Release Me: Dry Spells, Malcolm Middleton, Behemoth

It’s another slow week for new releases, but this time around, we’ll behave and won’t raze the field.

Behemoth’s Evangelion (Metal Blade) is one we’re especially excited about, but we’ve already said our piece about that blackened death-metal hymnal. We’ve written about it so many ”damned“ times.

On the total opposite end of the musical spectrum is the Dry Spells‘ Too Soon for Flowers (Antenna Farm) - if Evangelion is night, then this release is day. Framed by the hands-down most gorgeous female vocal harmonies we’ve heard all year, NPR was apt to compare the classic-sounding folk-rock band to Fleetwood Mac: The Spells cover “Rhiannon” to close out the effort. While we lapped up the whole release, we really couldn’t wait for that final track to arrive. And it indeed delivers: With a slightly different arrangement from the original, the women of the Dry Spells give Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie (and Lindsey Buckingham) a run for their money. Elsewhere on the winning debut, the muses are joined by a florid string section (it’s especially prominent on “Black Is the Color”), acoustic guitar, tambourine and more. The vocals also remind us a bit of Julie Doiron, especially on the soul-penetrating “Sruti.” 

Here are two of the nine tracks, the opening “Lost Daughter“:

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And the second-to-last cut, “Batwood,” which is the briskest entry on the whole album:

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If the Spells need a tourmate, they’d be wise to turn to Malcolm Middleton, whose heartfelt folk would be a fitting complement. We haven’t heard all of the Scot’s fifth outing, Waxing Gibbous (Full Time Hobby), but “Carry Me” won us over:

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Partly a sing-along, partly a spoken-word narrative, the song is simultaneously inspirational and thoroughly depressing. The other track we heard, the mournful “Don’t Want to Sleep Tonight,” sounds similar, but also incorporates some lite drum machine and effects. With fellow countrymen King Creosote and Mogwai’s Barry Burns surfacing on the record - they donated backing vocals and piano parts, respectively - Waxing Gibbous shouldn’t go under the radar.

“Could I maybe try to sound more like James Blunt or James Morrison? Actually no, I doubt I could even try,” he quipped in a recent statement.

On the sunnier side, jangly pop-rock squad Darlings aim for smiles with their first try, Yeah I Know (Famous Class). The New Yorkers’ sound isn’t something you’ve never heard before, but the record is a rollicking ride, as you’ll hear:

“We’re Not Going”

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“If This Is Love”

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“Teenage Girl”

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Another passel of positivity is Fitz & the Tantrums Songs for a Break-Up Vol.1 (Future Sounds). The ebullient Los Angelenos - who are touring this fall with punk lushes Flogging Molly, oddly - do everything in their power to sound like they’re making music in 1960s Detroit. They factor into their music vinyl hisses and pops; sultry, echoing lead male vocals; doo-wop female-backup singers; a bubbly bass line; and even tambourine. Oh, and they look like this:

Check out “Breakin’ the Chains of Love“:

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Another soul group that sounds stuck in the past is French Horn Rebellion, who are self-releasing their new EP, Beaches and Friends. Except they sound like they’re from the ’80s, as you’ll hear from this dancey tune (apologies for the abrupt conclusion; this is how it was given to us):

“Beaches and Friends (The Twelve Remix)”

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And finally, circling us back around to metal is symphonic deathcore band Winds of Plague, who were brutal enough to make it onto the most recent Summer Slaughter Tour. With big riffs, keys, acoustic guitar and a shit-ton of other clean sounds - they count six members among their ranks - The Great Stone War (Century Media) is good but not quite good enough to stand as one of our faves of the year. But if you need something to scare your neighbors or whatever, this’ll do the trick.

Releases we care about this week:

Behemoth - Evangelion (Metal Blade)
   Read more: “Metal Halftime Report: Best Albums Of ‘09 (So Far)”
Black Mold - Snow Blindness Is Crystal Antz (Flemish Eye)
The Bottle Rockets - Lean Forward (Bloodshot)
   Read more: “Inside The Label: Bloodshot Records”
Caspian - Tertia (The Mylene Sheath)
Cub Country - Stretch That Skull Cover and Smile (Future Farmer)
Darlings - Yeah I Know (Famous Class)
The Dry Spells - Too Soon for Flowers (Antenna Farm)
Esser - Braveface (Chocolate Industries)
Fitz & the Tantrums - Songs for a Break-Up Vol.1 (Future Sounds)
French Horn Rebellion - Beaches and Friends EP (self-release)
Jeff Merchant - City Makes No Sound (Merchy Music)
Malcolm Middleton - Waxing Gibbous (Full Time Hobby)
The New Christs - Gloria (Impedance/MVD Audio)
Winds of Plague - The Great Stone War (Century Media)
Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor (Nylon)