Pink Mountaintops — Axis Of Evol

It's one thing that Stephen McBean found time to record a Pink Mountaintops album in the midst of Black Mountain's big year. It's another thing entirely that Axis Of Evol is another triumph for Canada's new king of fuzzy rock. The second record from McBean's other mountainous band is an expansion on the anti-formula of their self-titled debut. Not one track is the same as another. Minimalist guitars, beeps and a thundering bass drive "Cold Criminals," while a drum machine and a choir of McBean associates fuel the celebratory "Lord, Let Us Shine." That's not to suggest there isn't cohesiveness. In fact, between the warm lo-fi fuzz and McBean's unmistakable vocals, Axis Of Evol is solid as a rock.

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