View The Review
7 out of 10
It's always good to hear something that's a little bit off the wall, that defies easy classification whilst being catchy and not overly obtuse or awkward to listen to. The Bitter Tears are just one of those bands.
The base of the tasty musical cheesecake is definitely one of country, stirred in with a generous helping of rock and roll, made from the ground up bones of Hank Williams, Big Star and Willie Nelson. The moist, sweet topping, soft and moorish is made from a pureed smorgasbord of Tom Waits, M. Ward and Morphine, and the thick, rich cream to finish it off is milked from the teat of Wilco and Chuck Prophet.
I think I may have over done that particular analogy there, but it's kind of apt, as The Bitter Tears do exhibit a wonderful oddness that pervades the whole album. This extends to the music as well as the lyrics - although there are only five members, between them they play enough instruments for a small orchestra, which lends each song its own unique character.
It all adds up to make a wonderfully quirky album, to get your head a nodding and your toes a tapping.
Listen: www.myspace.com/thebittertears
Tracklist:
1. Slay the Heart of the Earth
2. Bachelors Say
3. Inbred Kings
4. Oiling Up
5. Hamptons
6. Starlight
7. Stumper
8. The Companion
9. The Love Letter
10. Worthless Sleaze
No comments:
Post a Comment