The Breeders: Mountain Battles

The Breeders' great skill has always been Kim

Deal's ability to pull seemingly random bits into something cohesive, both

within individual songs, and on an album level. On their fourth full-length in

18 years, Deal reunites with twin sister Kelley, as well as bassist Mando Perez

and drummer Jose Medeles, from 2002's Title TK, with some of the songs

recorded by Steve Albini. But without credits, it's easy to assume that Mountain

Battles consists

mostly of somewhat shaky solo Kim demos. There are exceptions, and they usually

rock, after a fashion, as on the deconstructed classic-rock opener "Overglazed,"

or the cross-harmonies-led lurch of "German Studies." But while Deal's music

has often been enhanced by its try-anything roughness, here, she sounds like

she's just hoping something will stick. But most of it is too

shapeless—from the Kelley-sung Spanish-language ballad "Regalame Esta

Noche" to the vaguely Eastern "Istanbul" to the drowsy pop of "Night Of

Joy"—to find much of a fit anywhere.