SOUND BITES

Being paired with a producer who's not Rick Rubin for the first time in almost 30 years (here, Danger Mouse takes the helm) must have gotten the Chili Peppers' creative juices flowing, because their 11th record is full of variety. That said, it all smacks of See-What-Sticks Syndrome, as the group labours through fits of syrupy balladry ( The Longest Wave ) '70s AM-inspired lite-rock ( Sick Love ), nu-disco ( Go Robot ), stoner rock ( This Ticonderoga ) and blues/soul ( The Hunter ) in addition to all the middle-of-the-road radio jams and kooky funk you've come to expect. At the end of the day, it's produced by Danger Mouse, so it's an easy, breezy, retro-minded record where some of the experiments work, some don't, and most of it comes out sounding like Broken Bells. June 17, 2016 • Warner Bros. Highlights The Getaway • Goodbye Angels • Dreams of a Samurai

Though it likely wasn't intended as a farewell album, Gord Downie's recent brain tumor diagnosis inevitably hangs over The Hip's 13th album with a harrowing sense of finality. If this indeed is the last LP we ever get from the band, they're at least going out like only they can; exploratory until the end, Man Machine Poem isn't afraid to take chances or veer wildly from conventional trappings. As clouded by recent knowledge as its message is, Downie's lyrics are more poignant and carry greater impact as a result. Add it up, and Man Machine Poem is a challenging and emotional record that may not rival the band's best work but most definitely serves as a reminder of why they're such a cherished Canadian institution. June 17, 2016 • Universal Highlights In a World Possessed By the Human Mind • Here, In the Dark • Ocean Next

Over 20 years removed from their debut, it would make perfect sense at this point for Garbage to draw from the well of nostalgia and coast on the goodwill of their early work. However, that's what the reissue of their debut LP last year was for; on album six, there are subtle reminders of their legacy but the majority sounds fresh and adventurous. By taking cues from both classic and modern alt-rock and indie, and applying the band's knack for hooks and Shirley Manson's inimitable smoky vocals, Strange Little Birds becomes an engaging and consistent record that ranks up with their best past work while simultaneously thrusting them into the future. June 10, 2016 • Stunvolume Highlights If I Lost You • Even Though Our Love Is Doomed • Amends

Why does this exist? Who is this for? People who don't have internet access nor a copy of Led Zeppelin II who want so desperately to listen to it but Wal-Mart happened to be sold out of the original so this will have to do? People who liked Led Zeppelin II but think it would be much better if it were given a loud modern master and performed by a band that isn't as good as Led Zeppelin? Does Train owe Led Zeppelin money and figure this is the best way to pay the debt? And, more to the point, just because a band has the ability to recreate a classic album pretty much note for note, should they? June 3, 2016 • Atlantic Highlights Led Zeppelin II

Considering the two highest profile Les Claypool releases since Primus' comeback album in 2011 have been a bluegrass-tinged collection of cover songs and a Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory tribute LP, Claypool's new joint project (sure, pun intended, why not) with Sean Lennon marks the first album of original material by the extraordinary bassist in about five years. Monolith of Phobos is predictably psychedelic given the involved parties, but Claypool's quirky observations and Lennon's more worldly views add an interesting dimension, a dynamic that keeps the record from hammering away at the same nail. Most importantly, the duo (who played every note you hear on this record) is engaged and energetic throughout and sounds like they had a great time exploring the craft together, which makes all the difference on a collaborative effort such as this. June 3, 2016 • ATO Highlights The Cricket and the Genie • Mr. Wright • Boomerang Baby

Fans of the Danish hard rockers' first five records shouldn't be put off too much by album number six, as it's by and large more of the same. However, this one does lean a lot harder on their melodic side, with nearly every track packing a radio-ready mindset. This might be bad news for those who prefer their meatier, more metallic songs, but this record was tailor made for radios and stadiums. That said, it's a very well executed Big Rock Record, rife with single material while even finding time for a few surprises (A choir? Bagpipes? A faithful cover of Georgia Satellites' Battleship Chains ?) to make any sense of stagnation a little easier to swallow. June 3, 2016 • Republic Highlights Marie Leveau • Black Rose • Battleship Chains

Informed by personal and professional hardship (singer/guitarist Stefan Babcock was diagnosed with a hemorrhaging cyst in his throat after extensive touring for the group's debut), The Dream Is Over is littered with doubt, anxiety and insecurity. However, what trumps it all on this record is the determination to persevere and the manic energy in the music that delivers this message. What could have easily been a hopeless journey becomes a statement of affirmation, an elbow to the chest of despondency and a raw triumph of a sophomore record. May 27, 2016 • Royal Mountain Highlights If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will • DVP • My Life Is Over and I Couldn't Be Happier