Quick Hits, Vol. 74 (Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Revenge of the Dreamers mixtape, Shining, Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts)

Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats - The Night Creeper.  I have no clue where I found this one, but it reminds me of the Beatles, if they decided to make psychedelic metal.  I can't decide whether I like it, which likely means I don't especially like it.  The droning/fuzz boxed voice and repetitive crunch of the music leaves me a little wanting by the end of each listen.  The most listened-to track on Spotify is the album opener "Waiting for Blood," but I think this one ("Melody Lane") showcases the band the best.

I feel like I should like this.  But nothing in any of the songs turns me on - I never sat up in my seat at my desk today to take note of a particular song or turn of phrase or riff.  So I'll likely let this one go.

Various Artists - Revenge of the Dreamers II.  A song from this album/mixtape popped up the other day while I was listening to a rap-based radio station on Spotify, and I liked it enough to grab the album and throw it into my New Stuff playlist to check out later.  The album has several cuts featuring J. Cole, and then a bunch of people I've never heard of, like Bas, Cozz, Lute, Omen, Correy C, and Ari Lennox.  Those people need some marketing help with their rapper names.  No one is going to remember those names, at all.  The album is not bad, not great, but I think my favorite track is the one from Omen and Donnie Trumpet called "48 Laws."

I dig that beat, got that Jazzmatazz feel.  Lute's "Still Slummin'" is my second place track on here. Not an amazing album, but a welcome little 9 track set to break the monotony for a bit.

Shining - IX / Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends.  I want to say that the person who suggested this to me sold it as chilled metal.  Not so much.  The opener makes me think of that weird Trans-Siberian Orchestra thing that we have to hear every December for some reason, but then the super metal scream quadruple-time-drum attack kicks in and all you can do is wonder what language is being spoken.  I don't think you should listen to this album.  In case you are interested, here is "Vilja & Drom" (which is named "Vilja & Dr" on Spotify, likely because the umlaut breaks their system?)

Yep.  Cookie Monster knows Westrobothnian.

Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts - Blaster.  Good ol' Scoot Weiland.  He still sounds great on this album even if nothing on here is up to par with his best songs from STP.  I think my two favorite tracks are the T.Rex cover "20th Century Boy" and the album closer, "Circles."  This is an album where you can tell they got a big bump in listens from people only morbidly interested in the music. Everyone tried out the first song, maybe the first three, and then turned it off.  Play totals go like this: 81k, 60k, 40k, 32k, and then most of the album is in the 20k range.  Just kind of generically pleasant rock.  Here is my favorite, "Circles."

Nice little banjo-fied love song.  I feel a little bad not loving this album as a posthumous gift to my man Scott, but it isn't great.  Also isn't bad, just an OK listen for a few days.