VALIENT THORR “The world is full of bills we cannot pay,” howls Valient Thorr’s frontbeard Valient Himself near the end of “No Strings Attached,” a triumphant little anthem from the upcoming LP Our Own Masters. “Been saving up to pay them back,” he continues, turning around what initially seemed to be sociopolitical commentary and drawing the listener into a big, sweaty bear hug. And that’s one thing these Raleigh — err — Venus-based boogie-metal dudes do exceptionally well. The music’s always a ton of fun, even when they rail against this system or that. The guitar heroics and absurd inverted motorcycle machismo practically scream “we’re in this together.” Maybe men are from Venus after all.

Corbie Hill