The Lumineers, M83, Deftones, All Saints and More Music Reviews

— -- intro: This week retro Americana/indie folk-sensations The Lumineers return with their second album, French electro act M83 releases a new album, Deftones continue to flex some metallic muscle, nineties pop-act All Saints make a surprising return, Scottish rockers Frightened Rabbit explore pain and loss, and the Dandy Warhols release their first album in four years. It’s an interesting collection of releases.

quicklist: 1title: The Lumineers’ “Cleopatra” ***text: Folk-pop revivalists, The Lumineers have returned with their second album, “Cleopatra.” From the beginning notes of “Sleep On The Floor,” it is evident that they are aiming to repeat the success of their debut album’s standout, “Ho Hey.”

This album offers more of the same stomping heartland anthems that could be found on the trio’s debut, led by Wesley Schultz’s soul-searching lyrical delivery. It’s the kind of record that should please country fans and certain pockets of indie–rock circles equally. It’s a capable record which shows decent promise and yet at the same time, it is a record with few surprises. It feels a little like a retread in some ways, but it lacks some of their first album’s looser moments.

There are some key highlights, like the gently beautiful “Angela” and the slightly chugging title-track, but there is something very focused and mannered about this album that keeps it good but not great. The songs tend to blend together. Too many of these tracks feel like “Ho Hey” version 2.0. There’s nothing here as joyously and jaunty-sounding as the first album’s “Submarines.” In fact, this record in general is sadder and more sedate in tone than their first one. This is low-key Americana pop.

“Cleopatra” continues the band’s sense of promise and with repeated listens it begins to pop, and yet even though it holds up the traditions set by their first set, it also feels just merely alright. When album no. 3 comes around, they better switch things up a little more or else they will run the risk of being seen as a one-trick pony.

Focus Tracks:

“Angela” This album has a general reductionist feel. This track is one of the only tracks that feels like it is building to something larger.

“Ophelia” Yes, the foot-stomping is already getting a little tiring, but this song has some really nice piano work setting it apart.

“Cleopatra” It’s nice to hear the bit of distortion on the guitar on this track. It’s a strong song. It would probably be even better with a more rock-driven performance. Perhaps turning up the volume should be the band’s next move for their follow-up.

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quicklist: 2title: M83’s “Junk” **1/2text: With a cover that looks like a collection of knock-off Muppets or something from “Wonder Showzen,” you wouldn’t expect Anthony Gonzalez’s seventh proper M83 record to sound like a wobbly, more electronically-infused answer to “Lite” Radio circa 1982, but that’s exactly what it sounds like, delivering over the top guitar, saxophone and harmonica solos that will bring back a lot of distant memories.

“Junk” is nowhere near as enjoyable as M83’s 2011 breakout album “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming,” and it is even more removed from the brilliance of 2008’s tremendous “Saturdays = Youth,” but it isn’t without its oddball charms.

“Moon Crystal,” for instance, sounds like a cross between the kind of music you’d hear while being put on hold and a theme to a cheesy “After School Special” from a forgotten era, while the Mai Lan-assisted “Bibi The Dog” and “Laser Gun” both sound like updates on Serge Gainsbourg’s work. “Ludivine” sounds like it should score a Sofia Coppola movie, while “The Wizard” brings some muted, electro funk.

But it is the moments like the sax-heavy “Go!” or “Solitude,” which sounds like it has a solo played on a keytar, that make you wonder if this is serious or if this retro-leaning is all for kitsch-value.

Part of me thinks that this is M83’s failed attempt to summon the kind of magic Air did on their 1998 landmark debut, “Moon Safari,” an album with its own nods to the past. But the average listener will just probably hear this record and marvel at how out of date it sounds. There are a few bits of well-orchestrated beauty here, but overall, “Junk” is an uneven throwback to the days of “soft-rock” and “easy listening.” It has its passing moments but it is nowhere near M83’s best work.

Focus Tracks:

“Walkway Blues” (Featuring Jordan Lawlor) This track is one of the few where the kitschy elements truly work. The sax work doesn’t distract from the pseudo-dream-pop textures, even if this still feels like there is a bit of “lite” pop radio energy. Considering the sound of Rihanna’s “Kiss It Better,” this sound must be coming back.

“Time Wind” (Featuring Beck) If you ever thought Beck should be put into a softer electro context, you’ve gotten your wish. It’s not surprising to find Beck here considering this album was co-produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen, who has a long history as a member of Beck’s band.

“Moon Crystal” This elevator-music-style jam may get some initial chuckles but it is actually really well put together, making it an unlikely highlight.

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quicklist: 3title: Deftones’ “Gore” ****text: Deftones have never released a bad album in their 21-year recorded history, but they are riding especially high right now on the heels of both 2010’s “Diamond Eyes” and 2012’s "Koi No Yokan." That sense of a career peak continues with their eighth album, “Gore.”

As always, the focus is on vocalist Chino Moreno, who is able to pull off some truly impressive tricks. He can scream and growl with the best of them, but in some ways it also feels like he can hit spaces between notes that most singers can’t reach. He doesn’t often get the credit, but he is one of the most gifted singers in rock today.

It is Deftones’ range as a band that is always the reason to listen. From the angry, defiant, hell-raising sludge of “Doomed User” and “Geometric Headdress,” to the more gentle melodic textures of “Xenon” and “(L)MIRL,” it is the volatile sense of unpredictability that keeps this band interesting. While the first half of this record has some of the more brutal passages this group has offered, as it progresses, the set gets a bit more melodic, without losing the band’s signature sonic heft.

As an album, “Gore” offers some impressive bits of metal. Deftones have always been as adept at working with complex structures as they have been working with volume. At their core, they are a sludge-driven metal band with a hint of prog-rock playfulness.

“Gore” continues this band’s significant winning-streak and shows that Deftones continue to thoroughly amaze.

Focus Tracks:

“Phantom Bride” By Deftones’ standards, this is a soaring pop ballad, but in some ways it sounds like a harder answer to the sound found on albums like “Ghost In The Machine” by the Police and Mr. Mister’s “Welcome To The Real World.” (Yes, you read this right. I’m saying this is the closest Deftones have ever gotten to “Broken Wings” territory, without a hint of irony. That is, if “Broken Wings” ended with an explosive, tempo-shifting guitar solo.)

“Xenon” Moreno has always been a master at singing perfectly dissonant vocal lines over the band’s backdrops. At first it seems like he might take such an approach here, but he ultimately twists these skills around in such a way that he ends up delivering one of the band’s most accessible songs to date. Still the track maintains an impressive, oddly sweeping quality.

“Doomed User” This is a brutal, assaulting track. I mean that in the best way possible. This track shows everything unique that this band has brought to the genre. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this constantly evolving screamer will no doubt become a fan-favorite among their base.

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quicklist: 4title: All Saints’ “Red Flag” ****text: All Saints appeared in 1998, earning a lot of Spice Girls comparisons. Yes, both groups were shamelessly bubblegum-pop driven, but while the Spice Girls were more garishly cartoon-y, All Saints were surprisingly more soulful and their self-titled debut yielded two hit singles in the U.S. with “I Know Where It’s At” and “Never Ever.” These songs were guilty pleasures, but slightly better than your average Spice Girls output. Really, All Saints were working from more on an R&B template.

Their debut album also included some misguided covers of both the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under The Bridge” and LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade,” which both received airplay outside the U.S.

The group became a hit across the pond and both 2000’s “Saints & Sinners” and 2006’s “Studio 1” didn’t make so much as a blip over here. Of course, now that’s what makes “Red Flag,” their fourth proper album in 18 years such a surprise.

This is a nuanced collection the feels flavored with a surprisingly arty sophistication. “One Strike” sounds as if it was influenced by both Ibeyi and Adele, while “One Woman Man” is a possibly the brightest pop single this group is capable of making. “Summer Rain” has a pop-driven slickness, but at the same time, it brings to mind Sneaker Pimps’ 1997 single, “Post-Modern Sleaze.” “This Is War” is a fiery battle track, while the vocoder-assisted “Ratchet Behaviour” brings an angry, dance-hall vibe. Elsewhere, standouts, “Make U Love Me” and “Tribal” show that this set is more rooted in R&B and trip-hop than it is in bubblegum-pop. There are even some jazzy textures in the vocal harmonies at times.

Heartbreak and sadness are key elements here. Maybe that has to do with member Nicole Appleton’s 2014 divorce from Oasis’ Liam Gallagher. Maybe it doesn’t.

A number of the high points come from members Shaznay Lewis and Melanie Blatt. “Red Flag” is an unexpected record. It is in many ways better than many would expect. Yes, there are hints of Auto-Tune, but it never distracts. This is actually a pop album with substance and at times astonishing bits of production.

Maturity suits All Saints extremely well. This comeback makes a very strong statement and it deserves to make waves.

Focus Tracks:

“One Woman Man” This track deserves prime pop radio spins on both sides of the pond. It is their strongest song to date and the technological tinkering with a vocal snippet during the its final 25 seconds is a remarkable sonic feat of beauty.

“One Strike” If you have your doubts about this record’s shift in tone and are someone reticent to pick up this kind of pop record, give this opening single a listen. It is enveloping, warm and mature in all the right ways.

“Red Flag” The title track is a hand-clap-fueled bit of self-doubt. Lyrically it is about second-guessing one’s sense in the face of a partner’s affair. Again, these kinds of songs are a recurring theme on this set, but this song shows the kind of build that you don’t find on records of this type. In many ways, sometimes this album feels like it wasn’t crafted with hit singles in mind. Ignoring formulas made this set better.

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quicklist: 5title: Frightened Rabbit’s “Painting Of A Panic Attack” ****text: The members of Scottish band Frightened Rabbit surround their fifth album, “Painting Of A Panic Attack” with images of death and heartbreak. Anchored by Scott Hutchison’s detailed, narrative lyrical style, this is the kind of record that will draw you in from the beginning of opener, “Death Dream,” to the closing moments of “Die Like A Rich Boy.” There’s a strong fatalist streak through this record, but it is peppered with musical optimism provided by tunes that soar. Even though “I Wish I Was Sober” tells a powerful tale of drinking way too much, it still sounds like an unforced anthem.

“Get Out” sounds like Frightened Rabbit’s best attempt to summon the kind of pop magic that has become their friends Chrvrches’ signature. But one thing is clear. This is an album that is the product of dealing with some sort of pain. You don’t generally write a song called “Woke Up Hurting” without having something horrible happen to you first. But these songs bristle and ache while searching for a silver lining. Believe it or not, this is the band’s most powerfully accessible record to date, showcasing strong hooks and sharp production. The presence of veteran mixer Alan Moulder on two tracks speaks volumes the band and their label, Atlantic want this album to deliver in a big way.

With titles like “An Otherwise Disappointing Life” and “Still Want To Be Here,” this may seem like a downer of a record, but in his words, Scott Hutchison is searching for some sort of redemption and relief through his art.

If the music of Frightened Rabbit is not yet on your radar, you need to pick up “Fear Of A Panic Attack” and give it a spin. It’s an exercise in both coping and catharsis. Sometimes pain can result in stark beauty.

Focus Tracks:

“Get Out” This song needs to be added to radio stations everywhere immediately. This is the band’s best hope at a giant breakout single.

“Break” This chugging rocker also has mass potential, even if it is song about talking one’s self off a ledge. Again, it does so with a giant sense of melody and heft.

“Lump Street” This song is more electronic than this band’s usual fare, and yet it is a sound that suits them well. This pensive, somewhat dark number is thick with tension that is relieved to a slight degree when it shifts gears midway through the track.

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quicklist: 6title: The Dandy Warhols’ “Distortland” ***1/2text: At a measly 33 minutes, The Dandy Warhols’ first new album in four years is almost exactly half the length of their 1997 breakthrough record, “The Dandy Warhols Come Down.” Still it has a lot of the band’s signature sound, even if it is in abbreviated form.

There’s a jumpiness to this album on standouts like “Pope Reverend Jim” and “Catcher In The Rye.” Whereas on earlier albums like “Thirteen Tales Of Urban Bohemia” and “Welcome To The Monkey House,” the band felt free to stretch some of their grooves beyond the 6- or 7-minute mark, this album comes off as an exercise in brevity, trying to cut to the chase as quickly as possible.

Unlike a lot of nineties bands, however, the Dandies have their signature lineup intact with Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Peter Holmstrom, Zia McCabe and Brent DeBoer each still holding down their posts. If you never liked the band’s signature schtick, this record still won’t win you over, but if you remember playing “Thirteen Tales Of Urban Bohemia” on repeat, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here, even if you feel cheated and wish there was a little more. This album is like that album’s much shorter, quieter, faster cousin.

Focus Tracks:

“Pope Reverend Jim” This is a pretty funny track that is destined to be placed among the group’s best work. It’s a keen bit of spaced-out rockabilly.

“Search Party” This opener has their signature wooziness, with some nice sixties-style psychedelia thrown in for good measure.

“The Grow Up Song” At a mere 1:38, this song could have easily been much, much longer. This is especially true since it has one of the set’s strongest melodies. Considering Taylor-Taylor whispers the song over a minimalist guitar-line, it would have been nice to have gotten one more rocked out verse with the entire band.

Next Week: New music from PJ Harvey, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, and more.

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