For Music Monday this week, I take a quick look at several new albums that have been released in the last couple of weeks. Fall music never sounded so good and so diverse.

KISS “Monster”

Monster
The marketing metal machine

I really thought KISS had completed more than 20 albums by now, but I must be thinking of the numerous hits and live albums that have been released since their debut in 1974. This album returns to the sound I really liked from 1992’s “Revenge” and it hits hard on just about all of the thirteen songs. The vocals by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are still very familiar and sound good for a couple of guys in their 50’s.

Standout Track: “The Devil Is Me”

Mumford & Sons “Babel”

Babel
strumming banjos and soulful vocals

One of the hottest bands a couple years ago when their debut album hit and became a smash. Now with a sophomore album under their banjo-playing belts, they do really well with the strong follow up. All of the tracks have a sound that blends together – almost too much to tell each song apart. If they can keep the music momentum up, we’ll be hearing this on alternative radio for many months.

Standout Track: “Hopeless Wanderer”

The Killers “Battle Born”

Battle Born
Softer and still kind of pop like

On this fourth album by this Las Vegas band, they tone it down some, even if track like “The Rising Tide” still crank out their familiar sound of prominent mixture of guitars and keyboards. Their last release “Day & Age” flowed a bit faster, but since then, they took a break as a band and must have decided they had a bit more music in them. As always, Brandon Flowers vocals stand out and are flawless in their delivery. But I still miss the faster and alternative sound of their first two albums “Hot Fuss” and “Sam’s Town”

Standout Track: “Flesh And Bone”

Hot Chip “In Our Heads

In Our Heads
Electronically New Order Like

I’ve heard some Hot Chip before, but not an entire album’s worth of tracks. My first impression is that I really like their sound a lot. Very calm, electronic and moderate beats. There are hints of New Order in this that makes it obvious they were an influence. I like the flow of the overall album and it’s catchy enough to stick around on my iDevices for a while.

Standout Track: “How Do You Do?”

Local H “Hallelujah! I’m a Bum””

Hallelujah
Chicago duo still cranks it out

I’ve been a Local H fan since “Bound For The Floor” hit the radio waves in 1996. On this new album, they return in part to the hard edge and screaming vocal lashes on many of the seventeen tracks, getting a little bit country and kind of slow on “Look Who’s Walking On Four Legs Again” and “Sad History” The hard guitar sound of Scott Lucas still stands supreme.

Standout Track: “Night Flight To Paris”

Have you heard any of the above albums? Comment away below with your take.