Listen To: The Black and White Years
I hate the first (and only the first) twenty seconds of the Black and White Years’ S/T debut LP.
The swinging and fading studio effects combined with the slow electric bass remind me of a bad 311 or Incubus song. The first twenty seconds represent a frustrating lack of drive and purpose in the music it reminds me of – luckily the Black and White Years have not depended on quirky studio effects. Rather, they use them to create a fuller sound. Drones, hums, pulses and reverb create a layered and sometimes haunting sound. Matched with always nasally and sometime desperate vocals the band manages to create a compelling sound.
After the first twenty seconds the full band kicks in and there is an unmistakable drive throughout the rest of the album. Even in the lackadaisical A Dense History when the band ponders Texas (or taxes) has upbeat portions that make you feel you’re moving towards a logical conclusion. Of course, there is no real resolution other than the ending of the album, but you don’t feel as if you’re wasting your time with the record.
However, that’s exactly what I find myself doing. I am surprised every time the record is over and I always seem to start over from track one. The Black and White Years’ S/T debut LP has me hooked. It doesn’t hurt that the band had Jerry Harrison a la Modern Lovers and Talking Heads producing the LP. Buy.
The Black and White Years – Power to Change
The Black and White Years will be at the Church on May 7th along side Evolucion, Akasha, and Death by Fame.
May 6 – Crash Mansion: NYC, NY
May 7 – The Church of Boston: Boston, MA
May 8 – Spike Hill: Brooklyn, NY
May 10 – WEQX Tulip Festival: Albany, NY
