, experimental soundscapes, and introspective reflections. The opener “A Werewolf and a Girl” forms the hauntingly beautiful highlight of this album. Guest vocalist Lydia Loveless provides a perfect counterweight to Hood’s lived-in voice. Their vocal dance sounds like two old souls recognizing each other in an abandoned roadside diner, while the mournful saxophone in the background sounds like a distant train passing in the night. Hood’s lifelong talent for telling others’ stories now turns inward. Memories of his youth in Alabama form the emotional landscape of this record, while guest contributions from Loveless and Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) enrich the journey. With this artistic freedom, Hood delivers his most intriguing work to date. His willingness to colour outside the lines makes “Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams” an 8/10 – an album where the detour proves more interesting than the main road. (Jan Vranken) (8/10) (Ato Records)
Baths – Gut
Everything falls into place on Will Wiesenfeld’s fourth album under the name Baths. Like an unexpected rest stop after hours of driving, “Eden” arrives halfway through “Gut” as a moment of both relief and revelation. “Gut” takes us through ten tracks that feel like border crossings into increasingly unfamiliar territory. Wiesenfeld navigates between frenetic, drum-driven tracks like “Eyewall” and “Sea of Men,” and more contemplative stops like “Governed” and “Homosexuals,” where string arrangements stretch out like endless prairies. What distinguishes “Gut” is its uncompromising honesty. Wiesenfeld approaches his subjects—sex, desire, bodily experience—with the matter-of-factness of someone who’s been on the road too long to maintain pretences. “Why be subtle when I’m with you?” he asks in “Peacocking.” The album reaches its destination with “The Sound of a Blossoming Flower,” beginning with birdsong and soft piano before accelerating to a rhythmic conclusion. “Gut” isn’t always an easy ride, but it captures something essential about how we navigate desire and embodiment. (Jan Vranken) (7/10) (Basement’s Basement)
