October, 2017 RollingStoneAus.com | Rolling Stone | 87
Anna of the North
Lovers Liberation ★★★
Norway/New Zealand electro-
pop duo debut with promise
Oslo-based vocalist Anna Lot-
terud and NZ producer-com-
poser bandmate Brady Dan-
iell-Smith deliver their first
full-length release amid ample
hype. Debut single “Sway”
spawned an online hit remix
from the Chainsmokers, while
Lotterud can boast collabs
with Tyler, the Creator along-
side Frank Ocean. A breakup
album, Lovers is a likeable show
of soft-focus pop programming
that weds cavernous Nordic chill
(“Moving On”) with synths and
samples that situate the pair in
a distinctly John Hughes OST
mode. Less vocally expansive
than, say, Vérité, Lotterud is a
frequently beguiling presence
nonetheless. The remix poten-
tial here is immense. G.H.
The Killers
Wonderf ul Wonderf ul Universal
★★★½
Las Vegas rockers hit targets with
aff ecting, arena-built anthemsBrandon Flowers has grown
up a little. He’s now big enough
to poke fun at himself in “The
Man”, the fruitiest Killers track
ever made, and willing to let his
guard down lyrically and make
some pretty vulnerable songs
about his wife’s childhood aban-
donment (“Wonderful Wonder-
ful”); depression (“Rut”); and af-
fairs of the heart (“Some Kind
of Love”). Pairing with long-
term producer Stuart Price and
Jacknife Lee (U2, Taylor Swift)
has paid dividends – soaring an-
thems like “Run for Cover” and
“Tyson vs Douglas” are shame-
lessly emotive, yet undeniable.
While they haven’t eclipsed their
earliest work, the Killers are
ageing gracefully. ANNABEL ROSSTori Amos
Native Invader
Decca/Universal ★★★★
Nineties legend traverses deep
and dark terrainA powerful sense of forebod-
ing hangs over Amos’s 15th
studio album – unsurprising
given it was written in the after-
math of her mother’s stroke and
Trump’s election win. Rarely
has she sounded so troubled or
her songs so murky, but repeat
listens reveal some remark-
ably emotive songwriting, par-
ticularly on tracks where the
grand piano dominates, such
as swirling opener “Reindeer
King”. Elsewhere, Amos revis-
its the sonic and thematic ideas
of 2002’s Scarlet’s Walk, weav-
ing electric and acoustic gui-
tars around her keyboard lines
on the brilliant “Bats” and “Bro-
ken Arrow”. This is potent, un-
settling stuff. DAN F. STAPLETONMogwai
Every Country’s Sun
Spunk/Caroline ★★★★
Scottish post-rockers’ ninth LP
shows them at their heavy bestGlaswegian post-rock heavy-
weights Mogwai have finally
reached the level of notoriety
that they deserve. Thanks to
some high-profi le soundtrack
work and buzz-worthy live
shows, this predominantly in-
strumental band have gone
from strength to strength over
their nine studio albums. Every
Country’s Sun doesn’t off er up
any surprises, but is comfort-
ing in its resolve to be simply a
great Mogwai record. From the
electronic synth rave of opener
“Coolverine” through to the epic,
distortion-drenched title track,
this is exactly what we’ve come
to expect from Mogwai, a band
at the peak of their powers hold-
ing true to their vision. MATT COYTEBeaches
Second of Spring Chapter
★★★★
Melbourne psych-rock quintet
shine with double album
Beaches may not have set out to
reinvent the psych-rock wheel,
but they have produced a stun-
ning, defining album. The
songwriting boasts maturity
(“September”, “Be”), while the
interchanging vocals are hyp-
notising (“Calendar”, “Wine”,
“When You’re Gone”). Moments
of grittiness (“Arrow”, “Moth-
ers and Daughters”) are bal-
anced with moments of immer-
sive beauty (“Golden”, “Natural
Tradition”). A 17-track record
made to be listened to in full,
Second of Spring doesn’t over-
indulge; each song has its place
and threads together in forming
a textured musical tapestry built
to last. SOSE FUAMOLI
One oft repeated phrase in the
wake of Donald Trump’s election
victory was that it might at least
give rise to some great music.
And if there’s a band for which
these times were made, it’s surely Rage Against
the Machine. But with frontman Zack de la
Rocha concentrating on other endeavours, we
get the next best thing: Prophets of Rage, AK A
Rage Against the Machine with Public Ene-
my’s Chuck D and Cypress Hill’s B-Real han-
dling vocal duties.
The anger on their debut album is righteous,
B-Real rapping “Poverty hit home like a war
zone/Check America’s pulse, heard a death tone”
in “Unfuck the World”, while Chuck D’s bari-
tone is a formidable foil for Tom Morello’s trade-
mark riffi ng. At their best – see the monstrous“Hail to the Chief ” and “Who Owns Who” (“The
government can’t stand when the people take a
stand,” rail the MCs) – Prophets of Rage sound
capable of smashing through any wall Donald
Trump might build (or, at the very least, deto-
nating a mosh pit).
But not every song combusts in the same
manner: the “drones” chant of “Take Me High-
er” feels limp, as do B-Real’s tiresome dope ref-
erences in “Legalize Me”. It’s in these moments
that the absence of de la Rocha’s lyrical heft is
most sorely felt, and Prophets of Rage starts
to feel like a missed opportunity. But then you
get knocked on your head by another seismic
riff , and Chuck D winds up, and you start to
think that maybe, just maybe, this could be the
soundtrack to the revolution. ROD YATESProphets of Rage
Prophets of Rage Sony Music Australia
★★★ ★Ta k e t h e
Power Back
Rap-rock supergroup lob monstrous
riff s at the forces of evil