Bandcamp Picks of the Week 3/15/17

Bandcamp Picks of the Week: same as it ever was 

Image Source

Mightiest of Guns – DRINK OVER YOUR GRAVE

Genre: Alt-Country

Favorite Tracks: “Sawtooth Knife,” “Key That Turned the Lock,” “Shoot Me Dead,” “A Return to Violent Ways” 

People have a fascination with the Wild West, a place and time with seemingly unlimited possibilities that lured men by the thousands with tales of fortune and success. Such fascination has even spread to Australia’s Mightiest of Guns, who deliver an authentic, passionate tribute to those who fell for such tales, often at the cost of their lives or morality. DRINK OVER YOUR GRAVE works wonderfully as an anthology, flowing seamlessly from one tale of drunken, renegade anti-heroes to another. The key to all of this is lead singer Brett Marshall shifting from maniacal and villainous to betrayed and down-on-his-luck with the rough, husky baritone of a man who has realized far too late how vicious and dehumanizing the Wild West is. It also does a great job incorporating extra instrumentation and vocals without detracting from the core of Marshall’s vocals and rustic, thick guitar tones. This is country at its grimiest, roughest, and most miserable. If you need some material for your campfire singalong and don’t mind something a little dark, you can listen to it here.  [Blake Michelle]

Image Source

Castlebeat – VINTAGE FLOWERS

Genre: Lo-Fi Indie, Dream Pop

Favorite Tracks: “Cruiser,” “Nighttime”

Though the low fidelity garage rock trend has seen more relevant days, there is still something to be said for sunny tracks that they were recorded with a Rock Band microphone into Garageband. VINTAGE FLOWERS by Castlebeat provides just this sound. The EP is brief and hazy, sounding like the Los Angeles smog that clouds the band’s hometown. The single, “Cruiser,” is perfectly suited for a sweaty skate sesh in the California sun, featuring a fuzzed-out guitar riff, vocals reminiscent of Stephen Malkmus, and a propulsive drum machine. The summery sound on the EP is certainly welcome as flowers start to emerge and the consistent presence of the sun beckons us back out into the world to go on adventures. Listening to VINTAGE FLOWERS sounds like being up to no good with your best friends while the California sun beats down on you. Put on Castlebeat, grab your skateboard, and get outside and enjoy the springtime. You can listen to and purchase VINTAGE FLOWERS here. [Ted Davis]

Crossfader Staff

The good people of Crossfader Magazine.