After making two albums that suggested they existed in a time warp that allowed them to travel back and forth from the '70s on a regular basis,
Sweet Apple
have landed somewhere else. The third album from the indie rock supergroup, 2017's
Sing the Night in Sorrow
, sounds significantly less decade-specific than their previous work, though their smart but high-impact mix of rock guitar and pop melodies still provides the backbone for these ten songs. At its best,
recalls singer/guitarist
John Petkovic
's work with unsung '80s heroes
Death of Samantha
, only with bigger guitars and grander production. And while this music has a greater pop sensibility (and more acoustic guitars), it feels leaner and more concise than
Love & Desperation
or
The Golden Age of Glitter
. Though the melodramatic "A Girl and a Gun" and "Summer's Gone" (as well as the faintly psychedelic "Crying in the Clouds") show off
's moody, lower-key side, most of the time this band is still committed to the rock, and these guys absolutely know how to deliver.
Petkovic
's lead vocals are still full of irony-free bombast, he and
Tim Parnin
know how to make their guitars do their loud-and-proud bidding,
J Mascis
bashes away at his drums like he was born to it (he also adds guitar solos on three tracks), and
Dave Sweetapple
's bass holds the music together with subtle strength. While
Mark Lanegan
,
Robert Pollard
, and
Rachel Haden
all lend their vocal talents to the album, this music unshakably reflects this band's unique personality, and though their sound is evolving, their skill, force, and subtle wit remain unchanged.
suggests any number of new directions
could take, while showing they still haven't forgotten how to turn up the amps and kick out the proverbial jams. ~ Mark Deming