This is the amazingly prolific Brian Jonestown Massacre’s thirteenth studio album, released on main man Anton Newcombe’s own “A Records” label. Showing typical disregard for commercial considerations, the entire album (an unmixed version) has been available for some time as a free download from the BJM website, and was recorded in Iceland and Liverpool last year.What you get here is representative of the fiercely independent, underground, mercurial and hugely gifted Newcombe in several ways. The first things that you will notice, before hearing a single note of the music, are the track titles ”“ provocative: 'Bring Me The Head of Paul McCartney on Heather Mills’ Wooden Peg (Dropping Bombs On The White House'; angry: 'Who Fucking Pissed in My Well?'; and potentially offensive: 'Just Like Kicking Jesus', 'Automatic Faggot For The People'. Interestingly, however, the titles seldom bear much relation to the music contained therein ”“ 'We Are The Niggers Of The World', for example, is a really rather beautiful classical-style piano composition which Anton apparently wrote as a teenager, and recorded here, drunk, in one take (a few stumbled notes can be heard, which are more endearing than otherwise).The archetypal BMJ sound, by which I mean use of an impressive and exotic-sounding range of instruments (sitars, mandolins etc), and a very psychedelic, trippy, acid-fried “vibe”, can be found most completely on the first two tracks ”“ the aforementioned 'Bring Me The Head”¦', and 'Infinite Wisdom Tooth/My Last Night In Bed With You'. As the album title suggests, My Bloody Valentine are a clear influence here, in particular on 'Golden ”“ Frost' and the drone-laden, hypnotic, and utterly compelling 'Who Cares Why'. Another influence can be heard in the distinctly Stone Roses-esque 'Monkey Powder' (the title perhaps a pun on Ian Brown’s “King Monkey” nickname?)Things take a darker and even more interesting turn on tracks like 'Ljosmyndir' (which my limited research suggests to be Icelandic for “photographs”), which is a disturbing collage of spoken voices ”“ presumably speaking in Icelandic ”“ which, without understanding what the words mean, drift in and out like some kind of ritual incantation, prayer or spell. 'Automatic Faggot”¦' continues in creepy mode with tortured shouts and screams punctuating the music. The sign-off track 'Black Hole Symphony' is an almost tuneless protracted drone, that sweeps you along with it as it builds to a crescendo at the album’s finish.A fleeting insight ”“ perhaps ”“ into Newcombe’s state of mind is offered in 'Yeah ”“ Yeah', when he sings “Voices of angels sing in my head / Tell me don’t worry, I’m already dead”. On the evidence of this fine work, it is to be hoped that those angels’ voices keep on singing, or he at least keeps drawing inspiration from wherever it may come for his music. A ludicrously talented one-off, we need more artists like Newcombe to entertain, challenge and inspire us. 80%Look out for out interview with Anton Newcombe next week...Links Brian Jonestown Massacre [official site]