Bubblegum

Credited to the Mark Lanegan Band since the former singer for the Screaming Trees is expanding his sonic palette beyond the basic quietude of his earlier solo albums (though no consistent band shows up track per track), Bubblegum has the feeling of an epic in progress. It's 15 songs in 50 minutes and a slew of guests accentuate the proceedings. PJ Harvey adds her eerie countenance to the highway chase of "Hit the City." Izzy and Duff from Guns N' Roses, his co-workers Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri from Queens of the Stone Age, and fellow Gutter Twin Greg Dulli contribute to the dark shadows of sound. Lanegan rests on top, adding his apocalyptic monotone to the slow, brooding menace of "When Your Number Isn't Up," a late night radio transmission vocal to the weathered and forlorn "Strange Religion," and a similar snarl to the somber "Morning Glory Wine." The entire album is driven by deep, resonating bass frequencies, as Lanegan's voice rattles the speaker, and the keyboards and bass guitar churn in the subliminal registers.