Dragontown
Dragontown is a marked improvement on last year’s rather forgettable Brutal Planet, boasting more creativity, more range — both melodic and thematic — and, thankfully, more willingness to avoid the nu-metal territory staked out by younger bands. Some of Alice’s old flair is back, with the highlight being “Disgraceland,” an Elvis piss-take all done up in metal- rockabilly drag. The lyrics are a hoot and sung with a nasty lip curl — the sardonic playfulness harks back to the Goes to Hell era. “Triggerman” provides a racy opener for the album, “Fantasy Man” is a sexy-catchy boogie burst, while “Every Woman Has a Name” is a ballad in the classic Alice mold. While it may not be the Alice of Killer and School’s Out — that Alice doesn’t live here anymore — Dragontown is quasi-tasty stuff — sometimes exciting, other times a little ponderous — from an old pro with plenty of miles still left on the odometer.