New Folk Implosion

Sebadoh might have been one of the defining bands of the indie-rock revolution, but it seems Lou Barlow's side project the Folk Implosion was built to last. The New Folk Implosion, despite its name, provides a fine example of what Barlow has always done best: soulful rock music that captures the poetic shyness and sense of inadequacy of its maker. Barlow's lo-fi edge mellowed into a loose sonic adventurousness long ago. Here, ex-Sebadoh drummer Russell Pollard's rhythms are occasionally augmented by fluid loops. There's nothing as immediately hooky as "Natural One," the group's unlikely hit from Larry Clark's controversial teen movie Kids. But those still mourning the passing of Sebadoh ought to find what they're looking for in the windswept "Releast," "Creature of Salt," and "Pearl." --Louis Pattison