How Did I Find Myself Here?

Released in 1982, is generally regarded as the masterpiece in 's body of work, but stylistically it's also the outlier among their studio albums. The first lineup's " jams with " approach was truly bracing, but a look at their catalog reminds us it was a starting point from which consistently evolved, drifting away from their gritty roots. Their three subsequent albums -- 1984's , 1986's , and 1988's -- had distinct sonic personalities of their own as the musicians working with frontman and songwriter shifted with time. Given all this, it's at once surprising and expected that 2017's , the first album from the new edition of that unveiled in 2012, doesn't sound much like anything the group did in the past. To its credit, it doesn't sound like 's solo work, either; like 's best music, this is dominated by ferocious guitar interplay (in this case between and , who worked on 's solo projects and is the only non- veteran in this lineup), but here the attack is bigger and more forceful than their post- efforts, and trippier and more consciously psychedelic as well. This music has a spacy, exploratory feel, reinforced by the electric piano overdubs, though it doesn't meander, even on extended numbers like "Glide" and the title cut. And while this band can rock very hard when it wants to (cue up "The Circle" for evidence), it lacks the snarl that was part and parcel of 's earlier work, instead displaying a certain nervous cool. With , bassist , and drummer , has fashioned a band that possesses many of the virtues of 's best work -- smart songwriting, epic but non-cliched guitar figures, a willingness to explore the musical space without getting lost, and a rhythm section that holds all the diverse elements together -- without trying to replicate something created 30 years ago. And with the final track's contribution from original bassist , this band shows it can look back without being beholden to the past. If you're hoping for a sequel to isn't it. But if you want to hear a clever, ambitious, and blessedly noisy set from four people who know how to do it right, then 's return to duty will find an honored place in your music collection. ~ Mark Deming