MP3: Spirits of the Dead - White lady/Black rave
It just occurred to me this morning that the opening track of the new Spirits of the Dead album sounds an awful lot like Crystal Antlers, 'cept without the annoying LA-ness that band puts off. I don't want scrubby indie dudes making my psych-rock, I want rock'n'roll dirtballs who look like they stepped out of a time machine. Not that I'm 100% sure I wouldn't be annoyed by Spirits of the Dead in person, but they do have a guy in the band named Deadly Nightshade and their sound is far cleaner, tighter and more controlled than Crystal Antlers could ever hope to me. Listen to the muscular rhythm section on that boogie-woogie bass riff - not a single extra note out of place, nor a poorly placed cymbal hit to be found. Compare and contrast. Deadly Nightshade vs. Sexual Chocolate? The songwriting is better too, even if just for the extended dynamic range the Spirits offer. "White lady/Black rave" does overstay its welcome past the 5-minute mark, but the positive outweighs the negative to my ears. Even when overindulging, they're too modest to totally freak out and lose it. Still, it's nice to hear someone holding back. Lessons can be learned here.
Spirits of the Dead - White lady/Black rave