The Breeders — Mountain Battles

The Breeders' fourth studio release, Mountain Battles, is the sound of a band using a proven formula while moving forward at the same time. Of course, the disc features the typical '90s guitar rock you'll find on their previous albums. "Bang On" bounces along to a thick beat and a slinky, almost cheeky rock riff and should soon become a favourite in indie clubs. Meanwhile, "Walk It Off" and "No Way" could easily fit on Last Splash. But the midsection is where things get really interesting. The fantastic cover of "Regalame Esta Noche" is sung overtop beautifully strummed guitar in near perfectly pronounced Spanish. On the other hand, "German Studies" is sung in (what's probably purposely) mispronounced German over a typical Breeders riff. Then there's the almost folky "Here No More," on which the Deal sisters will sing you to sleep, which is actually a good thing. Mountain Battles is a great update from one of the best bands of the '90s.

Get it from