:: Ogden Theater :: May 30 ::

The Cult Choice of Weapon Cooking Vinyl Records 4 out of 5 stars I have always been a bit split on The Cult’s musical output. On one hand when the band is in high gear and rocking out, they kick major ass. On the other hand — for me, at least — when the band slows the tempo they often throw off a symphonic, want-to-be The Doors vibe (Ian Astbury was a perfect fit for re-Formed Doors, no doubt) that makes me lose interest, the same way hearing more than one or two Rush songs in a row does. But Choice of Weapon shows the band returning with an effort on par with their platinum 1989 release Sonic Temple. The opening track “Honey From a Knife,” is difficult for any fan of a good beat to deny. The middle of the track features a tongue-in-cheek chant, “We got the drugs, we got the drugs in here,” that is as catchy as it is shocking. The next few tracks take on that mellow vibe I mentioned above, but it somehow feels much more contemporary. The album picks up considerably with “Lucifer,” a track I could see Glen Danzig doing on a future tribute album, and “A Pale Horse” also has a nice kick to it. This album is, for the most part, brilliant and a must-have for any longtime fan.               — DJ Hippie   :: Ogden Theater :: May 30 ::