A dazzling effort of low-fi music, Arkham brings in the artillery with their highly anticipated release, the daring Freak Power Candidate. This record was recorded in a month and a half on a shoe-string budget and delivered with quality and assurance as a successful result. With the combined talents of this foursome, lead singer and songwriter Ben Bailey exposes his vulnerability to the masses, while lead guitarist Kevin Burwick and bassist Chris Norman add breathtaking instrumental prowess. Billy Pena continues to be the driving force and wave-like presence behind the band on percussion. Look for tracks that bleed with raw release of fury and emotion, such as “The Cheque’s in the Mail,” “JFKFC,” and the mysteries of “Curse of the Finger Tarantula.” Passionate and ridged, this record holds its place as a local rock gem, filled with great strides of dynamics and electrically charged writing formulas. – Shawn M. Haney