Bangers in every genre dropped this week, and we curated a tight, diverse collection for your perusal. Here are three of our faves:
Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
The harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell always had an insect-like quality to them—buzzing, swarming, surrounding you. By stripping down to an acoustic setup, Jar of Flies pushes them to the fore. The result is a more provocative sound that forced rock critics in the 90s to take Alice in Chains much more seriously. I've sung "I Stay Away" at the top of my lungs more than any other track on this album, but I think "Rotten Apple" moves me the most these days. This has been going for $100+ on Discogs, so we're thrilled for a killer repress.
Fletcher - Antidote
Fletcher's lyrics are raw, occasionally raunchy, and deeply personal. She gracefully, almost casually, slides between tempos across Antidote to suit her mood of the moment. In other words, she takes you on an intimate emotional journey that's complimented well by her move to a more indie rock/pop sound. This is a mature album from an artist who doesn't shy away from the messed up things love and lust can do to her. And us.
Gary Clark, Jr. - JPEG RAW
I saw Gary Clark, Jr. in Austin when he was a super young blues guitarist, and he blew me away. Now he's become a genre-exploding rock god, and JPEG RAW is a full-on testament to that status. The album builds on the sounds of icons like The Dirtbombs and The Black Keys, but neither of those bands has someone who can shred like Gary. He also pauses the rocking out to deliver timeless bluesy interludes and jazzy duets. If you want to experience the full spectrum of modern music, or even if you just want to hear a modern master deliver guitar perfection, JPEG RAW is the release for you this week.