Tom Waits "Bad As Me"

I can't pretend this is going to be a balanced review. The subject is Tom Waits' seventeenth studio release, and it comes seven years after Real Gone (Anti, 2004). Bad As Me (Anti, 2011) features all the heartbreaking and experimental instrumentation and lyrics that helped Mr. Waits into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year.

This record utilizes mostly conventional instruments like much of his earlier work but the spectrum of sounds is vast including strings, brass, woodwinds, organ, marimba, piano, maracas, accordion, etc. All amazingly produced to accompany his legendary rough voice. The opener, "Chicago," applies some great brass that immediately brings to mind the blues and jazz music of the Second City, while Waits delivers the empty promise that "everything will be better in Chicago."

A little later, "Talking At the Same Time" has him singing a little falsetto and absent of rasp, yet the tremolo-laden guitar and the tickling piano provide the smooth background for him to get away with it. And all that smoothness gets eradicated with "Get Lost," a faster soul tune about the attraction of the leaving the mundane behind. The fast and raw is perfectly set off with the slow and smokey. There's even some Latin influence on "Back In the Crowd."

Every track is exemplary of his absolutely masterful songwriting talents. "Face To the Highway" describes some of the many things that want, animate or not. There's "Kiss Me," which illustrates the unbridgeable gap between the beginning and end of a relationship. The crushing loneliness of "Last Leaf" will bring you to your knees. "Hell Broke Luce" will help release some of that pent-up frustration with war. But ultimately everything is more or less resolved with some conflicted cynical optimism on "New Year's Eve."

There is no doubt in my mind that Waits' fans new and old will find that Bad As Me fits perfectly in line with the unbelievable body of work that dates back to 1972. The album is set to release on October 24. Get it here. You won't be disappointed.

Misfits "The Devil's Rain"

This is the first studio release of original material in twelve years for legendary punk group The Misfits. Bassist/founding member Jerry Only continues to hold down vocal duties since 2003's Project: 1950. And unlike many releases from groups already deemed "legendary," this album is really solid.

A storm comes in during the opening title track and sets up a very well produced, but undeniable Misfits record by utilizing all the classic elements that earned them their stature. The title, like many in the past, comes from a campy horror film starring William Shatner, and with titles like "Land of the Dead" and "Curse of the Mummy's Hand," there is no shortage of B-movie chills. The drums, laid down by Eric "Chupacabra" Arce, are as big and relentlessly driving as ever and Dez Cadena's crunchy guitar breaks only for screaming leads.

Only's crooning vocals are great on a couple of levels. They are reminiscent of the group's Danzig years while being different enough to establish this as a new chapter in their sound (and surpasses the albums sang by Michael Graves). There are plenty of "whoa-ohs" to keep the listener singing along and with lyrical content on songs like "Jack the Ripper" and "Monkey's Paw," they've done a great job of integrating the core elements of their Horror Punk signature.

Not everything about The Devil's Rain is good ol' fashioned Misfits however. Likely due to their study of the genre for Project: 1950, there are strong overtones of 1950's pop, especially for songs such as "Cold in Hell," "Monkey's Paw" and "Where Do They Go?" The result is a little like Frank Sinatra singing a Halloween album. Also the quality of the recording is very heightened and clear, which takes a couple of listens for the longtime fan to get used to but ultimately works very well.

It's impossible to tell if The Devil's Rain contains any classics that will match "London Dungeon" or "We Are 138," but at least it's a good sign that they aren't slowing down or moving in an unsavory direction (if only the same could be said for Metallica and Lou Reed). You can download it here.

Bjork "Biophilia"

For years Bjork has maintained the type of unpretentious weird that Lady Gaga can only aspire to. The Icelandic pop star will release her eighth solo record, Biophilia, tomorrow. She partnered with NPR's First Listen to allow fans to stream the entire album through their website.

It opens calmly with "Moon," which was released as a single. Dynamically and rhythmically varying, it's a powerful cosmic lullaby that sets the tone aptly for the rest of the album. The sound builds from there and by the end of the third song, "Crystalline," aggressive electronic elements sneak their way in. It leads to spurts of complicated polyrythmic drum programming akin to Aphex Twin or Squarepusher that contrast beautifully with Bjork's emotional singing style. "Sacrifice" is a prime example and a real highlight of this release.

The lyrics carry strong scientific and nature-inspired overtones including a brief history of the Universe on "Cosmonogy." The vast expanses of space and the shifting of plate tectonics are applied as interesting metaphors for human relationships especially on "Mutual Core" near the end.

It closes with "Solstice," which is very much a reprisal of the opener and again features single plucked notes as the only accompaniment to the vocals. It brings the listener completely around again to the calm darkness of a new moon. Wonderfully complex and balanced with heartbreaking simplicity, Biophilia is one of those well-constructed concept albums that aren't easily picked apart or separated into strong and weak tracks. Each song here is a crucial part of the whole that hypnotizes the listener until its conclusion. You can download it here starting tomorrow.