Iceage - Plowing into the Field of Love (2014)

Moving up in production weight class is almost always a tough thing to pull off, but Iceage’s new album verifies that the group is willing to make that jump. And don’t worry, they still have those big hairy guitars, wild drums, and gnashing vocals, but now their jagged sound is tempered by gleaming brass and pretty arrangements. There’s really only one thing missing on this album, and that’s Iceage. Now, you can definitely hear those handsome Swedish devils on thumpers like “Abundant Living,” but the rest of the album feels like it’s stuck in a Nick Cave phase—just listen to “Against the Moon” and tell me that doesn’t sound like a B-side to “Slowly Goes the Night.” Although this album largely gestures towards a new sound, it’s going to be interesting to see if this new sound will either put the boys on the ropes or keep them swinging.