New Music Tuesday - Rock Edition

Two new rock records hit the shelves today. Funnily enough, they are both by '90s alt-rockers - Stephen Malkmus and the duo of Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan. A decade and some removed from their old bands, and based on these two records they are still going pretty strong...

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - GardeniaThe former Pavement singer is back with a revamped Jicks, now with Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney/Quasi) on drums. The result is a much beefier and harder rocking bunch of tunes. Stephen indulges his inner '70s guitar god on several fuzzy jams (most of the tunes clock in at around six minutes!). It is still very much a classic Malkmus record tho', with quirky tunes and characters at every turn. Gardenia is one of the shorter, lighter moments on the album - love the sunny backing vocals on this.


The Gutter Twins - The BodyTwo of the moodiest voices in modern rock have teamed up as The Gutter Twins, and surprise, surprise, they've put out an album of broody, moody modern rock. Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers) and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) bring their best bits to this mix. Dulli's soulful howl, the blacksploitation rock and those touches of electronica mesh with Lanegan's gritty Delta blues and whisky and cigarettes croon-from-hell. These guys can be relied on to soundtrack some of life's darker moments, and Saturnalia delivers the bleakness you crave. The Body is a softer, gentler moment and features the lovely vocals of Martina Topley-Bird.