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Whether he’s just gotten tired of playing music for 20 years or whether we’ve just gotten tired of listening to him play music for 20 years, there’s a distinct sense of laziness to the latest project helmed by John Reis. His excellent taste and willingness to rock have been dependable touchstones, which makes the sluggish, by-the-numbers sound of See You in Magic that much more disappointing. Coming off a six-year stint that found him splitting his time between the blistering Hot Snakes, a reunited Rocket From The Crypt and the more garage-rocking Sultans, Reis should be more focused and powerful with the Night Marchers, but he just sounds winded. Midtempo numbers like “And I Keep Holding On” and “Open Your Legs” routinely promise roof-blowing thrills, but consistently show themselves to be half-formed, while “Jump in the Fire” – with its chiming ‘80s rock radio guitar passages – is probably the closest Reis has ever come to actually sounding pretentious. For a man with his pedigree, that’s probably the most criminal mistake of all.

Standout Tracks: “Closed for Inventory,” “Total Bloodbath” JASON FERGUSON