Weary Heads : " Slowest Century"

Atlanta is always a few years behind New York and L.A. to the point that I though they were going to miss the boat altogether on the post-punk revival thing that started up six years ago. Here is an Atlanta act that is making an attempt and picking up this torch. At first listen these guys hit me as being what A Place to Bury Strangers might sound like if they were a lo-fi electronic act ? These guys have. They are dark and murky. Feed back is their friend. The guitar often over powers the little drum machine these guys have.  At times they muster up something that is raw enough to remind you of Swans, when they were in dingy New York cellars. They go for a more shoze glazed take on garage with "Guide". It has more of a Sonic Youth feel at times. Then they get heavier on "White is the Color of Death" . The vocals retain their apathy going into the song then boil up into what all the singers in the mid 90's were doing that wanted to sound like Trent Reznor. They are capable for building the vocal in a more Helmet like roar. Speaking of Helmet, to "Crept You".  I suppose it should come across more like Godflesh , but that is not what happens, the chug over powers the song and it gets messier the noisier it gets and much like the 90's trying to hard to be industrial only turns into bad metal.

"Gent XTC" carries it's sluggish heft with a narcotic daze. With a little better production this song might have been more interesting. It serves as an intriguing glimpse into what these guys could possibly become. I think a real drummer is in order. There a nice sonic sprawls that just happen to not be as complimented by the vocals as what these guys heard in play back. " Sick Joe" is one of those "happy accidents" when you get high enough leaving the rec button on. It's a collage of noise, that wasn't that great when the Beatles did it with "Revolution 9" as works even less here. "Hit It" has some interesting sounds in collision, but is only a minute and a half so they are not given time to really turn into anything. Some even cooler sounds transpire on "Tension Rising". The bass tone is pretty killer on this one.  This sounds like an avenue this band would be smart to further explore. It ends up droning on this in a manner than almost wears out it's welcome.

"Lake Hall" turns out to be another interlude that just indulges in atmosphere without becoming an actual song. "O, Casilda" sounds like old Inxs covering "Greed". This is the first song I would really call post-punk. While some of their influences come from the more noise ridden fringes of that scene, there is little about these guys that has anything in common with what eventually evolved into what we would call goth even in the more industrious moments. The album starts strong and is dark through out the journey they take you on, they just happen to get a little lost along the way. I'll give this album a 7.5 and look forward to this project's more polished future attempts.