Albums you need to hear now

Russian Circles

“Geneva”
(Suicide Squeeze Records)
I admit: Thunderous, instrumental rock isn’t really my thing. (If there’s anything else that needs to be done, it’s hard not to space out and forget music is even playing.) Yet it can’t be denied that Chicago trio Russian Circles continue to polish their epic approach on “Geneva,” which feels like a more well-balanced effort than the band’s last disc, “Station.” Where the previous album had songs that sometimes took too long to get going (patience is a virtue, but not when the structure becomes formulaic), “Geneva” offers tracks (like the hard-hitting title track and the amplified ‘70s rock of “Malko”) that hit the ground running and find a different structure than just quiet-quiet-quiet-loud-LOUD! (The slow-burn “Melee” also harnesses some pretty bitchin’ power.) The album still has its meandering moments, and overall I prefer the crazy unpredictability of an Omar Rodriguez-Lopez record. For the most part, though, if a rock band is going to let its instruments do all the talking, Russian Circles’ new songs are my kind of jams.
In concert: Dec. 12 at Lincoln Hall

Posted Oct. 19 by Matt Pais

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