A dumb thing done in an interesting way can still be a dumb thing.

Welsh poli-punks hate Reagan and Thatcher as much as me, but they don’t share my fondness for melody or hooks.

Released a few months after Ian Curtis hung himself. Impossible not to hear as a suicide note, although the grooves eventually worm their way to the surface.

Melodically muted, rhythmically stunted. They’re a guitar band, I get it. But then why aren’t the guitars more interesting?

Brazilian heavy metal. Loud, aggressive, precise, definitely virtuosic. But despite all their rage, I just don’t feel the music.

Afro-Brazilian-Samba record. Released in 1976. Joyful, no doubt. Probably means more if you were there in the first place.

A dumb thing done in an interesting way can still be a dumb thing.

Welsh poli-punks hate Reagan and Thatcher as much as me, but they don’t share my fondness for melody or hooks.

Melodically muted, rhythmically stunted. They’re a guitar band, I get it. But then why aren’t the guitars more interesting?

Released a few months after Ian Curtis hung himself. Impossible not to hear as a suicide note, although the grooves eventually worm their way to the surface.

Brazilian heavy metal. Loud, aggressive, precise, definitely virtuosic. But despite all their rage, I just don’t feel the music.

Jazz fusion as elevator music. Next.

Nu metal and/or prog band from an era when the dumbest rock groups hit pay dirt. These guys aren’t dumb. But Brandon Boyd is pretty pretentious — more ego than melody. Which is why “Drive” is such a welcome relief from their post-grunge squal

Blues icon at 66 with nothing left to prove makes an album full of shit-hot riffs and ebullient charisma.

Brit-pop group loves The Beatles, but only “Revolver” era Beatles. Which ain’t bad, but they can’t even write a song as good as “Taxman.”