‘Faith No More’ Puts On A Speed-Metal Exhibition

Faith No More

“King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime” - Slash/Reprise

Even without guitarist Jim Martin, this San Francisco hard-rock band shows it can still deliver the goods to an eager fan base. And it does so with characteristic diversity, showing its mastery of speed metal (“Cuckoo For Caca”), power pop (“Digging The Grave”), grungy hard rock (“Ricochet”), and even jazzy, Steely Dan-inspired pop (“Evidence”).

Skid Row

“Subhuman Race” - Atlantic

Well-traveled New York-area band’s third studio album is as hard-edged and turbo-charged as its late ‘80s pop/metal predecessors, but updated to ‘90s standards, as an awareness of grunge and punk permeates tracks like “My Enemy,” “Firesign,” “Bonehead,” and the title cut. In all, a work that shows renewed vitality.

Radiohead “The Bends” - Capitol

Sophomore effort by U.K. alternative icons pushes the same modern rock buttons as their gold-certified debut, “Pablo Honey,” with Thom Yorke’s vocals shifting from caustic to mellifluous, and the band’s music from acoustic balladry to hard-rock riffing or from industrial noise to Beatles-inspired pop. The tracks are potential modern rock winners, capable of pushing “The Bends” to dizzying heights.

Steve Earle

“Train A Comin”’ - Winter Harvest

The name Steve Earle appears constantly on the influence lists of today’s crop of country up-andcomers. After years out of the loop, Nashville’s baddest boy emerges from the ozone with this strong collection of hard-edged new and old originals and a few choice covers.