November is Doom - All Them Witches - "House of Mirrors"

Surprisingly, for a band this big, it's been crickets when it comes to their new album. Their last album got my attention; it was awesome, so I have high hopes for this one. It opens with even heavier Sabbath-like riffing. It makes me think of Queens of the Stone Age despite not having the punk boogie shuffle. It's more about how the vocals counterbalance the music. "Culling Line" builds out of a fragile simmer andd builds its groove with a great deal of blues in its veins. I can hear more Led Zeppelin in how this plays out. The more honky tonk ide of the blues moves "Aethernet". It is good for what it is, but you can only hear blue rock done so many ways until it sounds the same. Great guitar playing regardless. 

There is a more winding bass line weaving through the blues boogie of "Hold Up Say What?" which implements a well-placed melodic breakdown. 'Go Getter" feels like it is more of an interlude leading into 'Startling Line" which is the best song of the album so far as it places melody first while still grooving.  "Turn on the Light" is a shuffle that took a second listen for me to put together any thoughts on it, there was a feeling it gave that reminds me of The National. This contrasts with the more 60s fuzzed-out rock feel of "Angel on the Wayside," which feels more along the lines of the grage rockers like Blue Cheer. 

The album's best songwriting lies in "the Welterweight"; it's prety earnest and thoughtful in its melody. The last song has similar feels as "Turn on the Light" but it flows better, while still carrying that more introspective melancholy that the National wove well at their creative peak.  I will give this a 9.5, it's impressive even though it is not their best album, they are maturing at that is hard to argue with when done this well. 

psr553