Oh, to have long hair. Jennifer Herrema’s got it and you can just picture the RTX frontwoman and rock sorceress whipping it around and around until her brain cells turn to pudding. RTX’s third album has hair-metal galore, and when the band’s not thrashing about, it’s in the midst of a talk-box-heavy space-out. Then Herrema’s voice rises to a scream and another chaotic rant ensues. Not a live album, but intentionally under-produced, JJ Got Live RATX is tight-pants-wearing rock that keeps it real and very loud. (SM)
Lindsey Buckingham Gift of Screws (Warner Bros.)
Wound up in his ways, Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac symbolizes the bits and pieces of a stellar career that’s faded gracefully in Gifts of Screws . The album stirs all the right emotions. For better or worse—he’s prone to excess in the production department—the delay and reverb are heavy and the mood thick. Buckingham’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has been putting out solo albums since 1981. The man can do whatever the hell he wants. And for the majority of Gift of Screws , that’s OK with me. (JH)
The Ringers Headlocks & Highkicks (Fort Mason Records)
Veteran of SXSW and supporter of the modernized mullet, The Ringers returns with a sophomore album filled with playful beats. Staffed by L.A. natives, the band brandishes an indie rock that’s fun, energetic and in-your-face, while loading Headlocks & Highkicks with chillaxed songs like "Back Seat Lover" and "Kamikaze Heart." If the name rings a bell, it could be because the band is popping up on movie and TV show soundtracks like Accepted and "Miami Ink." On tour now with Authority Zero, H&H sets the bar high for The Ringers’ live performances. (TA)
