For a band's debut album to be described as a cross between Spiritualized and The Velvet Underground, it has to be pretty good. Three albums later, the Austin, Texas natives are bringing psychedelic-tinged rock dirge to the masses, but in a good way.
'Evil Things' features a menacing organ coda that shows comedy probably isn't high on the band's list of subject matter, but their line of dark songs works well for them. 'Holland' sounds like early Pink Floyd colliding with Editors, which is no bad thing, but the group are quick to return to the rugged, dusty, Americana-flavoured tones on 'Love Me Forever'. The group's work has featured on a number of soundtracks before now, and on this evidence, it's not hard to see why. 'War On Holiday' in particular, is a deliciously sinister slice of scuzzy rock and roll, and is all the more irresistable for it. For all the Velvet Underground connotations going on, The Doors are another legendary American group whose sound filter through often. 'I Hear Colors' is a great example of this, and you can imagine Jim Morrison and co belting this out live.
While the band may not be household names, they are
definitely a hard-working bunch, and fans of the darker side of rock will not
be disappointed.
Tracks: Indigo Meadow/Evil Things/Don't Play With Guns/Holland/The Day/Love Me Forever/Always Maybe/War On Holiday/Broken Soldier/I Hear Colors (Chromaesthesia)/Twisted Light/You're Mine/Black Isn't Black
★★★