I remember the first time that I heard Television's Marquee Moon. Their angular, clean, and intricate guitar-driven blend of punk, art-rock, and jazz-informed improvisation along with their nervous kind of energy was a bit mind blowing. Sunday Mourners debut album, A-Rhythm Absolute, feels born from the spirit of Television's album.
On A Rhythm Absolute, Sunday Mourners keep everything lean and dry. The guitars have some of Television's clean, angular strain and tension, while the writing has some of Lou Reed’s plainspoken distance, direct, watchful, and a little worn at the edges. The band recorded the album to tape at Jazzcats Studio in Long Beach, giving it a vintage sound that fits the music perfectly. Even when the songs stretch out, the band never overplays them. This is especially true of the album’s centerpiece, “Darling,” which stretches past 12 minutes.
There’s something exciting about hearing a young band lock into a sound with roots that go back nearly fifty years and do it justice. Sunday Mourners pull it off on a fantastic debut album.
.jpeg)
0 Comments