STACK #126 Apr 2016

MUSIC

REVIEWS

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The Living Eyes Living Large

Dallas Frasca Love Army

WTF; who are these guys and why wasn’t I informed earlier? Ferocious guitars and an ethos akin to dirty garage at warp speed, kinda like imagining Man or Astro-man collaborating with an early Misfits lineup. Don’t believe? Crank up track six, Guilty Pleasures – yeah, see what I mean? From the opener High Standards, through the afore- mentioned cracker and winding up at the upbeat Lighten Up , you’ve ploughed through 10 tracks of joy in less than 30 furiously flawless minutes. They’re just kids, they’ve just started – catch ahold of ‘em before they burn out and destroy the joint. It’s as if The Arctic Monkeys all actually grew a pair. Chris Murray ( Remote Control/Inertia)

A potent live act, Dallas Frasca have long threatened to make a great record, and Love Army , their third album, shows frontwoman Frasca is heading in the right direction, starting with the thumping opener Success is the Best Revenge. A bluesy belter, Frasca is like a more raucous version of Mia Dyson, and at times she also reminds of Oz rock heroines Chrissy Amphlett and Suze DeMarchi. Love Army welcomes all comers; if anything, it’s a little too diverse, swinging from heavy riffing to the hypnotic 10-minute title track and even a Spanish-influenced closing cut. Jeff Jenkins ( Social Family/Universal Music)

The Mountain Goats Beat the Champ Leave it to the bard of underdogs who once immortalised “the best ever death metal band in Denton” to devote an entire album to amateur wrestlers. Yes, hot off the acclaimed release of his debut novel, Wolf in White Van, John Darnielle takes his decades-old band into the ring for one of the best entries in his lengthy discography. It’s ambitious not just

lyrically but musically, swinging from woozy orchestral tinges in Southwestern territory and something like acoustic metal on Werewolf Gimmick, to jazzy piano and drums on Fire Editorial and noisy indie rock on Choked Out. Likewise, Darnielle’s voice ranges from serenading sweetness to ranting bark, and he’s at the top of his storytelling game as he evokes the sweat and absurdity of the sport: "Full werewolf off the buckle like an angel straight from hell,” goes one of the most memorable lines. In the hands of most songwriters, masked wrestlers would be purely the stuff of comedy, but Darnielle finds a touching poetry in hopeful contenders willing to “black out for local TV.” These songs still manage to be funny, but with the utmost sympathy for their subjects. An instant classic. DougWallen ( Remote Control/Inertia)

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Ron Sexsmith Carousel One

Waxahatchee Ivy Tripp

Alabama Shakes Sound and Colour Tousled indie rock meets old- school R’n’B and soul in Alabama Shakes. The Alabama quartet co-produced their second album in Nashville with rising star Blake Mills, capturing the full range of their boisterous sound. From honeyed falsetto to fiery catharsis, singer/guitarist Brittany Howard nails down a lot of different moods. Don’t Wanna Fight evokes early Black Keys, Gemini is a sleepy epic, and the title track sends shivers down the spine. The album’s second half abandons much of the first half’s momentum, unfolding as more of

The Go! Team The Scene Between When The Go! Team announced their arrival on debut album Thunder, Lightning, Strike , you got a strong sense of the energy of the outfit before you even heard a note. The dramatic title and exclamation point in the band name were all suitable markers for an act who knew how to make an impression. The Scene Between is their fourth album, and perhaps the closest in spirit to that debut. Vibrant samples and brash percussion drive the songs, and there’s an overall exuberance to the whole album that is energising. Producer Ian Parton knows a good melodic hook when he hears one, and there’s plenty on offer here, complemented well by a range of guest vocalists. SimonWinkler ( Shock)

Despite having 15 albums under his belt, Canada’s Ron Sexsmith remains more cult hero than household name. Carousel One is another quietly rewarding effort from him, named after his regular luggage pickup spot at Los Angeles airport. Sexsmith moves smoothly across pop, country, blues, and rock, warmed by an all-star band and that lullaby voice. It’s light and easygoing yet deceptively well-constructed. He may get no closer to a commercial breakthrough with this record, but it should still win the heart of anyone who does hear it. DougWallen (CookingVinyl/Universal)

A ‘brighter’ sound as opposed to her previous efforts, Katie Crutchfield (yes, it’s pretty much just her under a moniker dedicated to her favourite lake in Alabama) is hard to sonically pin down, but it's always a strong and simplistic folk/slightly pop journey through many thoughts, dreams and sunrises that could turn into the harshest of storms. It’s up to your own frame of mind which road you’ll subconsciously travel; Blue stretches you over relationships current and imaginary with that cool breeze of reality, while Air arouses a personal standing-to-attention, forcing you to deal with the previous thoughts. Yes, she’s that good at orchestrating an entire ‘selfie-film’ in your mind. You ready for that intensity? Well here’s your lady. Chris Murray (Liberation/Universal)

a slow burn. DougWallen ( Remote Control/Inertia)

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