The veteran Rhode Island alternative rock and post-punk band fronted by Kristin Hersh return with an 11th studio album with a strikingly different sound - a stripped back, almost-unplugged acoustic release of restrained but haunting power. As usual, Hersh’s voice has a husky, witchy, snarly menace, and is really on top form in this supremely measured backing of brisk, acoustic guitar strums, muted percussion, bass, and Pete Harvey’s cello. It has some echoes of the atmospheric power of Nirvana’s acclaimed Unplugged album. So less is definitely more here, with twisting songs of near-death experiences, trauma, anguish and survival. The instantly arresting opener, Summer of Love is described, rather accurately as “a haunting baroque overture, bowed and brooding.” Drugstore Drastic charts a town of out-of-control addiction and helplessness, with people “moving weirdly slow-mo”. You’re Clouds is a dark, waltz-time love song of manic obsession and despair. Albatross is “just trying to keep us alive”. Taut, tangible emotions and experience are brought into visceral perspective by these songs, finishing with the celestial opening up of the closing track, a finale to one of the band’s best LPs to date. Out on Fire Records.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new songs and albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: