Loom takes the rage and riff stylings of Nirvana (often mixing the familiar chords of one Cobain song with the rhythm of another) and throws in a Britpunk chaser. So there are keyboards, guitar washes and a somewhat more uptempo feel.

Loom Loom (Silent Cult)

Many of these songs have circulated on singles and a cassette-only release from a couple years back. I believe these are new recordings, and if not, then they certainly have been remixed. If you're already familiar with the band, this set will pull all of those disparate releases together.

Tarik Badwan has a real presence as a singer, and the band follows his lead. When he wants a song to sound like a long-lost Nirvana track, it does. When he veers into other sides of the post-punk world, he appropriates those sounds just as well. His red-hot anger makes this a blistering set.

I imagine there are those who would dismiss this as yet another Nirvana rip-off. And, I admit, some of the references are a bit too close for my comfort as well. Loom translates them into an English idiom, but still, they're there. In any case, I'd encourage listeners to get past that veneer and dive deep into what Loom is trying to do. This is unfiltered rage, dressed up in modestly melodic and anthemic clothes. That's an energy I can always get behind.

Jon Worley