THE AFGHAN WHIGS Do To The Beast

It’s been 16 years since the last Afghan Whigs album, but frontman Greg Dulli is typically bullish from its first note. On crunching opener Parked Outside, he bellows: “If they want something more, give ‘em something new.” A reinvention is questionable, but this is a polishing of the band’s brand of emotionally-wrought soul rock. With the loss of troubled lead guitarist Rick McCollum, singer Dulli is in total control. As a consequence, Do To The Beast sounds as much like Dulli’s excellent post-Whigs projects, the Gutter Twins, his collaboration with Mark Lanegan, and rotating collective the Twilight Singers, as it does the Whigs. There are moments when the band reaches the pent-up energy and storytelling dramatics of their best work. It may not be “something new”, but Do To The Beast is a fine album.

8/10 – Mark Edwards

EELS The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett

In contrast to Eels’ last album, this is a sombre, low-key affair. It could almost be called a concept album, built around a particular love affair in which frontman Mark Oliver Everett, otherwise known as E, had and threw it away, only to later regret doing so. Whether you choose to heed his advice, or simply wallow in a beautiful collection of melancholic laments is up to the listener, but either way, this album will leave them feeling rewarded.

8/10 – Rob Barker

THE MENZINGERS Rented World

The fourth album from US punk rock/pop band The Menzingers smashes into life, all guns blazing with opening track I Don’t Wanna Be An A****** Anymore. Full of attitude and packed with quality, this bodes well for the rest of the record. Apart from the pace changes, there’s not a huge amount of variety, but Rented World is all well crafted and enjoyable.

7/10 – Mike Fletcher