I just discovered Vicki Anderson and her anthology “Mother Popcorn.” It’s good, consistent soul as she mirrors James Brown’s stage presence and charisma.

After a few years of releasing schlocky LPs that caused many to question the Chemical Brother’s artistic prowess in their “waning” years, but with the release of “Further,” fans quite likely will feel reminiscent for the break-beat goodness of”Exit Planet Dust,” and “Dig Your Own Hole.”

Yes, they’ve got a weird name that doesn’t add much to their introduction. Also, the album is all over the place, genre-wise, tempo-wise, and instrumentation-wise, but the EP is slightly new i that it provides an interesting experimentation with Doom aesthetics. I especially like this all-bass jam. It’s deep in the heavy, low-end sort of way.

Amazing, is all I can say about this band. Just about every song on their new album is absolutely blistering heavy metal. The vocals are tasteful and not overdone, and most importantly, the guitar work is AMAZING! Just wait till the 2:13 minute mark in the song below. Righteous.

Okay, so this band has become a nexus for contention. The original fans say that they have sold out. People who have never heard them say what’s the big deal. Then there’s the issue of those tasteless listeners who have discovered them on top 40 radio. So be it. I don’t care. I’ve been listening to these southern rockers since 2004’s “Aha Shake Heartbreak,” which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve seen the change they’ve undergone, and I can’t say I dislike it. A band–unless it’s churning out 30 minute death metal albums–must evolve for the sake of artistic development.