UNKLE

Overcast with moody electronica and even moodier rock, War Stories tiptoes through nightmarish angst and lucid dreaminess. Helping the reveries come alive are guests like QotSA's Josh Homme, Massive Attack's 3D and the Cult's Ian Astbury. Each imprints their expertise clearly. Like desert-dusted, groovy guitars? Listen to "Restless." Enjoy dreamy downtempo? Play "Twilight." But whether you want to rock out or trip out, it's Astbury's tracks that should not be skipped. His resonant eeriness merges so well with U.N.K.L.E.'s atmospheric intricacies he might as well be in the band.