Metalhorse＜限定盤/Silver Vinyl＞

Given the highs and lows Tor Maries experienced after releasing Cacti, its no wonder she envisioned Billy Nomates third album as a dilapidated fairground full of thrilling rides that could fall apart at any moment. Cactis acclaim led to greater exposure, including a performance at Glastonbury that received misogynistic online abuse because she dared to play solo with a backing track. On top of that, she lost her beloved father, with whom she lived for a time while she was getting her music career off the ground. Maries throws all of these wild twists and turns into Metalhorses dizzying, affecting snapshots of the times when "you want to jump out the merry-go-round," as she puts it on the loping title track. This is Billy Nomates first album as a full-fledged band, which feels more like a musical necessity than a concession to the haters. The albums fuller sound suits the classic rock tropes Maries introduced on Cacti, especially on the Springsteen-esque sweep of "The Test," and "Dark Horse Friend," a moody duet with Hugh Cornwell of her fathers favorite band, the Stranglers, but she keeps things unpredictable with the vivid use of sound effects -- revving engines, clattering slot machines -- that heighten the air of danger. Metalhorses sheen only makes Maries barbed songwriting that much sharper. Theres a real edginess to songs like "Nothin Worth Winning" (first line: "My best friends dyin"). Quips abound ("Why do all the vultures send flowers to me?," she wonders on "Override"s strut), but Maries sometimes makes more of an impact when she lets her guard down, as on "Comedic Timing" and "Strange Gift." As dark as her outlook is, she finds the courage to risk it all on love on "Plans," and when she crows "not even God could f*ck me over" on "The Moon Explodes," its a perfect example of the witty resilience that makes Metalhorse inspiring and often brilliant. ~ Heather Phares