From the first 60 seconds of the self-titled Black Mountain CD, you know that you are hearing something unique. An indie rock vocalist, deep, booming sax , and a joyful chorus is sung by a 70's sounding choir. Two tracks in, "Don't Run Our Hearts Around" is conversely dark and foreboding, with the guttural, Zeppelin-esque guitar. Black Mountain moves fluidly between very hard-to-near-psychedelic rock (with great, languid vocals courtesy of frontman/songwriter Stephen McBean and occasional lead/vocal doubling by Amber Webber, who shines especially brilliantly in the darkly emotive "Heart of Snow"). Most of the Vancouver band have been together for years under the moniker Jerk With A Bomb and later Pink Mountaintops. Though JWAB has been adored for years on Canada's West Coast it is Black Mountain's impressive debut has allowed them to truly break out, gaining substantial U.K. and U.S. press in the process. The disc is truly beautiful on the ears, filled with gorgeous dynamics, crisp, discordant playing and impressive production to boot. The music copies no one, but hearkens flashes of Pavement, Neil Young, Songs: Ohia, Nico, Jethro Tull--point being great players, fierce songwriting and unique timeless music makes this a mood-evoking lo-fi masterpiece. --Denise Sheppard (Review copyright Amazon.co.uk)