Dead Oceans
STRAND OF OAKS - Hard Love LP
$37.95
Green swirl vinyl.
About as big, dumb, and guitary as big dumb guitar rock gets. But fun! Very fun, in fact- at least through the first and last thirds. "Radio Kids" is unintelligent but nonetheless great, just the kind of huge guitar bombast that's been unfortunately falling out of fashion as of late. "Rest of It" is good because it's a blues rock song that actually understands the point of blues- so much of the genre has sounded lazy and complacent in the past few years (thanks for that, Black Keys), and it's refreshing to hear a blues song that actually sounds restless and anxious and frustrated like it's supposed to. Elsewhere, "Everything" succeeds mostly based on the swagger of its leads and crunchiness of its rhythm playing- one of those songs that would be nothing without the guitars.
About as big, dumb, and guitary as big dumb guitar rock gets. But fun! Very fun, in fact- at least through the first and last thirds. "Radio Kids" is unintelligent but nonetheless great, just the kind of huge guitar bombast that's been unfortunately falling out of fashion as of late. "Rest of It" is good because it's a blues rock song that actually understands the point of blues- so much of the genre has sounded lazy and complacent in the past few years (thanks for that, Black Keys), and it's refreshing to hear a blues song that actually sounds restless and anxious and frustrated like it's supposed to. Elsewhere, "Everything" succeeds mostly based on the swagger of its leads and crunchiness of its rhythm playing- one of those songs that would be nothing without the guitars.
