I saw Australia’s Clowns play a few weeks ago and was in awe at the flying hair, dripping sweat, and constant movement of vocalist Stevie Williams. Despite there being four other band members, it was nigh on impossible to pull my eyes away from him. Much like Zach Quinn of Pears, his performance was visceral and exciting. Lucid Again displays a band treading new pastures, as lengthier songs— verging on Fucked Up territory—temper the feverish offerings found on previous releases. This is demonstrated by the album containing five fewer tracks than its predecessor, although Bad Blood did include the eleven-minute “Human Terror,” which the band has clearly built upon here. Lucid Again has the sense of being a defining moment for Clowns yet does not hint at a band about to reach a plateau. –Rich Cocksedge (Poison City, [email protected], Poisoncityrecords.com)