Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

6. Baroness - Purple (Abraxan Hymns)   Savannah, Georgia's Baroness returns with another intricate record that relies less on experimentation and focuses more  on tuneful songwriting than most of their earlier catalog. Their two guitar attack is clean and tuneful, and John Baizley's vocals hit a sweet spot between hardcore growler and 90s indie singer. Equal parts metal, indie rock, prog, and (dare I say it) hard rock, are all present in an inventive mix. "Shock Me" stands out with its tight drumming, clean guitars, and tasty phasers. The brilliant guitar solos and innovative arrangements are proof that Baroness is getting more interesting and dynamic with each new release. While they are rooted in metal, they continually push the boundaries of the genre, bringing in disparate elements from all over the musical landscape.  Purple relies more heavily on melody and  power, and Baroness effortlessly mixes its influences to create the last heavy musical hom...

13. The Sonics - This is the Sonics (Revox) Who would expect a band that hasn't released a record for more than forty years to rock so hard? This is the Sonics undoubtedly shows that rock and roll is not necessarily a young person's game. The Sonics prove they still have what it takes in spades, delivering a record that has all the power of their early recordings with the levels turned up to eleven. The recording sounds crisp and clean, and the band has power to spare. The mono recording captures the power and passion of a group that sounds psyched to still be playing together and does not lessen the sheer visceral impact of their chosen material and performances. While it does not quite match the intensity of their 60s recordings, the album packs a wallop. Gerry Roslie still has the pipes to belt out frantic rock and roll numbers and Larry Parypa plays some riffs that could teach the youngsters a thing or two. Rob Lind blows his sax with the expected squall. Th...