Are you ready for some new music? Here are The MidWasteland’s Top 3 Indie Album Releases for the week of 04.06. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Red Sparrows – The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer
The ominous loom of instrumental post-rock continues to hang over our heads, but through all the muddy clouds of stoned droning, Red Sparrows maintain a musical order. Like a wave of layered noise that sounds like actual Rock and Roll a good deal of time, the record mixes uplifting and almost anthemesque riffs with plenty of head banging left over. This is a perfect combination of Chicago sludge with that elongated and building force of Explosions in the Sky. The Fear is a pretty album, but don’t think they lost their thunder. In the middle of A Hail of Bombs comes a heavy blanket cast for a moment and leaves at just the right time, much like the rest of the album, scattered with high decibel ambience. It’s worth a listen.
Murder by Death – Good Morning, Magpie
The first two tracks are about booze, so this can’t be that bad. These Indiana Natives feel more like Old West time travelers or southern rag-timers with a sea shanty, country side of rock. Adam Turla’s vocals mirror a weathered and informed man singing along to the tails wrapped in each song. The haunting strings and organs roll in with a dramatic Tom Waits vibe in Piece by Piece to a faint flutter of Johnny Cash in Yes. This is definitely a dynamic and interesting album.
Dr. Dog – Shame Shame
In a world of unoriginality, where everything has been done before, Dr. Dog said if you can’t beat them, join them. There are no frills on this record. Just good old fashion Rock and Roll. Shame Shame sounds like it was recorded thirty years ago, referencing all the rock greats of yesterday, even having a little Flaming Lips vibe on Shadow People. It’s catchy and well produced and while that can be a turn off for many a cool kid, true pop music is magical and timeless, like when the Beatles started doing a lot of acid.