Of God and Science
Black Rabbit
(Detach)

From the beginning, two elements are going for Albuquerque’s Of God and Science: big, droning washes of ambient sound, and a relaxed, hypnotic groove. The bass slides easily in, but the last element to arrive, the vocal track, is also the least compelling. There’s no lack of talent—the intriguing layers of music create a dramatic tension that’s hard for singer Matt Dominguez to equal with his tenor tones. As the album progresses, the songs tend toward a less overtly dramatic feel, and Dominguez’ vocal style proves a better match. There are echoes of iconic pop bands of eras past, but the vibe is primarily post-psychedelic pop, spacey and mellow. The band’s chops are perhaps at their best in “Who Are You,” a song that veers from bubbly piano pop to ’70s guitar hero wailing. Black Rabbit is a weirdly good album—just when you think it’s all Pink Floyd, they grab the banjos. —James Heflin

*

Mastodon
Live at the Aragon
(Reprise/Sire)

Though I wasn’t totally in love with Mastodon’s major label debut Crack the Skye, I was convinced by friends that their earlier albums were more simply kick-ass and not so prog-rocked out. So when the band’s latest, Live at The Aragon (The Aragon is a ballroom in Chicago), arrived, I wasn’t unexcited. Alas, the performance once again falls into a trap of self-indulgent guitar finger exercises and over-present drum rolls. The riffs are often cool, but almost never last for more than four measures before changing, leaving listeners feeling like they can’t tap their toes to the beat unless their nervous systems are set to 11/8 time. The accompanying DVD does, however, show legions of fans (even girls) mouthing lyrics and pumping fists while disturbing video footage plays on the stage behind the band, and it’s not impossible to see why these guys are sometimes hailed as the Tool of Generation Z. However, like many icons of said generation, they just feel a little peddled. —Tom Sturm

*

Various Artists
Kris Needs presents…
Dirty Water: The Birth of Punk Attitude
(Year Zero)

Compiled by famed U.K. rock scribe Kris Needs, this fascinating collection offers an alternative history of the years leading up to punk. The received wisdom is that the early 1970s were a wasteland for rock, but Needs unearths compelling examples of nascent punk attitude in glam, pub, garage, and even certain strains of prog rock. He also connects the dots between the punk and hippie scenes with cuts by anarchist outfits like The Deviants and David Peel & The Lower East Side. Spread over two discs, Dirty Water is ultimately most valuable for the music itself. It includes rare cuts from legendary acts The Stooges, MC5, and T. Rex, cult favorites from The Monks, Flamin’ Groovies, and Dictators, plus revelatory tracks from obscurities like Zolar X and Jook. The set is beautifully packaged and Needs’ extensive essay convincingly argues this sprawling music belongs to the same thrilling continuum. —Jeff Jackson