2014-07-20
French Style Furs is Nathan Willett and Matt Maust from Cold War Kids, with Nathan Warketin from the band, We Barbarians. (Also included are guests on percussion, vocals, and horns.) This L.A. band wrote the lyrics for debut, Is Exotic Bait, based on the poetry of 20th century monk, Thomas Merton. The album starts out promising with distorted vocals and fuzzy guitar on opener "Three Friends". It rocks even more with sludgy bass adding to the mix on second track, "All the Way Down". At this point I am liking it. However, on track three, "The World in My Bloodstream", things get a little sketchy. As the worst track on the album, it introduces keys and heartfelt lyrics to make a pop song like any other. The rest of the disc, while still sometimes offering garage rock overtones is still hit or miss until ninth track, the rocker "Christmas Card" redeems it. Rebecca Ruth
ZULU WINTER
Language
JASON LYTLE
Yours Truly, The Commander
BELL X1
Blue Lights on the Runway
THE BROKEN WEST
Now or Heaven
PAUL THORN
A LONG WAY FROM TUPELO
Lambchop
The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part II
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