Description:
There's a lot to like about Down Below, the Seattle-based noise-rock quartet's seventh full-length. Guitarist Chris Martin adds vocals to the group's highly textured music for the first time. The production--courtesy of Randall Dunn (Boris, Sunn O))), Earth)--is crisp yet dense, but it feels like the group is trying to do too many things at once. But it's a growing pains record, and one that will probably make the most sense in hindsight, after we see where they've gone next. The group's trademark psychedelic, detuned-drone explorations have given way to more sludgy and heavy Sabbath-style riffage, combined with more convention
There's a lot to like about Down Below, the Seattle-based noise-rock quartet's seventh full-length. Guitarist Chris Martin adds vocals to the group's highly textured music for the first time. The production--courtesy of Randall Dunn (Boris, Sunn O))), Earth)--is crisp yet dense, but it feels like the group is trying to do too many things at once. But it's a growing pains record, and one that will probably make the most sense in hindsight, after we see where they've gone next. The group's trademark psychedelic, detuned-drone explorations have given way to more sludgy and heavy Sabbath-style riffage, combined with more conventional song structures. That's rarely a bad thing in and of itself. It just doesn't feel like the group fully owns their piece of the doom metal turf yet. Fans will surely enjoy these sonic fireworks, but the rest of us might do best to wait until the next one. Maybe they'll work more with that organ that sounds so righteous on "Child Had to Catch a Train"? One can surely hope. --Mike McGonigal
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Manufacturer: Sub Pop
Release date: 21 August 2007
EAN: 0098787074123 UPC: 098787074123
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